I resent how inclusive the news media has become.
News websites providing public forums for users to discuss current issues is certainly nothing new—at least not on the internet's landscape. The local news station here (WTNH), however, recently employed a new feature called Voice of The People where viewers call a user hotline and share their personal opinions and long-winded diatribes regarding local, national, and international news stories that are then broadcast towards the end of the evening news.
By providing unruly viewers with this particular outlet, their vastly irrelevant beliefs and personal anecdotes can have a real negative influence on audiences and how they interpret—and subsequently respond to—news stories on their own accord. Mary Sue from North Branford complaining about rising gas prices is not a news story. John from Southington espousing about how non-racist he thinks East Haven's Mayor Maturo is is totally insignificant. And while local news is hardly the benchmark for hard-hitting journalism, these types of cheap ploys and gimmicks are just one more thing that dumbs down the integrity and importance of credible news sources for the American people.
If you live outside the Greater New Haven area, across the board, WTNH is a horrible news station. I can't really attest to the integrity of other local news organizations, but this one really takes the cake. Between their You Report It weekly segment (where people send in iPhone images of snow on their cars after a big storm) and their dedication to keeping you up to speed in celebrity “news,” they should be ashamed of themselves for directly contributing to the overall ignorance of the community they service—whose ignorance comes to a complete head through the Voice of The People feature.
Too many news sources have given way to Opinion Journalism and punditry, ranking the loud voices and opinions of a select few as the most important to spin, spout, and shape the stories that affect the rest of the country and its people. This is dangerous. The evening news should not be a talk show. It's not a happy hour with your girlfriends.
But listen, if something is going on in your neighborhood that you're not happy about, for the love of god, don't call the Voice of The People hotline to moan and groan about it. Contact your local government representatives so that effective legislature and action may take place for the benefit of your entire community at large.
Welcome to the age of blogging. Social media has really encouraged this idea that everyone can and should share their thoughts/comments/etc. (As a blogger, I've embraced this, too.) It could be a good thing, if people were informed, but unfortunately, so many people are not. But, as you mentioned, how can they be? It's almost impossible to find an unbiased news source these days (throw all those journalism rules you learned out the window).
ReplyDeletekatie, i think you're totally on-point about social media being the culprit for issues of expounded entitlement. i don't know, it's hard to make any clear distinction, because whether i agree with them or not, there are people out there who do provide a wealth of information and insight on a variety of topics without the journalism degree. it would seem shitty to short-change them, but i think that constituency is unfortunately rare and one can only read "i'm not a racist, but..." so many times.
ReplyDeleteNews is not about news. I bet the people who phone in and leave messages on the hotline wouldn't watch the news if it didn't have reports about the latest celebrity gossip. Unfortunately, stupidity and ignorance are acceptable and celebrated. Just look at all of television, not just news shows.
ReplyDeleteSide note: The comments on the WTNH site under most of the news stories are disgusting and sad. At least the people commenting are a small fraction of the population (hopefully). There is so much racism and hatred.