The news these days is so depressing, worrying or futile that I have given up watching it on TV or listening to it on the radio, in fact I can´t remember the last time I switched on my TV, it must have been for some major world event or other. Leaving the news aside, the other programmes here are not to my liking so I don´t watch TV anyway. If I had access to the BBC I might feel differently. I keep myself informed by checking out the headlines in UK newspapers.
Anyway, my rant is about the quality of the news on internet sites. Apart from the spelling and grammar mistakes, most of the 'news' is so unnewsworthy it makes you wonder why they bother to write it. While most of us may occasionally make mistakes when writing, we are not passing ourselves off as journalists. Clickbait headlines and superlatives scattered willy-nilly should be enough to put off any reader, in my opinion. One phrase which really irritates me is 'everything you need to know about...', I don´t need to know why some celebrity is getting a divorce or the latest plot line in a soap opera. Some of us do have an attention span of more than 30 seconds and would enjoy reading something interesting and informative. Rant over!
I agree. Real journalism is no more, I was news editor of my large high school newspaper in Houston, TX. Nowadays everything I learned is disregarded. What they call "news" is a joke. Who was seen out with whomever? And _____ is showing off a baby bump, etc. I absolutely HATE the phrase "_____ opens up ____!" Then, my biggest gripe!!! What happened to impartiality in reporting? The title of the story isn't impartial when somebody "blasts" or "slams" somebody (at least not if they used only words!).
ReplyDeleteWe don't watch news on TV either. Here in Texas, the news is colored red. And I don't fit with that. I do spend hours every day on my iPad, though, and major breaking news is put in front of me. I see headlines and choose what I read. Mainly about four news channels or papers; the BBC is one. Some days, like today, there is so much negative stuff. One judge in CA decided that assault rifles should not be outlawed. "They are like Swiss Army knives....". What kind of stupid is that? Because the Senate is 50/50, ONE person will decide what laws get passed. Crazy! So this is MY rant.
Thank goodness for all the bloggers I follow. They help keep me more or less sane.
The news here is coloured all sorts, which is why I don´t watch it, everyone has their axe to grind and truth is a casualty.
DeleteYes I agree particularly "everything you need to know about" which is used by all news channels including the BBC which actually means "what we say and select for you all you need to know about". I gave up watching BBC News over 5 years ago, biased and selective. I no longer watch any MSM.
ReplyDeleteI think the BBC is the lesser of various evils, but while I wouldn´t watch the news I seem to remember there were other programmes I would find interesting. I´m a bit starved of English culture here.
DeleteI watch some documentaries and dramas if they do not not contain fighting or murder but as so many of the dramas are now thrillers there have been very few I have been able to watch recently. My time spent watching BBC is now few and far between. Fortunately there are now many other channels to take its place.
DeleteThrillers are hard to get away from nowadays and are mostly too violent for me, but I used to enjoy a good Agatha Christie.
Delete