This is about CNN, but is also a useful reminder of how the wider mainstream media use fear, anxiety and outrage to concoct their news stories. We know this but reminders are useful. We may analyse the stories but many are essentially the output of business models. Crap sells so they sell it.
3 comments:
There are too many channels, newspapers and news web sites. Content must be found to fill them up so it is very tempting to run stories along the lines of 'someone' expects problems from 'something'. And then the next day you can run stories about 'someone' dismissing problems for something. Rinse and repeat.
Column inches filled, pixels posted, advertising revenue generated, but no reality was used in the process.
We have seen the same here with the Daily Mail, and they are being followed by the BBC. The truth does not make a lot of money, or high ratings. Most stuff that happens in the world is pretty dull, so the race is on to sensationalise and talk up the interesting angles.
The interesting point is how the BBC wants to talk about sensationalist stuff (gay sex, trannies, race, showbiz personalities, etc.) but can't openly admit the salacious angle. So they have to pretend that it is somehow sociologically and politically interesting. That we need a mild middle-class telling off if we don't sympathise with some big hairy bloke who thinks he's a girl, or an average Asian family who once got shouted at in the street.
DJ - and probably quite cheap to do once people get the hang of churning it out. I sometimes wonder what that kind of job would be like and it isn't difficult to imagine. If it pays the mortgage people will do it.
Sam - good point, they do pretend that it is somehow sociologically and politically interesting. Sympathy for a big hairy bloke who thinks he's a girl could eventually become problematic though.
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