I watch a lot of television. I’ve seen the trends come and go, but recently it seems that we are building towards something. And its my opinion that that “something” is not good.
It’s hard to pinpoint when it began, but to be honest, I think I began noticing it sometime around 9/11/2001. I know that TV isn’t exactly what people remember about that day, but think about it. Every news organization in the world had their busiest day of the decade that day. Every single one of them tried their hardest to get people to watch their coverage rather than their competitors, and it showed.
Now I’m not saying that the networks shouldn’t have extensively covered the event, I’m actually asking this question: “What the hell happened to us?” What I mean is that ever since that day it seems that news networks and mass media in general have been in the middle of a downward spiral of stupidity. I know that sounds harsh, and I’m trying to be as constructive as possible.
Basically, (and I know I’m rambling here, but bear with me, I swear I have a point), I think that we need to focus more on actual information. It is a sad day when I get more comprehensive political and world news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than I ever do from CNN or MSNBC. You know why? The “normal” news networks are too busy trying to figure out what Paris Hilton ate for lunch yesterday instead of trying to figure out why Paris spent more time in jail for a probation violation than Scooter Libby will for four felony convictions… This country’s credibility has been slowly declining over the last 6 years, and mass media has been riding right down there next to it. I’m actually afraid for us. What will become of a nation fixated on false idols? A nation that is apparently too stupid to even ask questions loudly enough to be heard? Why are we still in Iraq? Why do we have such a problem with Iran? Why does our president attach signing statements to half the bills he signs in to law? Why does our vice president feel that he has all the power yet none of the blame? When is mass media going to take its responsibility seriously and ask the REAL questions?
I guess for the foreseeable future we’ll never know, but here’s hoping something changes soon, otherwise we can all look forward to watching things like MSNBC’s prime-time special “Paris Hilton’s special wrap-up-of-why-dick-cheney-is-a-sexy-bitch” for the rest of our lives…
toffer on July 4th, 2007 at 3:33 pm says:
So yeah, Canada then?
I really do agree but I feel like the problem goes past that date. I think it extends to the great depression. The great depression cause a great rise in people going to the movies, and a generation in such horrible conditions started wishing to be these people they saw on the screen.
The first step to worshiping something is to want to be that something. That’s where to problem started in my eyes.
The real problem now is that news organizations have no idea how to entertain people. With no one watching they have no source of income. News organizations, like churches, like homeless shelters and like every other thing that should be pure should always be on the verge of dying a monetary lacking death. CNN should have to have a fundraiser yearly. They don’t because they have advertisers. The government is not in as much control of the media as the media is.
We are already head first in a great media depression. The farmers put all their money into bigger farms to make more crops, too much money, too many crops, not enough consumers. How many reality dating/let’s get married do we have? Pop culture has infected our news. We need a separation of the church of celebrities and the state of affairs.
We’ve become desensitize because we have the person that tells us about Paris Hilton, explaining the war to us. Americans have lost their bite. Out government does not fear us. A government should always fear the people because the people will always out number the politicians. Where are the liberals with guns? Where is the great revolution? Where is the demand to make career politicians retire when they become so out of touch they do not represent the people? We need a new system, a simple system. I’m for one government with little rules that do not encroach on our rights.
Sadly, this will never happen. The media is in more control than the government is. Thank god for companies like Rev3, QD Now, and yes even that damn entercourse.tv. We’re taking over the media. Redefining it. That is the great revolution and I will be throwing in my part of it soon I hope.
Carl on April 7th, 2008 at 3:50 pm says:
I like how this open letter to the mainstream news outlets had to be addressed to the entertainment industry to reach them. That in itself pretty much sums it up.
Paul William Tenny on April 9th, 2008 at 3:54 pm says:
I long ago abandoned cable news because of this, in favor of Internet news. Then I dumped that in favor of blogs. What’s next I wonder?
faun on April 29th, 2008 at 5:36 pm says:
write in Ron Paul
Max on April 29th, 2008 at 5:58 pm says:
current.tv
nuff said
J on May 4th, 2008 at 3:30 pm says:
Woot! You rock. I saw Robin Williams on Leno this week and he was making jokes that said more relevant and honest things about the election than the news does. And for sure I watch the Daily Show and Colbert and I do get most of my real news from them than I do from the ‘real’ news. At least we have those shows though; it’s better than nothing.
shreyansh on July 11th, 2008 at 6:25 am says:
true…