I stopped actively seeking out general news a LONG time ago. I get alerts from a breaking news app, just so I’ll know if I have to seek shelter or something, but that’s about it. It’s all “newsertainment” now anyway.
I like to stay current. Of course with this being an election year (as previously stated), it gets old fast. And of course in this summer of Hillary/Trump love, my beloved Reds have decided to shit the proverbial bed, so even baseball can’t distract me.
@mehbee Your Braves and the Minnesota Twins are currently tied for worst record in baseball at 13-34. Yowza! My Redlegs are not far behind at 15-33. It’s a 3-way race to the bottom for next year’s #1 draft pick!
Work in it a few years and it gets easy to tune out. Even in college when I’d come home from the station my parents would ask what the weather was going to be and I’d have no idea.
I do read and watch the news; but like many others here I’m finding it increasingly frustrating because of the editorials disguised as news. Shockingly enough, the repeal of the Smith-Mundt Act allows the government to lie to us too.
And we have 2 conventions and 5 months of pure unadulterated shit still coming, in all flavors and some new ones.
I quit using recreational drugs many decades in the past. I wonder if it’s too late to start back up?
@therealjrn
I kniw the the issues are real. I still would wish the Big Media Events would simply not happen.
I fear this election election will be the most loathsome in…in even longer than my parents could remember.
I fear that by November issues will simply no longer matter. Pure Cult of Personality.
@f00l Find the MTV Live channel. Mostly music festivals, tour footage, all the ‘Later…With Jools Holland’ episodes etc., all in HD. I didn’t go to Glastonbury 2008-2013, V Fest 2009-2013 or any of the big US festivals, but watching at home in air conditioning is a lot of fun. All genres: rock, techno, country to -I don’t know what to call some of it.
I stopped watching the news for several years after one of our local channels played a 911 tape of a call from a guy who came home and found his fiancée tied up and murdered. To this day I get choked up when I think of it…how is that news? Stating the facts is one thing and still sad but it’s not the same as hearing the unfiltered grief in that man’s voice. I’ve gradually started back because I do want to be informed and somewhat educated on what’s going on in the world. Unfortunately the news is more depressing than educational so I normally end up changing the channel to Big Bang Theory or Modern Family…doesn’t help me stay current but they make me laugh.
@mehbee There used to be an axiom in the news business: if it bleeds, it leads. Referring to the headlines on a newspaper’s front page. It’s cheaper to report on-site from the site of the latest police action than it is to actually research corruption, pollution and good news stories.
@OldCatLady Sorry, but the “good news story” is a pet peeve of mine. When I worked on the assignment desk people would call all the time to pitch a story and tell us to “come do a good news story for a change.” 95 times out of 100 these stories would be something like their nephew’s middle school holding a bake sale fundraiser.
“Oh, what are they raising money for?”
"A class trip to Paris."
It was always something that was kind of selfish and definitely not news. But they’d always say “why don’t you come do a good news story for a change?”
Here’s the thing, though. We always have good news stories. They’re rarely the first story, but they’re in every show. They might be kind of stupid and not really news, but that’s true for a lot of the bad news too. But I promise you, there are good news stories in the show, so I get annoyed when people say, “why don’t you ever cover good news?” They’re there, but everyone almost immediately forgets about it, because frankly the bad news is usually more exciting.
There’s nothing on TV worth watching news-wise. I get all of my news from reading and go out of my way to get get things from diverse sources to try to get as close to an unbiased idea of what’s really going on as I can. Stuff is so politically biased and partisan now it’s disgusting.
@rockblossom To be fair, I get news from Twitter just because it is timely. I follow Reuters and PBS, along with some tech sites. However, I’d bet that a good percentage of those in the poll consider posting what they had for lunch to be “news”.
Our local newspapers are politically biased (one each way) and carry very little real news. Our politicians are the pits, local ones even worse than national as they openly support their billionaire Pacs. Even the weather is sensationalized, with photos of every tornado and tropical storm showing destruction. We aren’t in the tornado zone and haven’t had a hurricane hit us in a decade. I usually watch only to see if I can play golf tomorrow.
I routinely check BBC and a couple other Brit sites, Der Spiegel (English page), Bloomberg, International NYT, and even Drudge, because he sometimes hits the hot spots early. WaPo if I haven’t used all my ‘free’ views. I only take the local paper on Sunday, and may cancel that soon. We have a local ‘weatherscan’ channel which is automated. Oh, and MTV Live. I couldn’t survive without my music
There was a brief notice in our local newspaper a couple of years ago (or more? I don’t remember the date) stating that going forward, the news department would report to the marketing department. That tells you all you need to know.
The local paper, decades ago, won a Pulitzer for a detailed exposure if practices and coverups in one of our local HQ’ed global businesses, despite enduring trashing, legal threats, and boycotts. That paper now barely has reporters. They outsource stories in our backyard. I fear they will not be taking on serious investigative reporting against moneyed opposition in the future.
A lot of my news, such as it is, comes from various UK broadsheet sites, and various national/international sites/podcasts who try to avoid bias. Also various local news (some still exists).
I avoid any and all “outrage-mongering/cheerleader/doctrinaire/movement” type news sources". Fuck Them.
But the reality, given our current circumstances, given our current likely candidates, and the current crop of those who would be candidates if they could, is: We’re Fucked.
The US and it’s people have an extraordinary history of being lucky and plucky and gritty and creative and refusing to quit. All are needed, plus some serious analytical ability and a population-wide refusal to fall for cheap slogans and cheap solutions from any source.
Let’s hope. The real solutions won’t make an aficionado of any particular personality or doctrine happy.
@f00l I’ve often found the European news agencies to be more biased than anything here in the states. Everything gets evaluated against European ideals and stuff that’s just plain inaccurate makes it into print. I have friends in Europe who literally think they’ll get shot if they visit the US because everybody walks around with an AK-47 on their back and a pistol strapped to their hip here,
@jbartus
I know. Sometimes, when reading a book or article about the US, or Americans, from a European source, i cringe. I think, “with all our commercial media that washes the globe: our books, movies, tv, news, music, opinion, youtube, blogs, and onward, with the endless “American brand”, how could they know so little of us?”
I suppose it’s really that difficult to know a place or a people even standing on their turf, unless you are there for a while.
I respect but am wary of that common Eurocentric POV you mention. Sometimes it makes me think, “if they know so much, why don’t they try providing and paying for their own security, doing what they can to maintain the current best civilized best practices while countering terrorism, encouraging nation-building, and trying to contain Russia/China problems and various civil wars, while continuing to lead in creative business, science, technology, medical technology, etc? Oh yeah, they cant afford it, they dont have the will to try, and they all want government jobs. Uh huh.”
None the less, some of the European journalism is excellent, and it gets you outside an American headset for a bit. I try to use it for what i can get from it.
The time i spend on all this varies. Sometimes i just quit for a long periods.
It’s an election year. A little goes a long way because I don’t care which candidate got caught lying. They’re politicians - of course they’re lying.
@narfcake so i guess it just comes down to whose lies line up more with the lies you tell yourself, then you know who to pick on election day
@DMlivezey I gave up lying for lent.
@DMlivezey Also, who’s less evil.
@narfcake
"Survivor: Beltway"
@hallmike guess what i gave up:
News? Or “news”? Cause there seems to be a whole lot more o’ the second one these days.
I stopped actively seeking out general news a LONG time ago. I get alerts from a breaking news app, just so I’ll know if I have to seek shelter or something, but that’s about it. It’s all “newsertainment” now anyway.
These days it’s just editorial disguised as news, or press release readers… I can count actual news sources on one hand these days.
@thismyusername If you lost some fingers, you probably still could.
@2many2no
Lost a lot of fingers, perhaps.
I like to stay current. Of course with this being an election year (as previously stated), it gets old fast. And of course in this summer of Hillary/Trump love, my beloved Reds have decided to shit the proverbial bed, so even baseball can’t distract me.
@cpierce Your Reds can’t be half as bad as my Braves…it’s a sad, sad year.
@mehbee Your Braves and the Minnesota Twins are currently tied for worst record in baseball at 13-34. Yowza! My Redlegs are not far behind at 15-33. It’s a 3-way race to the bottom for next year’s #1 draft pick!
@cpierce O-H
@cpierce The Braves won last night! It was a really good game, felt like old times…lol
Work in it a few years and it gets easy to tune out. Even in college when I’d come home from the station my parents would ask what the weather was going to be and I’d have no idea.
I do read and watch the news; but like many others here I’m finding it increasingly frustrating because of the editorials disguised as news. Shockingly enough, the repeal of the Smith-Mundt Act allows the government to lie to us too.
I listen to the podcast NoAgenda to help me keep it straight. http://www.noagendashow.com/
And we have 2 conventions and 5 months of pure unadulterated shit still coming, in all flavors and some new ones.
I quit using recreational drugs many decades in the past. I wonder if it’s too late to start back up?
@f00l The struggle is real.
@therealjrn
I kniw the the issues are real. I still would wish the Big Media Events would simply not happen.
I fear this election election will be the most loathsome in…in even longer than my parents could remember.
I fear that by November issues will simply no longer matter. Pure Cult of Personality.
@f00l I meant the struggle to not throw a shoe at the TV and do a hit of acid
lol
@therealjrn
She’s all right, cocaine…
@f00l It is not too late to start back up
@f00l Find the MTV Live channel. Mostly music festivals, tour footage, all the ‘Later…With Jools Holland’ episodes etc., all in HD. I didn’t go to Glastonbury 2008-2013, V Fest 2009-2013 or any of the big US festivals, but watching at home in air conditioning is a lot of fun. All genres: rock, techno, country to -I don’t know what to call some of it.
@DMlivezey
Quit giving me hope, re cocaine and friends. You know the eternal problem:
Coming Down Again
I stopped watching the news for several years after one of our local channels played a 911 tape of a call from a guy who came home and found his fiancée tied up and murdered. To this day I get choked up when I think of it…how is that news? Stating the facts is one thing and still sad but it’s not the same as hearing the unfiltered grief in that man’s voice. I’ve gradually started back because I do want to be informed and somewhat educated on what’s going on in the world. Unfortunately the news is more depressing than educational so I normally end up changing the channel to Big Bang Theory or Modern Family…doesn’t help me stay current but they make me laugh.
@mehbee There used to be an axiom in the news business: if it bleeds, it leads. Referring to the headlines on a newspaper’s front page. It’s cheaper to report on-site from the site of the latest police action than it is to actually research corruption, pollution and good news stories.
@OldCatLady I totally agree. It’s a shame.
@OldCatLady Sorry, but the “good news story” is a pet peeve of mine. When I worked on the assignment desk people would call all the time to pitch a story and tell us to “come do a good news story for a change.” 95 times out of 100 these stories would be something like their nephew’s middle school holding a bake sale fundraiser.
“Oh, what are they raising money for?”
"A class trip to Paris."
It was always something that was kind of selfish and definitely not news. But they’d always say “why don’t you come do a good news story for a change?”
Here’s the thing, though. We always have good news stories. They’re rarely the first story, but they’re in every show. They might be kind of stupid and not really news, but that’s true for a lot of the bad news too. But I promise you, there are good news stories in the show, so I get annoyed when people say, “why don’t you ever cover good news?” They’re there, but everyone almost immediately forgets about it, because frankly the bad news is usually more exciting.
@jqubed The house that is not burning is not news.
@jqubed I would be on board if the news agencied would leave their own political bias out of it.
@jqubed Amend ‘good’ to ‘meaty, complicated, historic, scientific, and/or of worldwide import’.
There’s nothing on TV worth watching news-wise. I get all of my news from reading and go out of my way to get get things from diverse sources to try to get as close to an unbiased idea of what’s really going on as I can. Stuff is so politically biased and partisan now it’s disgusting.
Pew Research: 62% of (American) adults get their “news” from social media sites.
We’re doomed.
@rockblossom To be fair, I get news from Twitter just because it is timely. I follow Reuters and PBS, along with some tech sites. However, I’d bet that a good percentage of those in the poll consider posting what they had for lunch to be “news”.
Our local newspapers are politically biased (one each way) and carry very little real news. Our politicians are the pits, local ones even worse than national as they openly support their billionaire Pacs. Even the weather is sensationalized, with photos of every tornado and tropical storm showing destruction. We aren’t in the tornado zone and haven’t had a hurricane hit us in a decade. I usually watch only to see if I can play golf tomorrow.
I routinely check BBC and a couple other Brit sites, Der Spiegel (English page), Bloomberg, International NYT, and even Drudge, because he sometimes hits the hot spots early. WaPo if I haven’t used all my ‘free’ views. I only take the local paper on Sunday, and may cancel that soon. We have a local ‘weatherscan’ channel which is automated. Oh, and MTV Live. I couldn’t survive without my music
There was a brief notice in our local newspaper a couple of years ago (or more? I don’t remember the date) stating that going forward, the news department would report to the marketing department. That tells you all you need to know.
@parodymandotcom Yep, that says it all.
@parodymandotcom
At least your paper announced it.
The local paper, decades ago, won a Pulitzer for a detailed exposure if practices and coverups in one of our local HQ’ed global businesses, despite enduring trashing, legal threats, and boycotts. That paper now barely has reporters. They outsource stories in our backyard. I fear they will not be taking on serious investigative reporting against moneyed opposition in the future.
A lot of my news, such as it is, comes from various UK broadsheet sites, and various national/international sites/podcasts who try to avoid bias. Also various local news (some still exists).
I avoid any and all “outrage-mongering/cheerleader/doctrinaire/movement” type news sources". Fuck Them.
But the reality, given our current circumstances, given our current likely candidates, and the current crop of those who would be candidates if they could, is: We’re Fucked.
The US and it’s people have an extraordinary history of being lucky and plucky and gritty and creative and refusing to quit. All are needed, plus some serious analytical ability and a population-wide refusal to fall for cheap slogans and cheap solutions from any source.
Let’s hope. The real solutions won’t make an aficionado of any particular personality or doctrine happy.
@f00l I’ve often found the European news agencies to be more biased than anything here in the states. Everything gets evaluated against European ideals and stuff that’s just plain inaccurate makes it into print. I have friends in Europe who literally think they’ll get shot if they visit the US because everybody walks around with an AK-47 on their back and a pistol strapped to their hip here,
@jbartus
I know. Sometimes, when reading a book or article about the US, or Americans, from a European source, i cringe. I think, “with all our commercial media that washes the globe: our books, movies, tv, news, music, opinion, youtube, blogs, and onward, with the endless “American brand”, how could they know so little of us?”
I suppose it’s really that difficult to know a place or a people even standing on their turf, unless you are there for a while.
I respect but am wary of that common Eurocentric POV you mention. Sometimes it makes me think, “if they know so much, why don’t they try providing and paying for their own security, doing what they can to maintain the current best civilized best practices while countering terrorism, encouraging nation-building, and trying to contain Russia/China problems and various civil wars, while continuing to lead in creative business, science, technology, medical technology, etc? Oh yeah, they cant afford it, they dont have the will to try, and they all want government jobs. Uh huh.”
None the less, some of the European journalism is excellent, and it gets you outside an American headset for a bit. I try to use it for what i can get from it.
The time i spend on all this varies. Sometimes i just quit for a long periods.
@f00l I do read some stuff out of Europe some times but it usually only takes a few articles before this happens:
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
@mfladd
I know, different song.
IDGAF!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯For what it’s worth