I don’t know exactly when it happened, but some time ago “the media” decided that what American viewers wanted was entertainment, not news. Programs like “Entertainment Tonight” were born. They were plugged into time slots near or next to “the news”, I guess in hopes that some “newsiness” would wear off on it and that viewers might begin to confuse the “entertainment” with real coverage of important current events. Well it comes on just before the local news so it must be news too! It seems to have worked. The coverage given to “Hollywood gossip” is now quite interchangeable with any “news” program….stories cross from entertainment to news without anyone even noticing. What is Paris doing? What’s wrong with Tom Cruise? Which glamour girl is cheating on which boyfriend? Who kissed who. Who needs to be in drug rehab and who is in trouble with the law? WHO CARES?
I don’t object to a program devoted to this trash….er, uh….I mean these kinds of stories, but I do object to those same stories being foisted upon viewers of News programs. What terrifies me the most isn’t the fact that I see these stories reported regularly on CNN Headline news, what really frightens me is I think many viewers believe these kinds of stories ARE news or that they are important enough to report along with stories about real issues that affect millions of people.
Be afraid, be very afraid….the media would have us believe that viewers would rather hear about Paris Hilton’s latest antic than to see coverage of human rights violations in places like the Saudi kingdom, or genocide in Darfur.
The coverage of both of our major political party conventions speaks volumes on what is wrong with Television news coverage. There has been much hand wringing from both the right and the left about the media. They are too liberal, Fox News is too conservative, the media gave the current administration a free pass on all kinds of issues, they treat Barack Obama like a rock star, they don’t ask John McCain the “hard” questions, they give McCain a free ride, and on and on. You know what? I think it’s all true, all of those charges are true because journalists no longer know how to be journalists. Journalism has been replaced by entertainment.
The most trusted name in news has provided us with hours and hours of something they call analysis. Analysis is performed by placing two or more (but always an equal number of each opposing view) entertainers on stage at the same time and then allowing them or encouraging them to, make faces at each other, interrupt one another, yell back and forth, talk at the same time, and in general act in ways that would warrant a spanking if they were our children. Seriously now, if our children behaved like that there would be punishment involved. Wouldn’t there?
While hurricane Gustov approached the mainland U.S. just as the GOP was preparing their extravaganza in the Twin Cities there began to be talk among the pin heads about what would be “appropriate” for the GOP to do. Naturally the GOP opted to “look worried” to wring their hands and assure every one that the administration was on top of things and that they would put the safety of our country first over the party being held in the Twin Cities. hmmmmm??? Our President decided to stay in Washington so that he would be in a position to take necessary action in case of a calamity.
I can’t help but to remember what the leaders of the GOP were doing on THE VERY DAY that Katrina struck New Orleans.
That’s right….they were having a party at a posh exclusive country club in Phoenix. They didn't look very concerned about hurricane victims during this party. Seems the mainstream journalists have forgotten all about this. Gee...what an inconvenient picture this photo op has turned out to be. So....One wonders, what's all the hand wringing about this time around?
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