Americans Being Brainwashed By The UK!!??

I'm always reading/watching the news. I knew about all the stories the OP mentioned, but I don't really come here to discuss current affairs because it's nice to take a break from the negativity often found in the news.

I am a news junkie, I read the Guardian first thing in the morning, and watch Channel 4 news every evening. I also read the Independent, the Washington Post, the New York Times (as well as some socialist and activist news sources from all over) and listen to news on various radio stations. Like others said, I don't turn to UK-Y for news (that's what the feminist socialists on tumblr are for!) I tend to stay abreast of a lot of American news because a lot of blogging platforms tend to have a lot of Americans on them, but I don't prioritise US news unless it is quite a big story. Considering where we are located, I think we are in a great position to get (mostly) balanced news from all over the world.

As for weather, unless it is directly affecting friends and family, or is quite awful (like that tornado that occurred earlier in the summer), it's not really my concern. There are terrible natural disasters all over the world that are equally saddening.

I've lived in the UK for six years with no intention of leaving, it would be bizarre if I still knew all the minutiae of American news. I don't even know pop culture anymore, even though I still read fluffy pop culture blogs.

I wonder if this has even been reported in the US though:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/18/glenn-greenwald-guardian-partner-detained-heathrow

I kind of doubt it & a good example of the far-reaching creepiness of overreaching powers. 

Yes, it's being reported here, at least on NPR. The US is interested in this because it involves that Snowden character.

News in the US is appalling with very little coverage of international events at all on the mainstream media. If we watch TV news, it's always the news on BBC America or PBS.

I have found that since no amount of talking, discussing and arguing viewpoints will change things anyway, it is easier on my state of mind to steer clear of discussing news online. Sure, I will talk news and politics to family and friends face to face, but have found that things tend to get a bit more heated online, where far more people can add their 2p worth.

Also, I have started limiting the amount of news I watch. I am one of those sensitive souls who worry about everyone. I can't change the world to make it full of rainbows and daisies for everyone with any amount of worrying. I have become a happier person for it.

While we were still in the UK, a lot of people would mention US current affairs to me, or would be able to carry on an informed conversation if I brought them up. I don't think it is a matter of brainwashing.

Meh... I'm more than a bit embarrassed to say this, but I'm not really a news person... let alone a discuss the news kind of person... 

I do listen to Radio4 in the morning, in the car, etc -  and catch what I can on other shows on iplayer- but it's just the tidbits.   And I like to read my local newspaper online, where I can get really good gossip about "local residents fight to keep telephone booth in village" and "traffic stopped for 25 minutes due to deer in road". 

Call me silly or stupid or my head up my ars* or a loser for not giving a toss kind of person -  I suck, I guess.... But it has nothing to do with the UKBA brainwashing me, I can tell you that..........   I have lots of things I do research and things that fill my head up, which hopefully makes me "smart enough" and "interesting enough", but one can never tell....   

Meh... I'm more than a bit embarrassed to say this, but I'm not really a news person... let alone a discuss the news kind of person... 

I do listen to Radio4 in the morning, in the car, etc -  and catch what I can on other shows on iplayer- but it's just the tidbits.   And I like to read my local newspaper online, where I can get really good gossip about "local residents fight to keep telephone booth in village" and "traffic stopped for 25 minutes due to deer in road". 

Call me silly or stupid or my head up my ars* or a loser for not giving a toss kind of person -  I suck, I guess.... But it has nothing to do with the UKBA brainwashing me, I can tell you that..........   I have lots of things I do research and things that fill my head up, which hopefully makes me "smart enough" and "interesting enough", but one can never tell....   

I have found that since no amount of talking, discussing and arguing viewpoints will change things anyway, it is easier on my state of mind to steer clear of discussing news online. Sure, I will talk news and politics to family and friends face to face, but have found that things tend to get a bit more heated online, where far more people can add their 2p worth.

Also, I have started limiting the amount of news I watch. I am one of those sensitive souls who worry about everyone. I can't change the world to make it full of rainbows and daisies for everyone with any amount of worrying. I have become a happier person for it.

While we were still in the UK, a lot of people would mention US current affairs to me, or would be able to carry on an informed conversation if I brought them up. I don't think it is a matter of brainwashing.

I am pretty much like you both.  I don't have the brain space for most of it and if I did I'd have less space for my music, my friends,my husband and what's really important to me.

I think many of the people who chose to live in the UK pay attention to the news that more directly affects them, which happens to UK news.  That isn't brainwashing; it's becoming part of the culture.  I tend to focus on the news that affects my location too, but read both US and UK papers. 

I'm another one that doesn't do much news and political discussion here.  I've got other venues for that.

My favourite news item yesterday was about the cat who kept pinching items from the neighbours   http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3847081.ece

That's the kind of tidbit the US news would pick up, rather than serious political stuff.  And vice versa.

Sad to say, my main source of news on the UK these days is... The New York Times. And I've lived here for a long time.

The Guardian is a great newspaper/site. But I've only got about an hour every day to read the paper, so since I actually pay for a digital subscription to the Times, the Times it is. It's quite pathetic.

I listen to the news ALL the time here in the US.  And when I am in the UK, I listen to their news.  However I am an extremely opinionated.  And even discussing any news in person, I can get a bit over the top dramatics-wise.  So I learned in my early 20's not to discuss news with anyone.  Doesn't mean I don't care, but people get emotional and I just have other stresses in my life I would rather deal with
 

I listen to the news ALL the time here in the US.  And when I am in the UK, I listen to their news.  However I am an extremely opinionated.  And even discussing any news in person, I can get a bit over the top dramatics-wise.  So I learned in my early 20's not to discuss news with anyone.  Doesn't mean I don't care, but people get emotional and I just have other stresses in my life I would rather deal with
 

Do you believe the so called news?

Do you ever think they have an agenda?

Do you believe the so called news?

Do you ever think they have an agenda?

I believe the BBC more than any American news

I believe the BBC more than any American news

As do I.

This is an interesting article about the BBC and its crazy left-wing bias: http://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-how-biased-is-the-bbc-17028

That's a good article Chary. I think the BBC will always slightly favour the Government in power....that's who funds them and regulates them.

That's a good article Chary. I think the BBC will always slightly favour the Government in power....that's who funds them and regulates them.

I'm not sure they do. I think there is a difference between who is interviewed and bias. It's natural that the party of government is going to be interviewed more, they are the ones making the decisions, people will be interested in what the ministers of various departments have to say. Yes, they will also speak to shadow ministers but given they aren't making the decisions then as much as their opinion is valid it's not as much of interest.
In an election you should have equal coverage, but being that we don't live in a perpetual election cycle as appears to be the case in the US, then outside of that you need to be interviewing government ministers and challenging them on the decisions they are making.
I don't think that anyone who regularly watches Newsnight, Andrew Marr or Question Time would say that the BBC shows any bias toward the government.