When I was a youngster in the ‘40s and ‘50s, the evening TV news lasted 15 minutes. Later that was extended to 30 minutes and still later to a full hour. Over time, with the expansion of cable programming, CNN for example, introduced 24-hour news coverage and commentary. This was followed by MSNBC, PBS, CNBC, and eventually, Fox News and FOX Business News. People are now drowning in news and commentary.
Many wonder today why there is so much bad news, fake news, and negative and irresponsible commentary on TV and other news outlets. The folks see the United States and the world in a negative, cultural and economic decline. This downward spiral may or may not be statistically true. Frankly, I doubt it. However, the explosion of news coverage and news commentary has heightened citizen awareness of national and world happenings. And because negative news travels fast, the 24 hour newscasters and commentators are focusing on practically every negative event in our nation and in the world. So, yes – at the very least, we have become a hypersensitive, hyper-aware, worrisome society.
The 24-hour news industry is challenged as never before to fill up its 24-hour, seven-day-a-week schedule and timeline and to hold viewer and listener attention. Accordingly, they are scratching the bottom of the news barrel to hold their viewers’ interest and attention and to satisfy their growing appetite for news, hearsay, fake news, commentary, political propaganda, etc.
In addition, mobile-phone news coverage and irresponsible sources have expanded exponentially. A Timbuktu High School football team running onto the field under a Donald Trump inspirational loudspeaker speech becomes news – of course, negative news. Think about how trivial is this kind of news.
As said earlier, I doubt that the happenings in the world have significantly changed from past decades in terms of evil, negativity, etc. But most of the news stations have succumbed to the power of negativity to attract and keep positive viewers.
For example, roughly 80% of the news coverage of President Donald Trump and the Republican majority in Congress is negative, despite the fact that President Trump has accomplished more in his first hundred days than any president since FDR. His thirty positive actions to promote national security, economic growth, jobs, healthcare, domestic manufacturing, positive international relations and trade, etc. are rarely presented. And when they are, they are almost always tilted with a negative perspective.
In addition, the Democrat Party is virtually void of constructive leadership in their Smear-Everything-Trump campaign. New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrat Senate Minority Leader, is unscrupulous in his public, deceptive, promotional smear tactics and utterances. Frankly, he’s irresponsible and disgusting.
Newspapers have been in serious decline and their influence has diminished in the face of exploding TV, Internet, and talk-radio coverage. They also rely primarily on negative and deceptive headlines and negative opening paragraphs to entice readers and retain a following. The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, etc. are irresponsible in their news and commentary coverage. Anyone soaking up their pronouncements will be hopelessly lost in the quagmire of Leftist, Progressive, Socialistic propaganda.
What will be the ultimate outcome of the Leftist media’s negative news, fake news, and negative orientation? Only time will tell. Frankly, it is not looking good. The over promotion of news and commentary and its dependence on negativity could have serious repercussions – serious neurotic effects on our citizenry. While voters surprised the Hillary/Obama/Democrat political cabal in the past election – the Leftist media are doing everything possible to reverse public opinion – to smear the Trump America First – America Great Again – Free-Enterprise agenda. The dearth of fair and balanced news reporting and commentary leaves a serious void with potentially serious negative consequences for the United States and the world at large.
photo credit: Excerpted from: CarbonNYC [in SF!] Broadcast from the Heart via photopin (license)
