I think it has quite a bit of an impact on the people watching it, but it varies on how well the channel can put things into their perspective.

It kind of depends on the selection of media available to the public. In many of the arab countries all they have to get their news from is the hate-American-westernculture-is-evil-networks. In America we have the CNNs and the MSNBCs and the CBS which tend to lean to the left. Talk radio for the most part leans to the right and tries to poke holes in the mainstream media. We also have FoxNews which lets both sides of every issue argue it out. Most European countries' media outlets seem to be very biased against US foreign policies.

Anyhow the beliefs of each countries media watchers usually are shaped somewhat by what they are inundated with daily.

Because of time constraints and lack of interest, most people can do no more than listen to information and regurgitate that information back at a later time.

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

even those of us who think we understand it's hypocrisy are victimised by it as a result of not having alternative, true democratic media:

for example, i voted for Kerry although i REALLY honestly did not kare if he wins or loses, so it did have an effect on me to vote, and maybe it could have been a deciding vote.... it affects us all, and thats the problem.

others think, " well, i come to the same conclusion if i watch public television" little realising that public is just the name tag

Fact: most of the media in this country is liberally biased.

Fact: most of the country is right of center.

Therefore, the media has not had such a great impact. Usually, people will go to whatever suits their own beliefs, which is why FOX is now doing so well and all the other networks and print media are doing lousy.

Fact: you're wrong.

Fact: you're one of millions and millions who are still bieng fooled by zionist clever deception. (exactly as i once was during the Clinton years.)