So goes one of my favorite lines from “The Great Space Coaster” (though I could have sworn it was “The Muppet Show,” thanks Rev. Juhl) But, it doesn’t take a wildebeest telling you to know that sometimes what ISN’T in the news is just as newsworthy as what is.

You get your news from a lot of different sources. Based on the job you have, the school you attend, the church to which you belong, or the other organizations you follow, you get newsletters, briefs, press releases, and reports all the time. These types of news really amount to commentary or editorials as their content is carefully chosen to send a specific message.

The same has been said about mass media. Americans value the freedom of the press so that when there is bad news or scandal, the powerful and influential to whom it may be damaging cannot stifle the truth. Be savvy enough to understand that the news that is (or more importantly is NOT) reported can tell us about the agenda of the source.

So, take in your news with a discerning eye. Sometimes what you know to be news is omitted by the obvious news venues where it should belong because it is embarrassing to source or would portray the group in a bad light. That isn’t a source of news. That’s a propaganda machine.

(here’s a clip)