10/22/06
What on earth would compel any intelligent person to sit and watch network evening news? Ok class, please raise your hand if you’re your stomach has started to turn every time you dare watch the news for more than fifteen minutes. The following is a list of topics I just suffered through: “man shot over tire rims”, “body found in river”, “gas prices down – but is that really good news?”, “homicide rate on track for a high for decade”, “woman seriously injured in crash”, here’s the kicker, “Six killed in Iraq today, Still Bush remains stubborn.” What a way to announce to the world the death of those fighting on behalf of their country. No prayers or condolences to the family of these, just on to the agenda.
After audibly setting a new standard for our home (no more network news scare tactics in D’s house!), and turning off the TV, I began to wonder why there isn’t an outcry for a change in the way news in presented, or at least a steady decline in ratings. Pick your grudge… political biases, disconnection from real Americans, or marketing stories to Americans by our need for tragedy… I wonder how news outlets are still the powerful entities that they are. Maybe I’ve just answered my own question, “our need for drama.” Personally, I encounter more than enough drama without the aid of mr and mrs anchorperson, but it seems as though a large number of us need more. So drink up drama-glutton, you’ll be fed at least three times a day, four if you choose to stay up for a late night snack.
Perhaps long ago some brain suggested that FEAR could be used as a cattle prod for a nation of heifers. With every story we are made to be on guard, constantly in search of our political, or social savior. Sad… a REAL Saviour goes unnoticed… uncalled… unrelied upon.
I know, I know… news media outlets have been reporting bad news for a long time, and somehow people just watch through it and still smile afterward. So I should just probably get over it… I’m probably just blowing a lot of smoke. Still, I’ll research current events for myself, rather than watch sixty minutes of a program that could be accurately entitled, “Today’s BAD News, And What We Want You To Think About It”
2 comments:
keep in mind too that in this country the news isnt public, its private, so it's a business and consequently comes witht he package of someone trying to make a profit. In this country, everyone, well most people act to fulfill their own agendas. I must say NPR is great to listen to for news and accolades.
I may be wrong about it being compeltely private, i'll look that up, i mean it may be public, technically, point is...its a business...ie time warner and fox owning a bulk of it.
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