TV. People call it the “boob tube.” People banish it from their homes to demonstrate how smart and superior they are (oh, and elitist). People argue endlessly about who should be able to own TV stations because, with too much media in too few hands, other people might hear or learn the wrong things.

The inferiority of TV. Its subjection to the control of media titans, who play footsie with political power. These things are demonstrated to be absurd by things like this: a former sportscaster on a throwaway cable news channel imploring his audience and the President about habeas corpus, the Military Commissions Act, and American history — for nearly nine minutes. This is the kind of thing that happens in our supposedly vapid, short-attention-span media world.

Now, I’m not a fan of Keith Olbermann, nor an opponent of the current administration (though I criticize policies unreservedly when I think they’re wrong). I make these disclaimers to encourage you to consider the arguments Olbermann makes, looking past some of his personal invective. He states quite strongly things that our careful scholars are suggesting and exploring here, here, here, here, and here.

People, when you’re not reading Levy, Moller, or Lynch — watch TV!