QUESTION 1: What is "news"?
As defined by various . . . authorities(?) . . . news is neither good or bad, news is essentially an objective communication of events.
NEWS (merriam-webster.com): Newly received or noteworthy information, especially about recent or important events: I've got some good news for you.
NEWS (Wikipedia.com): News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different media: word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting, electronic communication, or through the testimony of observers and witnesses to events. News is sometimes called "hard news" to differentiate it from soft media.
NEWS (dictionary.com): a report of a recent event; intelligence; information.Unfortunately, mainstream print and especially broadcast media primarily focus on "negative" events, and occasionally end an article or broadcast news strategically branded as "feel good" (human interest) or "do-gooder" stories to give a pseudo-positive spin to an otherwise extremely negative if not contemptuous broadcast. For example, presented below is actual content from nationally televised evening newscasts by the three perpetually dominant television networks for Monday, September 6, 2021:
1. New fears of holiday COVID-19 surge
2. 40 million people cause traffic jams and pack skys
3. COVID-19 infections skyrocket nationwide, with more than 1,100 deaths each day4. Dire situation for healthcare workers;
5. Health of children in schools in peril due to COVID-19
4. Hurricane Ida destroys towns, homes, and kills5. COVID-19 super spreaders fears grow at airlines and football games
6. Dangerous escape from Afghanistan; Amerian charter flights blocked from departure7. Child dies on an amusement park ride in Colorado
8. Man finally speaks out on the mysterious murder of his wife and son
9. Millions of Americans lose jobless benefits due to COVID-19 closures
10. Actor Michael K. Williams apparently dies from drug overdose
1. Search for storm victims is grim, dire
2. Three-(3) people drowned in failed rescue attempt in New York;
3. Nursing home patients in peril because of hurricane Ida; residents die
4. Escape of Americans from Afghanistan; others still trapped at airport5. COVID-19 super spreaders fears at airlines and football games
6. Gas prices on the rise7. 55 people shot in Chicago
8. U.S. factory closed due to jobs outsourced to China
9. Bears on the rampage in Utah
10. Actor Michael K. Williams apparently dies from drug overdose
11. Autistic boy lost in Australian wilderness found alive
12. Healthcare worker "surf" to relieve stress
1. Millions reeling from impact of hurricane Ida, with new storm alert in forecast
2. Three-(3) people drowned in failed rescue attempt in New York; 50 die in northeast
3. Nursing home patients in peril because of hurricane Ida; residents die
4. Holiday COVID-19 concerns at busy airports, concerts, beaches, football games, etc.5. Taliban claims totol control of Afghanistan; fears worsen for stranded Americans grounded at airport
6. Cosby accuser breaks her silence7. Actor Michael K. Williams apparently dies from drug overdose
8. Autistic boy lost in Australian wilderness found alive
9. Remembering NBC weatherman Willard Scott
QUESTION 2: If you constantly convey the same character and scope of "message" over and over and over and over and over again, is it truly . . . news?
RESPONSE: Nope.
QUESTION 3: So, what do you label or classify the perpetual, repetitive, and monotonous conveyance of the same old message over and over again?
RESPONSE: Mediocrity.That's right, mediocrity, because people always die from whatever disease-of-the-day; there's always a war somewhere; Muslims, Jews, and Christians are alway fighting and arguing about who's "vision" of God is the right one; men are always oppressing women somewhere; White people are always oppressing people of color somewhere; the rich are always getting richer somewhere; Republicans and Democrats are always arguing; and instead of working together positively to achieve a goal, the "news" wants you to believe "all" people are pursuing some devious scheme to take advantage of other people, like in the CBS-TV programs "Big Brother" or "Survivor," and yada, yada, yada . . . none of which is "news," but just the same old business-as-usual crap. Mediocrity.
MEDIOCRITY (merriam-webster.com): of moderate or low quality, value, ability, or performance : ORDINARY, SO-SO.
MEDIOCRITY(ahdictionary.com): Of ordinary or undistinguished quality.
MEDIOCRITY(dictionary.com): the state or quality of being mediocre; of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate:.
The news should not paint a rosey picture suggesting everything in the world is perfect, which would be deceitful. However, it's equally deceitful to paint a "gloom and doom" picture suggesting everything in the world is chaotic, negative, or evil. Supposedly, the overwhelming majority of people on this planet, and without regard to age, race, sex, creed, nationality, etc., are good, decent, upstanding, brilliant, fair, courageous, honest, caring, uplifting, forgiving, and creative, but you'd never know it from watching the local or national news, or CNN, or MSMBC, or "The View," etc.You'd never know it.
We're clearly doomed.
Don't watch the news.
I welcome your feedback.
Trip Reynolds
trip.reynolds@yahoo.com
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Reynolds' Rap First Amendment to the United States Constitution - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. |