Whatever happened to the news?

Who is just as annoyed at the news media as I am? The quality just gets worse and worse and we are constantly subjected to it. As an informed citizen, I do everything I can to understand what is happening in the world around me. I read the news on my computer, I watch television, and I listen to the radio. Yet every time I do so, I get more and more frustrated. The stories covered are so frivolous and irrelevant, and are repeated over and over again. Is this a sign of the dumbing down of our society? Perhaps.
The news became this way for two reasons. First of all, the media fills up 24 hours of news coverage. It is a good thing that today, news is readily available to everyone, everywhere, and at any time, but at what expense? Who is doing the editing and the fact checking? Anyone with an iPhone can now become a reporter! In my opinion this is no match to the professional investigative journalism of the past, which has unfortunately become cost prohibitive to a large extent for most news organizations. Potentially unreliable and biased sources appear, and it has become difficult to identify the credible and trustworthy sources. The wisdom of the crowd is now identifying the quality of the news, and I find that scary. However, I know this is not the case here at The Stute.
The second reason for the decline of media is society’s approval of the glorified simple to understand, catchy entertainment we now call news. People wouldn’t be watching the news as is if they didn’t enjoy it.
This past week, the media has dug dirty and overkilled garbage stories. We all heard about the so-called “Bridgegate” scandal surrounding our governor, Chris Christie, as well as Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer’s newest allegations against him. Do you think the story is repeated enough times? We get it already! Right behind that story in the news is the fact that Dennis Rodman entered rehab after his trip to North Korea. Should we be hearing about Rodman or the American Kenneth Bae still being held against his will in North Korea? What draws more interest, and who makes that decision? Has the media lost confidence in our need for the pertinent news? I want to know what is happening in the world, about conflicts and humanitarian statuses. I want to learn about how the average American is faring, economically and socially. I want to see scientific research and progress more in the headlines. The list could go on and on. Did you know that Google has developed and introduced this week contact lenses that measure glucose levels for diabetics? Many of you probably didn’t. I am sure fewer people around the country are aware of this than those who know that Rodman entered rehab. Do more people know about the four soldiers we lost in Afghanistan last week, or do more people know about what’s going on with Kim and Kanye? Is this not a sad state of affairs? We need to demand better.
It is bothersome for me that if I want to read about intriguing, intellectual subjects, I have to sift through entire newspapers or scroll down pages and pages online. I believe these less-covered, shoved-back stories are actually the ones that belong on the front cover. The nonsense that we are constantly fed every day belongs in the entertainment section.
The new technologies have allowed us to get quick glimpses and headlines of what is happening in our world. But we need to dig deeper to read and learn from sources we have identified as credible and trustworthy. This is no easy task today. The latest news is broadcast with little time for preparation, editing, or resource checking. There is so much noise and from all sides. Internet bloggers are transforming the traditional news media. They are interpreting the news for people. Just give me the unbiased news and I can come to my own conclusions, thank you very much. Why has it become so difficult to get past the tabloid style news? Daily I wind up sifting through dozens of sources, and from all sides of the aisle until I am satisfied I got as much of the entire story as I could. The information is out there, but you need to search deeper and read from sources that have earned your trust and credibility over time.