Good News, Bad News - Badly Reported?

Is it just me, or have you noticed, too, that it's getting harder to find a news channel that doesn't resort to the ugliest, the baddest and the worse angles to present a story - with the implication that it's "our right to know"? Just this morning, I was again reminded of why I'm starting to tune in to national news less and less.

My wife typically is the first one out of bed in the mornings. She lets the dogs out (for some reason, I can't get our younger dog BamBam outside. She'll come in for me, but won't go outside for me, just for my wife and two sons. So, the wife takes care of that.) Anyway, my wife will usually cut the television on at this time too, and most times, it's on one of the major networks broadcasting their version of the morning news. Today was a typical day.

So, the 'first' thing I heard when I and my ears 'woke up' .. was a reporter asking a family member of a husband that was recently murdered in some lake below Texas -- you may know the story I'm referring to; it's been all over the news channels and in the papers recently -- But, the reporter had this family member on for a live interview, and the first question to this wife of the victim was - something to the effect of, "Your husband was murdered. The lead investigator was beheaded as a result of searching for the murderers. How gruesome is this to you?" .... REALLY?

I couldn't believe what I was hearing and how 'dumb' this question was. Not only that, the total lack of sensitivity for this family member was sickening - there were also some of her surviving family members with her by her side. I can't imagine how numb the reporter (and whoever wrote the questions for the reporter to ask) must have felt the family members were to their recent tragedy to think such a question was appropriate. What would possess such a stupid question? From what I understand, this 'surviving' wife has been on many interviews since her husband was killed - and perhaps, she may even be 'desensitized' to the media and their (lack of) tact(ics) - another sad possibility to consider.

And that's kind of my point. It seems like the national news (and at times, even our local news broadcasts) have resorted to Hollywood-style 'over-the-top' reporting; because it's "our right to know". But maybe I'm the oddball. There will always be good news, and bad news - plenty of which is news-worthy and should be included in the news. But, remember our parents telling us "It's not what you say, it's HOW you say it?" I think the media should remember that too.

So, I have the right to turn the channel to another station. But like I said earlier; it's getting harder to find a news broadcast that doesn't include ridiculous amounts of 'sensationalism in their journalism' ... So, I wrote a letter today, to the producers of this particular news network - suggesting that perhaps, it would be even 'more' impacting to their viewers - not only to their ratings - if they were to report the good and the bad news as just that; the news. Without all the hype, the teasers an hour in advance of the upcoming "horrific story - but first, we'll talk to pop star flavor of the month so and so." Instead, why not take the opposite approach to what, seemmingly, all the other media outlets are doing and lead our country out of this downward spiral toward a total lack of moral values - to say the least.

Perhaps I'm showing a bit too much passion on the subject. Maybe it's because, even though on a much smaller scale, I'm in the media too - and this current trend in the media is appalling and, well, quite embarrassing to me? So, if this is a bit 'over the top' for you... maybe you need to change the channel?

Sorry, I couldn't help that. That's something you'd hear from the media outlets I've been ranting about. No, instead... as always; if you have a suggestion for a better way for me to share my thoughts that are truly meant to provoke thought, inspire and encourage you - do, comment and let me know. If for not other reason; it's because I don't want you to tune me out and change the channel.