In the News
News---the awareness and knowledge of current world, national and local, events---is critically important to our world and its citizens!! At least it should be. We should pay attention to what is going on around us and care about it. With cable television and the Internet added to the information sources that were around when our parents were the adults whose votes chose our leaders and representatives, we should be the best informed and savvy citizenry the world has ever known; but we aren't!
We are told what to think and often how to think and many cannot tell what is actually news and what is opinion, or what is news and what gossip. I am not sure whether we are a world of ostriches or of busybodies. It seems to me that a lot of people don't want to think for themselves. They want the government to take away all the risks and responsibility of living; and if someone tells them how/what to think along the way----what's the problem? they are just taking care of us..... Why is Anna Nicole's death more important than the death of soldiers and even innocent people in Iran or Iraq or than news of starving children anywhere? Is it that the general public really cares more about our Hollywood figure heads and their dirty laundry, or that they simply don't want to hear about ugly events that really matter???? Apathy is a frightening concept, too, when used as a possible explanation of this phenomenon. I must admit, I lean toward that to explain why media stories seem so skewed away from hard news. Then there's also the horrifying possibility that people today really don't comprehend the difference between real news and the society gossip.
My default TV channel is always a news channel, but it is usually local news, unless there is something HUGE "breaking." Because I have always felt like I had so little free reading time (because there were ALWAYS writing papers that needed to be graded) I have always guarded my reading time jealously. I presume that is why I have chosen to get most of my news, all types of news, from the old "boob tube." I acknowledge, this is my own weakness and problem; guess that makes me the boob. But in the last 5 to 10 years, I feel that the quality and integrity of broadcast news have declined to near death. I am not sure where to start to overcome this deficit for my own education.
So much of what is out there just makes me angry. In fact, often, that seems to be its purpose.
Does anyone out there have some truly informative and unbiased sources to suggest. Is it too much to ask that it might be presented in a positive or hopeful light. I am afraid if I start something that basically indicates, as I am tending to dread now at times, that we are all in the proverbial handbasket on a fast downhill slope to you know where, I simply won't finish reading it. I gotta have hope.
I have blathered on too long. Have a happy Easter, or I hope you had a blessed and meaningful Passover, or just have a great day; and hug a friend. Peace to you all.
We are told what to think and often how to think and many cannot tell what is actually news and what is opinion, or what is news and what gossip. I am not sure whether we are a world of ostriches or of busybodies. It seems to me that a lot of people don't want to think for themselves. They want the government to take away all the risks and responsibility of living; and if someone tells them how/what to think along the way----what's the problem? they are just taking care of us..... Why is Anna Nicole's death more important than the death of soldiers and even innocent people in Iran or Iraq or than news of starving children anywhere? Is it that the general public really cares more about our Hollywood figure heads and their dirty laundry, or that they simply don't want to hear about ugly events that really matter???? Apathy is a frightening concept, too, when used as a possible explanation of this phenomenon. I must admit, I lean toward that to explain why media stories seem so skewed away from hard news. Then there's also the horrifying possibility that people today really don't comprehend the difference between real news and the society gossip.
My default TV channel is always a news channel, but it is usually local news, unless there is something HUGE "breaking." Because I have always felt like I had so little free reading time (because there were ALWAYS writing papers that needed to be graded) I have always guarded my reading time jealously. I presume that is why I have chosen to get most of my news, all types of news, from the old "boob tube." I acknowledge, this is my own weakness and problem; guess that makes me the boob. But in the last 5 to 10 years, I feel that the quality and integrity of broadcast news have declined to near death. I am not sure where to start to overcome this deficit for my own education.
So much of what is out there just makes me angry. In fact, often, that seems to be its purpose.
Does anyone out there have some truly informative and unbiased sources to suggest. Is it too much to ask that it might be presented in a positive or hopeful light. I am afraid if I start something that basically indicates, as I am tending to dread now at times, that we are all in the proverbial handbasket on a fast downhill slope to you know where, I simply won't finish reading it. I gotta have hope.
I have blathered on too long. Have a happy Easter, or I hope you had a blessed and meaningful Passover, or just have a great day; and hug a friend. Peace to you all.
posted by sundaycynce at 4:20 PM
2 Comments:
I think the "news " changed when corporate america supposed they could doctor it up so as to make money. I remember many years ago, reading somewhere that TV news was unprofitable and the networks; ie; CBS, NBC, and ABC had twice a day news programs mainly as a public service. That was in the Walter Cronkite, Douglas Edwards years.
I think you can still get a better look at "WORLD" news by looking at some of the overseas media.
I live on the border between NY and Ontario Canada. I think their news...both print and broadcast gives a more evenhanded view of world events.
My Sunday Scribble was mostly a jibe at the american media...I do honestly believe that they have prostituted themselves for the dollar. I feel bad for the thousands of dedicated American journalists who are trapped in this quagmire.
Thanks for the visit and please come again!
rel
News.
Gossip.
The fine American line.
I rarely watch news on television as I grew up on radio. I still rely on BBC for much of my world information. As for this nation, the broadcasts and printed word that is sold to us as news is a prime example of capitalism without discretion.
Ugly.
Unreliable.
Greedy.
Agendas.
I live my life creating the news whenever possible. The old saying is right, there is enough pain and sorrow out there to make a fence post weep. I prefer to take action over hearing about it and saying, "wow that is so sad."
I learned this well as I compared my military friends side of the mideast conflict with my civilian friends who lost thier homes, family and livilehood.
I learned this well in the Gulf Coast as I worked side by side with those our own country forgot.
As a historian I was taught to look at source material first, the rest is merely some fallible persons opinions colored with thier own personal views and history. I think think the same applies to the news, look to the source.
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