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It is all about selling.
posted by
Randir
on October 3, 2010 at 10:12 AM
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I read the newspaper
then turn on the TV to find 'them' reading the paper to me. Humm.
posted by
Whacky
on September 24, 2010 at 4:03 PM
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Great post, Ciel. I have been thinking the same thing as you say here and didn't quite know how to put it into words. I have just been more and more avoiding watching the TV and just reading more.
posted by
TAPS.
on September 24, 2010 at 8:16 AM
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Indeed, we want news as it is...but I think even in the telling there is
some level of analysis that reflects in how the news is arraigned or told.
posted by
Straightforward
on September 24, 2010 at 8:13 AM
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It's what we used to call "yellow journalism" -- all sensationalism
and "ain't it awful," and very little factual material. I was trained by one tough old journalism teacher that a reporter has NO opinion. "Your job," he said, "is to report the facts, get comments from involved parties, and let your readers decide what to think about it." But what works on TV is pictures, drama, flames shooting up, something crashing. Even the Weather Channel does it -- sends reporters to stand outdoors in a hurricane. Well, duh!
posted by
Pat_B
on September 24, 2010 at 5:41 AM
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You are reading my mind here, and I dont even really think that the
so called news is news at all. I have stopped watching the so called news because if I want the news they will not deliver. I remember in journalism classes they stressed objectivity, well jounalism is upside down as well as everything else in our society right now. I am really thinking of just turning off the television alltogether. i think my life would be better.
posted by
Tzippy
on September 23, 2010 at 11:22 PM
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It must be a universal problem around the world..
News is delivered to shape public opinion according to the news presenters.. 
Most of the time, it's much better to read the newspaper than watching the news on TV, unless we need real-time updates.. 
posted by
orcalion
on September 23, 2010 at 9:59 PM
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Re: Ciel
I daresay this has been a plague on journalism since the first days humans recounted events to those who were not there. There is something I seem to recall vaguely about not bearing false witness... How about bearing slanted, manipulative witness...? We heard in school about Yellow Journalism and its effect on the Spanish American War.
It just seems there is nothing else nowadays in American reporting with the possible exception of National Public Radio which at least makes an effort. Bill Moyers' retirement was a sad event.
Good to hear from you, Naut, I hope things are looking up in your world.
posted by
Ciel
on September 23, 2010 at 6:13 PM
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Ciel
I agree with you completely, and rarely watch the 'News.' But the 'editorial twist' given to it is not just a recent trend, it's of long standing.
But consider this: events in the world become 'News' only if and when presented as such - there is no 'News' to be found out there, there are only events.
And the first editorial decision determines what event is 'newsworthy', a decision influenced, of course, by the editor's understanding of what 'the public' wants to know about, the editor's own views, political or otherwise, and finally by what he believes will 'sell', because there's got to be a profit...
posted by
Nautikos
on September 23, 2010 at 4:47 PM
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