Fluff News

[Thanatoast]

An email I just sent to CNN, by way of their website. Sure it won't do any good, but at least I did *something*.
At ~4:20 pm mountain time, CNN (channel 200 on Dish Network), aired a story about a dog that was having a birthday party. Now, I realize that human interest stories appeal to starry-eyed types, but can I please see some *news* on the "all-news" channel? Leave the "firefighter saves kitten" stories for the local news. I'd like to see what's going on in the world - politically, economically, and nationally as a whole. With the war in Iraq, strained relations between allies, and continuing atrocities in Africa, can you guys not find some actual news that matters? How about some in-depth coverage? Devote a half-hour to the *issues* in the presidential race instead of just saying who's ahead today. Devote a program to *why* Europe is upset with the US, not just that they *are*. Sorry for the rant, but please, no more "dog has his day" stories, okay? So what does everyone here think of the dramatization of news? I'm sure we all agree, blue and red, that news is news and fluff is not. Is there anything to be done?

Is it this bad in other countries? Do you international members get breast cancer stories during sweeps week? Oh wait, breasts aren't verbotten in other countries, so how does that play out?

[Desertrat]

Some eight or ten years back, my mother started grumping at what she labelled "News Lite".

Regardless of any journalistic code of ethics about reporting, the media owners are in business to make money. That means, sell advertising. The sales derive from relative audience sizes.

Anecdotal item: Channel 7 in Austin, Texas had a highly skilled, professional meteorologist for their weatherman. He was not a "giggle, giggle, tee-hee" type. He presented understandable commentary and useful forecasts.

He was fired, and replaced by the g,g,t-h types. Thereafter, the ratings rose.

Go figure. I dunno whether "It's the audience, stupid!" or "It's the stupid audience!"

'Rat

[takao]

depending on channel

on those private channels known for light entertainment of course they will put that dog news in at 8 pm
on the news channels or private channels they put it in somewhere in the afternoon
on the national channels (kinda bbc) they perhaps put it in some special shows or in most cases they don't other at all

[Leo Hubbard]

I wonder how http://www.nakednews.com/ ratings are going :p

[themadchemist]

if you want in-depth coverage, I recommend in-depth magazines, like The New Republic and The Economist. Also, the BBC does an excellent job. But if you're expecting hard-hitting journalism from the softball US media, then you're expecting too much. I like CNN and other networks, but I don't expect them to break the next big controversy or give me the deep analysis that I want. #1: Their journalists are soft (or have gone soft in recent years). #2: Television as a medium is not conducive to truly in-depth journalism, or at least, not in its current avatar.

[LethalWolfe]

Fluff/soft news is hear to stay 'cause it is good for ratings. You ever see that Simpons where the kids had their own newscast and Bart steals the show doing his softnews crap and Lisa's hardnews stories keep getting undercut?

Soft news has a place and a time but too often that place and time is in the middle of hard news.


Anyway... was it a famous dog that had a b-day or just a regular dog? ;)


Lethal

[Sayhey]

Anyway... was it a famous dog that had a b-day or just a regular dog? ;)


Lethal

It must have been the one bitten by Man. ;)

[IJ Reilly]

I remember when the "feel good" news trend started. It was during the early '70s when everybody was getting pretty weary of hearing about Vietnam, war protesters and Watergate. The TV news guys got the idea that what Americans really wanted to hear for a change was "good news." So they made some up. It was good for ratings, and better yet, required no investigation and was therefore cheap to produce. Soft and cheerful no-news news quickly became ubiquitous and inevitable.

[Thomas Veil]

I remember when CNN started years ago, about all they had the resources to do was "rip-and-read" stuff from the wire services. But you know what? Even without all the videotape, motion graphics and other gee-gaws, that was real news. Now, so much of it is fluff.

I'm sure they're doing it in part to imitate the "happy news" format the local stations use -- and that's sad, just really sad. It could also account for some of the reason why Fox News has pulled ahead of them.

As to real news, well...I recall reading about a TV station (in Boston, I think it was, but I could certainly be wrong) a few years back where the news director decided to do it very professionally, very straight, the same way Peter Jennings does it. And the ratings plummeted. That ended that little experiment.

[themadchemist]

I'm sure they're doing it in part to imitate the "happy news" format the local stations use -- and that's sad, just really sad. It could also account for some of the reason why Fox News has pulled ahead of them.


Ah, so no news is better than fluff news! That makes sense.

[Thomas Veil]

Wait a minute, I never said I was defending Fox news. Far from it. I just think the CNN's fluff has driven people to other networks. That doesn't mean I think Fox's popularity is a good thing. It ain't.

[Leo Hubbard]

Wait a minute, I never said I was defending Fox news. Far from it. I just think the CNN's fluff has driven people to other networks. That doesn't mean I think Fox's popularity is a good thing. It ain't.
Fox isn't the only news agency taking share away from the old traditional news sources. The internet, individual blogs, upstart news agencies with little or no media play have also sprung up. It is a good thing that our choices have expanded. It is a good thing that the left wing mass media no longer has a monopoly on our information retrieval choices.

[mouchoir]

Fox isn't the only news agency taking share away from the old traditional news sources. The internet, individual blogs, upstart news agencies with little or no media play have also sprung up. It is a good thing that our choices have expanded. It is a good thing that the left wing mass media no longer has a monopoly on our information retrieval choices.

Yes quite. I hate these damn lefties and their strive for equality and freedom. And I earned my millions the hard way and i'll be damned if i'll let anyone tax them.

Bring on the right wing mass media and their culture of fear. Let's keep those god-fearing citizens too scared to notice us scewing them.

[iLikeMyiMac]

Yes quite. I hate these damn lefties and their strive for equality and freedom. And I earned my millions the hard way and i'll be damned if i'll let anyone tax them.

Bring on the right wing mass media and their culture of fear. Let's keep those god-fearing citizens too scared to notice us scewing them.
Do I sense a little sarcasm?
The so-called rich pay almost all of the income taxes in this country. In fact, the top 1% highest-earning Americans pay a whopping 37% of all individual income taxes collected. The top 10% pay 67%. In other words, 10% of Americans pay two-thirds of the taxes. Half of all taxpayers – those in the bottom 50% of earnings – account for less than 4% of income tax revenues. This means no matter how taxes are cut, it’s nearly impossible for those cuts to primarily benefit lower-earning taxpayers. Tax cuts necessarily benefit those who pay the overwhelming bulk of the taxes. This simple truth allows the left to attack each and every tax cut proposal on the grounds that it disproportionately benefits the rich.

[zimv20]

The so-called rich pay almost all of the income taxes in this country. In fact, the top 1% highest-earning Americans pay a whopping 37% of all individual income taxes collected. The top 10% pay 67%. In other words, 10% of Americans pay two-thirds of the taxes. Half of all taxpayers – those in the bottom 50% of earnings – account for less than 4% of income tax revenues.
link, please

[iLikeMyiMac]

Here's the link you want (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul74.html)

[Neserk]

Here's the link you want (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul74.html)

That isn't a legitimate link. Try and find some IRS stats that show who pays what part of the budget.

[zimv20]

Here's the link you want (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul74.html)
ah, yeah, the free market guy. not sure i trust his numbers....

regardless, does it surprise you that those who earn more, pay more? the mistake mr rockwell makes in expressing statistics like that is that it's the individuals who pay, not the groups. i.e. all the people who make between $500k-1 mil don't all sit down and fill out one tax form.

so let's look at the individual. is it fair that the person who makes $100k/yr pays more than the person who makes $50k/yr? that's the question i put to you.

[IJ Reilly]

Did you know that 50% of all people are below average in intelligence? What an astonishing statistic!

The only fair way of comparing tax burdens is to add up all the taxes people pay and figure that as a percentage of their incomes. Until we have those numbers in front of us, all talk about tax fairness is so much hot air.

[Leo Hubbard]

so let's look at the individual. is it fair that the person who makes $100k/yr pays more than the person who makes $50k/yr? that's the question i put to you.
depends if they are both paying the same percentage of their income?

[Leo Hubbard]

Did you know that 50% of all people are below average in intelligence? What an astonishing statistic!

The only fair way of comparing tax burdens is to add up all the taxes people pay and figure that as a percentage of their incomes. Until we have those numbers in front of us, all talk about tax fairness is so much hot air.
That statistic is contained in your tax booklets itself. The graduated tax system. you got your 28% columns and your 35% columns, if everything was "fair" there would only be one column.

[skunk]

so let's look at the individual. is it fair that the person who makes $100k/yr pays more than the person who makes $50k/yr? that's the question i put to you.
What's "fairness" got to do with it? If tax is raised simply to cover the cost of government services, it's just as "fair" for that cost to be shared equally by all taxpayers (i.e. all those whose earnings are above a predetermined "subsistence level"). You cannot argue otherwise without predicating a redistributive function for taxation, which is by no means a given.

[IJ Reilly]

All taxes redistribute wealth. This is unavoidable, since it is impossible to create a system whereby everyone pays for government services in precise proportion to their use of those service over any given period of time. This would be true even if it were possible to quantify the value of all government services, which it most certainly is not.

[zimv20]

What's "fairness" got to do with it?
because if it's not fair that those who earn more pay more, then what are we left with? communism? or someone who we won't be able to even have a conversation with?

[Neserk]

because if it's not fair

Life isn't fair.

Or my new favorite: Fair is in Pomona. The teacher/professor I just took my special ed class with has that sign in his classroom. Pomona is a town with a Fairplex. He works in Los Angeles Unified School District.

[Neserk]

The only fair way of comparing tax burdens is to add up all the taxes people pay and figure that as a percentage of their incomes. Until we have those numbers in front of us, all talk about tax fairness is so much hot air.


I thought this was assumed... guess not.

[IJ Reilly]

Life isn't fair.

Or my new favorite: Fair is in Pomona. The teacher/professor I just took my special ed class with has that sign in his classroom. Pomona is a town with a Fairplex. He works in Los Angeles Unified School District.

I gotta tell you, even Pomona isn't fair. I know, I lived there.

[2jaded2care]

I thought the fluff news trend started with Good Morning America. I hate that show and its mutant offspring.

Our local Fox affiliate, however, has one of the worst news programs I've watched. Used to be they'd wait until 35 minutes into the hour-long news to run a blatant commercial for a Fox program disguised as a news segment (usually "American Idol", even before that contestant Diana what's-her-name from the Atlanta suburbs). Now that commercial/"news" story is usually within the first 25 minutes... Do they really think we're too stupid to resent this?

[Neserk]

I gotta tell you, even Pomona isn't fair. I know, I lived there.

LOL... I'm feeling very literal. He is refering to the fact that fairs are there (noun).

[IJ Reilly]

Do they really think we're too stupid to resent this?

I can't think of a tactful way of asking this... so, are you still watching?

[IJ Reilly]

LOL... I'm feeling very literal. He is refering to the fact that fairs are there (noun).

It's the home of the Los Angeles County Fair. In fact I only lived a few blocks away from the fairgrounds. I'm being literal, too. Pomona stinks.

[mactastic]

It's the home of the Los Angeles County Fair. In fact I only lived a few blocks away from the fairgrounds. I'm being literal, too. Pomona stinks.

Indeed I have heard Pomona refered to as 'the armpit of LA'. Glad I didn't wind up and THAT Cal Poly...

[Neserk]

It's the home of the Los Angeles County Fair. In fact I only lived a few blocks away from the fairgrounds. I'm being literal, too. Pomona stinks.


I've only been there a few times other than driving by on the 10. I didn't care for it. ALthough the North end by Foothill isn't too bad.

[LethalWolfe]

**** you, West Covina!


Sry, inside joke but I couldn't help myself.

Move along, nothing to see here.


Lethal

[IJ Reilly]

Indeed I have heard Pomona refered to as 'the armpit of LA'. Glad I didn't wind up and THAT Cal Poly...

That's when they're being kind. Yes, I'm a Cal Poly Pomona graduate. Soon left there for finer climes.

[Neserk]

That's when they're being kind. Yes, I'm a Cal Poly Pomona graduate. Soon left there for finer climes.

Tried to go there. They stopped taking applications. I'm happy where I ended up, though (for my teaching Credential). It is closer and suppose to be one of the BEST schools for teaching credentials in the area :D It is small but expenisve!

[2jaded2care]

I can't think of a tactful way of asking this... so, are you still watching?

Well, it is the only 10 o'clock local news, and my boss likes to watch the weather...

Truthfully, I try to watch as little tv news as possible. I'm sick of the "if it bleeds, it leads" policy. Not that I'm a fan of happy-news either, but I find that watching too much news starts to affect my disposition, similar to listening to talk radio or (no offense) reading these political forums too closely. Believe it or not, despite my frequent sarcasm, I try not to be too disagreeable. (Hey you, quit snickering!) Getting too wrapped up in this stuff makes me miserable.

[IJ Reilly]

Well, it is the only 10 o'clock local news, and my boss likes to watch the weather...

Truthfully, I try to watch as little tv news as possible. I'm sick of the "if it bleeds, it leads" policy. Not that I'm a fan of happy-news either, but I find that watching too much news starts to affect my disposition, similar to listening to talk radio or (no offense) reading these political forums too closely. Believe it or not, despite my frequent sarcasm, I try not to be too disagreeable. (Hey you, quit snickering!) Getting too wrapped up in this stuff makes me miserable.

Misery loves company. Isn't that why we hang out here?

Truly, despite the talk radio quality of some of the posting here, it really is a much more edifying place to waste one's time than watching the local evening news.

We even do weather. Tonight's weather forecast is dark. Continued mostly dark through the evening, changing to widely scattered light by morning...

[2jaded2care]

:p Thanks for the weather report, IJ! I suspect you're going to prove much more accurate than the weather bimbo.

[Roger1]

I don't mind "happy news", provided ists news. Giving a dog a birthday party isn't news, it's stupid. Happy news is a story about a kid or adult beating cancer and is now touring hospitals/schools using their experience to inspire others to believe in themselves, etc.

[IJ Reilly]

:p Thanks for the weather report, IJ! I suspect you're going to prove much more accurate than the weather bimbo.

Before somebody busts me, I have to confess that the forecast was courtesy of George Carlin's Hippy-Dippy Weatherman. Hey, but maybe nobody remembers that skit.

[2jaded2care]

Oh great IJ, now the RIAA's gonna bust down my door for downloading copyrighted material... Oh wait, they're going after the file sharers first, right?

Don't worry, I'll testify to your upstanding character. Unless someone wants to... bribe the witness :eek: Any takers? :cool: