I realize this is late and the moment for discussion has past, but I still wanted to post. I watched ABC's evening news. I was always a big fan of Peter Jennings. I really liked how he got down and dirty when it came to reporting and understanding the issues. After he passed, however, I really haven't watched the news all that much. Something that really bugged me was how little the reporters and anchors seemed to actually know about the issues they were reporting on. They didn't seem to go in depth on what they were reporting on, and they didn't include issues that may have lead up to what they were reporting on.
But then I got to the local news. It made me want to cry. This is why I quit watching local news altogether. I don't even remember what they reported on, but it reminded me of when that person was shot in Uptown. Everyone was panicking that Minneapolis was ridden with crime and all of Minnesota was going to melt into L.A., taking the rest of the Midwest with it. Mike and I were in Minneapolis at the time, and he so neatly pointed out that Minneapolis had already surpassed New York in crime, a city with over five million people in it. Everyone is so worried about the wealthier, safe part of town, but no news stations are covering how the north end seems to be getting worse, or that people live that way every day of their lives. There just seemed to be this utter lack of community involvement, despite it being a local station.
Another thing that gets me is the bias for politics and sponsors. Despite Americans assuming it is this great and free country, we are limited in the news we receive depending on who is sponsoring it and what political backing the station has picked up. No, that doesn't sound like communism at all.
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I definitely agree with your point that the news does not have that community action piece that is really needed. My sister was living in the uptown area of Minneapolis and just recently moved because of all the muggings. She now lives in Saint Paul in the summit area and was mugged right outside of her house! I would personally like to see more stories on how communities can get involved in taking back their communities as well as programs for teens, such as the four that beat my sister, get help before the violence escalates to this level.
ReplyDeleteIn my neighborhood, we have a place called The Hut that is basically a safe place for teenagers to go that are trying to stay clean or get out of a gang. Why aren't they reporting on things like that? Anyways...I realize I just went on a rant, but the news definitely needs more of a link to the communities it serves.
Local news makes me think about how there's no one an audience can trust. That makes me feel paranoid. I'm going to go buy 600 rolls of toilet paper to bring into my bomb shelter. Anyone who's with me, I'm locking myself in two weeks from now.
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