I Cannot Trust The Mainstream News Outlets | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

I Cannot Trust The Mainstream News Outlets

I distrust the mainstream news because they cannot give me facts as facts.

6
I Cannot Trust The Mainstream News Outlets
Education Writers Association

You turn on Channel 6 News at any given time of day and learn about what it is that is going on in your world that day. Or be tantalized by bits and pieces of information for hours on end, receiving answers to questions you would never have had and not understanding anything you actually wanted to.

At the beginning of any given news program you get tidbits of this or that. There was a house fire on fifth street. There was a robbery at the 7 Eleven on McDade. The local school's canned food drive brought in over 5,000 cans.  And in other news... On and on it goes until all the tidbits have thoroughly tantalized you. Then, the news anchor proceeds to go into some level of depth with each story. She tells you the house fire is under investigation and there were no injuries. Maybe there is someone on the scene that relays the same information to you after the anchor is finished. The only difference being that the field anchor is actually there. Whoop. The next anchor goes into the next story. He tells you the owner of the 7 Eleven was held at gunpoint and gave up everything in the cash register. You may see an interview that they held with the officer that responded to the call. He will tell you when he got the call and how close they are to finding the perpetrator. You will be encouraged to call in with any information you may have. On and on to the next stories until you make it through the beginning repertoire. The weather report comes in, and then you go back through all of the information you just received, this time with a bit more to tell, maybe.

Looking at the news, what I see is another form of entertainment. I see companies vying for attention from their audience and utilizing anything they can to get that attention. I see stations not giving full stories at any given time. I see anchors playing off of viewers emotions: pushing and pulling them between high and low stories. I see programs that are structured to keep people watching for that one piece of information that they want. What I do not see is an efficient information transfer. This bothers me.

When I watch the news, I am watching it for one reason - to get information. Call me crazy, but I want to be able to understand what is going on in the world without being tantalized the entire time. What is so difficult about giving information to the public in a straightforward matter? Why is it that the news has mutated into this complex sequence of entertaining the public? I fail to understand what it is about the news that so requires stations to behave this way. For this reason, I never watch the news on my own accord. I go online and read articles, watch videos (that are sometimes no more straight forward than the programs), I go on Facebook and get information. I do not watch the televised show that is put on daily multiple times a day.

This causes a separate issue. I have a distrust of the news because they cannot give me facts as facts. Given, a certain level of story-telling is needed, but it should not overshadow the news itself. So I go off and get my information from other sources, which are not always the best sources. Much of my generation I am sure falls into a similar category. We want to be educated, but we do not need to be patronized by the system we are trying to be educated from. To put it bluntly, if news stations would cut the crap and return to a focus on the news instead of entertainment and viewing numbers, I would watch it, and I would be better enducated for it. Because I know they are a more credble source. I understand that I should be getting my news from people who do this for a living (in conjunction with multiple sources). But I do not want to because it feels like I am pulling teeth everytime I watch the news to get information.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

185213
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

11474
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

455432
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25082
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments