I like knowing what's going on. That's why I watch and read the news. I learn a lot from the news. For example, our local news channel provides health tips every morning. Those tips are very helpful to me and have started to have an impact on my own habits. The repetition of hearing these overlapping tips every day, has been a good way to educate me on the latest health science and news.
I also find that the news, in some ways, helps to keep us safe. When I hear the news about problematic issues, I am able to use that news to educate myself and others. For example, sadly a group of young recent immigrants in the northeast drowned one winter day. I imagined that part of the problem was that their families were from warmer climates and didn't know the dangers of thin ice--the boys probably thought they could cross the pond without any trouble, but they fell in and drowned. I educate my students about safety and thin ice every year because of that story as families from warmer climates may not think about that danger. The same is true for the swimming deaths we learn of when the warm weather arrives. Again, families who may not know the dangers of swimming out too far in local ponds and lakes, may not share that warning with their children, and so every year some lives are lost that way. Safety related to guns in a home, buying drugs on the street, sexual abuse, and stranger danger are all made easier by using current event stories relayed by the news to educate young people about the choices they make, the places they go, and the company they keep.
I believe that news organizations have an obligation today to move news from sensational stories and entertainment to good educational reporting. Some changes they can make which will be helpful is to add maps to stories to people can see exactly where a story happens. I think they need to add "lie markers" too so that when an individual in a story is lying the public knows that. Lying has become such a common and dangerous practice for many politicians, that it's important that people are not manipulated in that way. Perhaps a sign comes on the screen that simply says, "This is a lie," when the President or others known for not telling the truth spew another lie and perhaps links or references to the truth of the matter are also posted.
The news has an obligation to report in ways that accurately teach and inform. They have an obligation to reveal the lies and deception that some wish to spread. As a country, we need to find ways to regulate the news so that a few wealthy folk can't use it to support their selfish and dangerous motives. It's frightening to know that several media outlets are owned by only a few rich men and these men have incredible power to skew votes, actions, and understanding via the news.
We can demand better in this regard and we must.
I also find that the news, in some ways, helps to keep us safe. When I hear the news about problematic issues, I am able to use that news to educate myself and others. For example, sadly a group of young recent immigrants in the northeast drowned one winter day. I imagined that part of the problem was that their families were from warmer climates and didn't know the dangers of thin ice--the boys probably thought they could cross the pond without any trouble, but they fell in and drowned. I educate my students about safety and thin ice every year because of that story as families from warmer climates may not think about that danger. The same is true for the swimming deaths we learn of when the warm weather arrives. Again, families who may not know the dangers of swimming out too far in local ponds and lakes, may not share that warning with their children, and so every year some lives are lost that way. Safety related to guns in a home, buying drugs on the street, sexual abuse, and stranger danger are all made easier by using current event stories relayed by the news to educate young people about the choices they make, the places they go, and the company they keep.
I believe that news organizations have an obligation today to move news from sensational stories and entertainment to good educational reporting. Some changes they can make which will be helpful is to add maps to stories to people can see exactly where a story happens. I think they need to add "lie markers" too so that when an individual in a story is lying the public knows that. Lying has become such a common and dangerous practice for many politicians, that it's important that people are not manipulated in that way. Perhaps a sign comes on the screen that simply says, "This is a lie," when the President or others known for not telling the truth spew another lie and perhaps links or references to the truth of the matter are also posted.
The news has an obligation to report in ways that accurately teach and inform. They have an obligation to reveal the lies and deception that some wish to spread. As a country, we need to find ways to regulate the news so that a few wealthy folk can't use it to support their selfish and dangerous motives. It's frightening to know that several media outlets are owned by only a few rich men and these men have incredible power to skew votes, actions, and understanding via the news.
We can demand better in this regard and we must.