Reflection of local news broadcast
Recently, I took the time to view a local news broadcast here in Minneapolis. During this viewing I kept a running log of the content of each news story, the time allocated to each story, the rhetorical devices used to engage and affect audience interest, and, additionally, what category each story might fall under. As this news broadcast was only 30 minutes in length, as opposed to a full hour, I didn’t expect much hard-hitting journalism. Also, it is characteristic that lunchtime news broadcasts will not be as abrasive or disturbing as the evening or nightly news broadcasts. View the log of this broadcast below:
Sadly, the “fourth branch of government" (i.e., journalism) has long been out to lunch in its service to the American public. Instead, when we watch television news broadcasts, whether they are local or national news programs, Americans tend to get more information about advertising, entertainment, celebrities, with a few brushstrokes of real public interest stories without any attempt to empower the audience to initiate change.
Most of the time, the stories with the greatest public interest suggest controversy, intrigue, and even high drama, but very rarely are those stories suggestive of how the public can actually address these conflicts, or take action in their communities to resolve these issues. For instance, this news program seems to discuss the problem of school dropout rates at schools in and around the Twin Cities. However, instead of suggesting ways that the public can affect positive change within their community, the story simply focuses on the conclusions of a study, and even goes so far as to suggest that the study is flawed (possibly making the whole issue a moot point to some viewers).
Also, in a story related to how Congress intends to probe the oil industry for reasons why gas costs continue to rise at exceedingly high rates, not once does the news broadcaster suggest any way to reduce consumption of oil-based fuels. We learn that recently some truck-driving companies have made metaphorical statements of protest by refusing to drive certain days of the weak, or by parking their trucks on the highways. But this is by no means any real, practical solution to this very real problem. During this story, we hear nothing about the relation of increased oil consumption to the global warming crisis. By simply reducing the driving of motor vehicles and riding a bicycle when possible, people can make a great difference in the cost of gasoline, the amount of actual money in their pockets, as well as the critical state of the environment they live in.
Sadly, I’m not surprised at what little substantial information makes up the bulk of the American news media output. But it does sting a little to notice how much of the news broadcast is devoted to advertising entertainment to come at the end of the hour, the television shows on during the rest of the day, and a recent film being promoted. Obviously, the television station gains revenue by devoting time to discuss these programs – they’re self-promoting programs on that station, and possibly owned by one of the companies responsible for distributing and promoting the films that are mentioned during broadcasts. Meanwhile, news in the political sphere is treated as a spectacle rather than a meaningful enterprise that ought to be paid close attention to by the public. And the rest of the news stories are so tangential, and hardly relate to each other to leave any lasting impression with the public.