Oct
News Blues
Is our world getting more and more chaotic? Are we subject to more storms, more crime and more disasters than a generation ago? One might think so if he judges from the news. Actually, the impression of increased troubles is a matter of perception rather than fact.
A generation ago, the reporting of news took time. The state of technology for reporting news, especially from remote locations, was far less capable than the tools available now. GPS and cell phones were virtually nonexistent a quarter century ago. Until the mid-1990s, beepers were common. GPS was limited to the military. Portable transmitting stations were not all that portable. Making matters worse, one could not broadcast from remote locations that had no electricity.
The upshot was that it took longer to report a story. Many stories went unreported because they had already gone stale by the time they could be broadcast. Many other stories were out of reach. It might take a couple of days to get initial reports from such distant locations as Indonesia or Somalia. The full report took longer because video had
to by passed by hand rather than broadcast via satellite.
Today, we can get reports from the most unusual locations , and we get them instantly. Storms and natural disasters get coverage because they attract viewers. The same goes for violent crimes, upheavals and man-made disasters. Bad news sells in this era when broadcast news is becoming a form of entertainment. It may seem that the world is getting worse, but in fact the ability to report bad news is getting better.
Do not be fooled. Though broadcasters will occasionally run a “good news” story or a fluff article, the stuff that sells is the stuff that mortifies, shocks and scares. Good news is less common because it does not have as much viewer appeal as bad news. The plain fact is that today as it was in times past, there is much more good than there is bad. Things that work right are not newsworthy because they are so common. News focuses on the uncommon, and especially so when it is bad.
When it comes to news, be it broadcast, internet or print media, be skeptical. Look at it in its proper perspective. They are not going to report that 99% of all commuters had a safe trip and arrived on time. The news media has become a venue of its own. It thrives when it attracts the most viewers. Like it or not, the trappings of entertainment and sensationalism are becoming a larger part of news presentation.
With that in mind, remember that the world is not worse. The world is actually getting better. In today’s entertainment news media, that kind of thing just is not newsworthy. Scary stories sell best, but the world keeps getting better in spite of all the woeful worry tales.
