Once upon a time, in days of old, people got their TV news every evening. It was usually to the point and delivered in a few words. If one needed more information, there was the newspaper or in some cases some extra news show like "60 Minutes," "Face The nation," or "Meet the Press."
When Cable TV started to expand during the 80s, along with specialized channels for movies and shopping, came specialized news channels. CNN (Cable News Network) was launched on June 1, 2005 by Turner Broadcasting CEO, Ted Turner. Soon came all the other news channels like MSNBC and Fox. But, CNN, goes on record has having started the path to news media chaos.
Now, you have the ability to deliver news every hour on the hour and even on the half hour. What do you do to fill in the time in between? I believe it is that dilemma that has contributed to TV-News and its credibility issue. In order to fill minutes, news teams have had to interview the friend of a friend of friends in order to draw out a story. And if there is interest, all the other news channels do the same. They are often not credible and the "experts" aren't that expert. But they are loaded with opinion.
And how do they decide if there is interest? Not necessarily by importance as much as how many watch and how much advertising investors are interested in financing. It didn't take long before news became entertainment, image and and a financial investment.
The problems with all this is that it still come to us under the title called "news." Granted, there is some news, but in most cases that seems secondary to everything else.
Predominantly, anchors are exceptionally good looking men or women. Not that good looking women or men can't be good news people, but how much did their looks play into their ability to get their job? Alex Witt? I think she is beautiful and I will admit I have watched her because of that. She came to MSNBC in 1999 and had previous reporting experience. And I am not suggesting she used her looks to get her job because, of course, I do not know and no one would admit it if it were so. But her looks certainly do not hurt her popularity. We are, after all, largely an "image driven" society.
And what news is interesting and will drive people to watch? Scott Peterson? OJ Simpson? Rosie vs Trump? I can't tell you how many reporters and anchors seemed to add an "disclaimer" suggesting the Rosie vs. Trump feud was ridiculous, but then went on to report it over and over again. Was the Laci Peterson murder an isolated incident in the USA? No. There were others similar. This one just happened to catch the attention of someone in the media and it. This story became fodder for the news media and elevated Scott Peterson to notoriety he did not deserve.
Then comes the case of the two boys who had been kidnapped by Michael Devlin in Missouri. Immediately upon their discovery, this became a media circus. Reporters interviewed people who lived in the apartment complex and "just heard noises" and though they knew they shouldn't ask the kids anything, they certainly tried. Even Oprah Winfrey got in on it. (Although I will also fault the Hornbeck parents for getting involved in that one). Then there is the New York Times reporter who somehow got an interview with Devlin in jail. Followed by new stations reporting that this probably shouldn't have been done but, at the same time, reporting what they say shouldn't have been done. And how much further will it go? I do not believe any of these reporters were motivated by their "right to know" creed they taut so often, but rather they did it for ratings. They did it to get an edge. It is what American journalism and news reporting has evolved into.
As with any issues, the media has so much time to create and re-create stories. Many stories would probably pass without incident, except, the news media has to fill some time. They have to edge out their competing station. They have to make it sensational to sell. The answer? Unfortunately there isn't one. The media is like politicians who spend more time campaigning then actually doing something productive. In that case we as citizens have to fend for ourselves often against them. With the media, we have to fend for ourselves to find out what is really going on.
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