Why I Don't Watch Television News

It's not to say I never watch the news, as when a big story hits, it's the easiest way to get instant images of what's going on. Beyond the extreme stories, however, I avoid television news shows altogether. Why?

While it is very important to stay abreast of what's going on in the world, all information can be found on the internet at will. On the internet, you can pick and choose the stories you want to know more about, and read whatever stories or watch whatever videos you please in reference. Television news is dead. They just haven't buried the corpse yet. First of all, it maintains a linear, captive audience. You are at the whims of the producers, with whatever political leanings or agendas they may have, as to what you are exposed to and in their timeframe. Second, the news channels in particular are on a 24-hour news cycle, which, although seemingly a good idea when they first came to broadcast, is actually a horrible idea. There is not enough significant news to fill 24 hours. Ever. Even when there is a major crisis or story, they will simply repeat the same information every 10 or 15 minutes. Tedious at best. And when there is not a significant headlining story, they are left to their own devices to create news, which general entails obsessive reporting over a random murder or car chase. Valuable information? Not in the slightest. Nothing good comes from this type of unhelpful voyeurism. I would love it if they would be more positive and really build community by encouraging positive involvement, but I digress...

In time, the news channels will eventually accept their own mortality and give over to the internet. But considering the ways of corporations and the money to be made, their network deaths will be slow and painful. For us all.