Rediscovering C-Span

[rrpjr]

At a recent visit to my parent’s home I watched C-Span for the first time in four years (having lost it when I moved to a condo and chose not to subscribe to a satellite service). What an incredible delight. The Morning Journal news presentation draws from a salad bar of sources, left and right, highlights of which are offered verbatum by a moderator totally devoid of political inflection. Occasionally this agreeably bland moderator has guests, usually from opposing political sides and more often than not quite interesting people, whose conflicting opinions fill the air in the same manner and tone of an ordinary conversation in your livingroom (no incendiary lead-ins, trumpeting music, flashing graphics or antagonistic “gotchyas”.). There is no attempt to try to manage or condense or simplify or style any of the news presented, that is, no sense of self-importance by the person reporting (or, more accurately, conveying) the news, nor any assumption that the audience is incapable of sorting out any of the flowing contradictions in its own minds. It treats the audience as intelligent and reasonable folk. It does not insult. In a word, it is civilized. In a one-hour show you can get a summary of journalism (mainstream and more obscure) from across the country and from every political side and hear individuals who in other venues might be goaded into biting each other’s heads off discourse with a calm and respectful manner that gives hope to our culture. I intend to re-subscribe.

[RoninLB]

I scan thru C-span & C-span2 routinely. Book interviews & forums are very good.