New Media Notes to Old-Media Cronies: Continued Coverage "Decision/Election 2000"

19 Dec 2000

New Media Notes to Old-Media Cronies:

Opinion/Editorial

With Regard to Your Continued Coverage of "Decision/Election 2000"

And Notes on the New Economy and .com Failures...

By C. L. Staten, EmergencyNet News Publisher

The Election is over. In a few words...Get over it. We're sorry if your choice didn't win, and you have our congratulations if he did. Either way, the time has come to "stop beating this dead horse." Yeah, we know that it is an easy story to cover and all it requires to fill airtime or multiple newspaper columns is a pundit's opinion from each side of the issue (or as was evidenced by at least some recent coverage, maybe only one side of the story).

But, as America is forced to watch endless debates about the "legitimacy" of an election that has already been decided...crisis, conflict, disasters, and other "real news" continues in the rest of the world. It would appear that so-called "hard-news" is being given short-shrift by at least some of 24 hour-a-day news stations as they continue to focus on an election that happened over a month ago.

Why would they do that, a casual observer might ask? Because their rating increased while the election controversy raged, reviewers would note. Some probably think that it is still possible to "milk a few more ratings points out of the story" by continuing to exploit partisian political pundits and those with other agendas. Regardless, we believe it's time to move on and cover the things that are important to America in the future...not dwell on what's past.

Death of Dot.Com Stories

And, while you are at it, maybe it's time for the "popular media" to lay off the "death of .com stories" and your constant skepticism and criticism of the technology sector of the stock market. Of course, some of the .com businesses are going to fail. That is a given in the world of business. Some estimates suggest that as many as 80% of all new (conventional-old economy) businesses fail within five years of inception. Surely, those companies associated with the internet will be no different, Those companies, internet or not, that do not have a realistic business plan, adequate management, and a viable product or service to sell, will fail. But, constant stories about internet "gloom and doom" with scare stories about internet viruses, hacker attacks and failed business ideas shouldn't be the only ones that traditional media editors chose to run. The internet is and will be "the growth engine" of the United States in the coming decade...if the traditional press (and holders of "old-economy" blue chip stocks) will only get out of the way and let it happen. And...a modest interest rate cut by the Fed wouldn't hurt matters either.

And finally, we realize that at least some people would like all of this new-fangled internet stuff to disappear, and again grant the traditional press the near-monopoly on forming public opinion that they have enjoyed for so many years, please be advised that we "young upstarts" on the internet aren't going away any time soon. We've been here for five years and will be here in the foreseeable future...

America is Wonderful!!

That's what's so wonderful about the United States of America...everyone has a right to free speech and free press. We have the right to tell the truth as we see it and state our opinions. Rights that EmergencyNet News intends to continue to exercise...

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