What I HATE about today's "news"

[Cow Poke]

Particularly CABLE news, but the rest of the MSM seems to do the same thing.

When there's a "breaking story" - like this morning's crash of an Airbus in Southern France - the media (particularly cable news) jumps on it like crazy even when they don't have any facts!
They sit there and speculate, then admit they're "only speculating", they present preliminary "facts" that are soon proven totally wrong.....

And they can only handle ONE STORY at a time! Both CNN and FOX NEWS seemed to be in a race to say "something" - even if it wasn't known or confirmed - and have an 'on air' "expert" posing "what COULD have happened" and "what the pilot MAY have been doing".....

It's like the whole rest of the world comes to a complete stop while the "news people" breathlessly spew forth ignorance.

EVENTUALLY, a true (I would hope) picture actually emerges, but it's often WAY different from what was originally portrayed.

And "fact checking"?

[Sparko]

I think they are so desperate for ratings and finding any sort of news that they all go rabid when a story happens.

Speaking of which, ever watch local news? It seems like they all cover the same stories at the same time! I was flipping channels one night and noticed that all of the local stations were carrying the exact same story about a shooting at the same time. Then later, I switched during the weather. All were doing the weather at the same time. Then sports.

Do they all have some sort of shared schedule or something?

[Cow Poke]

I think they are so desperate for ratings and finding any sort of news that they all go rabid when a story happens.

Speaking of which, ever watch local news? It seems like they all cover the same stories at the same time! I was flipping channels one night and noticed that all of the local stations were carrying the exact same story about a shooting at the same time. Then later, I switched during the weather. All were doing the weather at the same time. Then sports.

Do they all have some sort of shared schedule or something?

I've noticed the same thing. They subscribe to "news services" - like the AP of the old days, but much goofier.

Sometimes in the evening, Mrs CP and I will be watching "the news", and see some DUMB story and say... "That's NEWS?!?!?! Must have been a really slow news day!"

Whatever happened to just PRESENTING THE FACTS?

[Cow Poke]

I think they are so desperate for ratings and finding any sort of news that they all go rabid when a story happens.

Speaking of which, ever watch local news? It seems like they all cover the same stories at the same time! I was flipping channels one night and noticed that all of the local stations were carrying the exact same story about a shooting at the same time. Then later, I switched during the weather. All were doing the weather at the same time. Then sports.

Do they all have some sort of shared schedule or something?

AS for the weather - a lot of them subscribe to the weather channel or some other national source, and they want it to appear seamless, so, yeah -- the timing is down to the second so they can "switch" from the local news to the national weather (or news) service, and you're not supposed to know that that "national weather" lady is not in your town's studio.

[Sparko]

They subscribe to "news services" - like the AP of the old days, but much goofier.

Yup. I think I posted this video before:

(wave3 in the middle of the clip is a local station here. LOL)

[Cow Poke]

Yup. I think I posted this video before:

(wave3 in the middle of the clip is a local station here. LOL)

Laugning -- yeah, never saw it that goodly documentated!

[Cow Poke]

Then there's the "weather girls" -- they are not hired on the basis of their knowledge of meteorology.

We have a local, Chita Johnson, who .. um... she's a "cute young thing" who apparently captures the minds and imaginations of some of the men in such a way that the wife could ask, "so, is it going to rain tomorrow", and they would just do the "deer in the headlights" thing, cause they don't have a CLUE what she said about the weather.

chita.jpg

[Sparko]

Then there's the "weather girls" -- they are not hired on the basis of their knowledge of meteorology.

We have a local, Chita Johnson, who .. um... she's a "cute young thing" who apparently captures the minds and imaginations of some of the men in such a way that the wife could ask, "so, is it going to rain tomorrow", and they would just do the "deer in the headlights" thing, cause they don't have a CLUE what she said about the weather.

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I had a friend who was infatuated with one of the weather girls on the weather channel a while back.

[One Bad Pig]

I think the last time I turned on the news was 9-11. I find reading the news to be a much more efficient use of my time.

[Cow Poke]

I think the last time I turned on the news was 9-11. I find reading the news to be a much more efficient use of my time.

What do you consider your best sources? And "online", "print", both?

[One Bad Pig]

What do you consider your best sources? And "online", "print", both?

If I had the money, I'd subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. I read the freebie Washington Post Express on the way to work (which covers the typical MSM well), and I read the Daily Digest the Patriot Post sends to me by email (solidly conservative). I also skim through the commentary at Jewish World Review, which I also get by email (mostly from the conservative side, but there are occasional liberal commentators as well).

[Cow Poke]

If I had the money, I'd subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. I read the freebie Washington Post Express on the way to work (which covers the typical MSM well), and I read the Daily Digest the Patriot Post sends to me by email (solidly conservative). I also skim through the commentary at Jewish World Review, which I also get by email (mostly from the conservative side, but there are occasional liberal commentators as well).

Of those you mentioned, I particularly like JWR. Interesting perspectives.

[Sparko]

I just make up my own news. Just about as accurate as the newscasts.

[Cow Poke]

I just make up my own news. Just about as accurate as the newscasts.

I do that with weather. Only I get help from my left big toe.

[rogue06]

I do that with weather. Only I get help from my left big toe.

Sorry.


Perhaps I shouldn't have kept switching them while you slept back when we were kids. But it did give me the experience I would need to make rogue tech what it is today.