USA Today Tuesday, Jan 26th Life section had an article on the Gloden Globes. I read USA Today everyday on my lunch break. Prince has not been mentioned it that paper for months and maybe years. If so he was always called "The Artist Formerly Known As... or The Artist Once Again Known As... I think they are getting past the TAFKAP crap.

As A Prince Fan its nice 2 hear:

ROCK LEGEND PRINCE for a change...

He must have a big deal worked out with the powers/MATRIX
that be, I've always been a little suspicious of USA Today being a sPiN tool for Musicians and Actors or Movies. Sometimes they think someone is HOT when they are not. Makes me wonder WHO GOT PAID?

Has the Promotional Machine Currently In Prince's Corner?

The Timing Is Just About Perfect For Prince Right Now~

buttcheeks said:

Being familiar with the usual editor-reporter newspaper publishing process, I'm curious why you think payolla influences USA Today's news-gathering process.

Do you have specific, verifiable examples to support your suspicion?

I think that a few people over the years have influenced me to question or be suspicious of a lot of media sources.

Media has a way of molding and manipulating the thoughts of many.

Why does anyone care about what Britney Spears is Up 2?

Media has a way of making subjects more important than they actually are.

If you are bad press you probably won't be mentioned in the Society section.

I beleive that Money and Politics control a large percentage of what we are exposed too.

If Prince or any other celebrity were not a commodity we probably would not of been exposed to them.

I discovered Prince through the Radio and MTV.
Someone made some $ Money $ by putting him there.
As soon as someone does'nt seem interesting anymore we don't see much or hear much of them, unless they get arrested or whatever...

This is probably crazy but, I wonder if the Michael Jackson case is part of a comeback stragity. If the Kid would come forward ans say he lied, then what would that do to our Minds? Would we be ready for a new expensive Michael Jackson Video?/ Hit album?


"Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out" ... Question Authority!

buttcheeks said:

I think your instinct to question authority is a good one. I think, however, there still is a significant difference between established, generally responsible news outlets (Washington Post, New York Times, L.A. Times, Time, Newsweek, PBS news, C-Span, NPR, etc.) and less responsible, tabloid outlets who don't hold to the same time-honored standards of journalism (checking facts and sources, conflicts of interest, etc.)

Assuredly, the "established" outlets have problems from time to time (the LAT had trouble with a piece it ran on the Staples Center a few years ago, failing to disclose at the time its stake in the venue, for example). But, again, the track records of these organizations are such that I think it safe to say they're usually above board.

A lot of the thought processes that go into determining what is news involves that same desire to question authority. As more news outlets are owned by fewer interests, however, that process might grow muddled.

And, even within those organizations, there are people advocating for new standards in coverage and priority. The organizations that don't marginalize such talents are to be applauded. For, I'm sure, they're rare.

2 questions for you:

1) Who make up the nebulous phrase "media," when you use that word?

2) Again, I'd like specific instances where you've seen the media untruthfully do something to "manipulate the thoughts of many..." A lot of what I see media outlets do is out of ignorance, which can have the systematic impression of crookedness over time.

I was wondering if I was the only one that noticed that. Another publication called him "legendary artist"..threw me for a loop.. but it's good to see him the respect he deserves, even if he is an ass.

SquarePeg said:

Simply the most all out talented rock star of all time, so it's good to see him get respected.