For years I have been calling for a news outlet which put focus on good news. The world is a mixed bag, and it is tiresome and counter-productive that most media has an overwhelming focus on bad and alarming news.
For instance, how often do you read in the paper when crime is down?
But Good News Network tells us:
"New York subway crime has plummeted more than 37 percent this year. That's on top of the decrease in 2005 of about 5.5 percent. Robberies are down 21 percent this year. Grand larcenies have declined 46 percent and assaults have fallen 55 percent, NYPD data show."
9 comments:
I've often thought about this, too.
There was a funny skits about this in the Kenny Everett Video Show in the 1970s. Not only was his good news version of the BBC Nine O'clock News hilarious, but it demonstrated in a creative way how negative the standard news broadcast actually is.
The website you linked to, goodnewsnetwork.org, looked like good news first, until I came to the third item with this sentence:
"It will press for government enforced efficiency standards to make the old bulb technology obsolete."
Argh! I guess my idea of good differs from theirs. Anyway, great idea for the website.
"I guess my idea of good differs from theirs."
Yes, we immediately runs into that one, don't we? But still, the intention is all-important and crucial.
Only bad news sell, an old journalist's wisdom.
Your post is in fact good news (I'm not sarcastic enough to add: you're not getting paid for it).
Thanks for sharing Eolake :-)
Monsieur Beep said...
(I'm not sarcastic enough to add: you're not getting paid for it).
Well, he isn't, is he? :-D
I miss the 8 o'clock news more and more often these days. Hey, no news IS good news. :o)
What I especially dislike especially with standard (ie "interesting" news) is the background music with which more and more mostly commercial stations are underlying their news stuff. Even the broadcasting service for the British forces follows this ugly habit.
News about people in distress is not a show, so I find the habit very tactless.
To all stations which are concerned:
should I ever happen to become the subject of one of your news reports (which will be a sad one I'm afraid) I want the report announced by the trumpet of a herald!
And if I should ever die in some tragedy, I would ask that the Benny Hill theme be played during the broadcast of the event.
I'm thinking of having myself stuffed and stood by the front door with a pile of bulletins in my hand. I also think it would be fun to stand me up in the middle of a crowded room and play a rousing game of, "guess who the dead guy is!"
I'm not sure what any of that has to do with the news, but I'm sure it'd get me on it. I'll have to have a voice box and a pull-cord installed in my back so I can at least say, "Look ma! I'm on TV!" and "There's a cupcake in my head." from beyond the grave.
Either you can be a writer, or you forgot your pill again.
pb, lol....
"The only news I know
Is bulletins all day
From Immortality.
The only shows I see,
Tomorrow and today,
Perchance eternity.
The only One I meet
Is God --- the only street,
Existence; this traversed
If other news there be,
Or admirabler show ---
I'll tell it you."
Emily Dickinson
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