Cable News Is Bad

In response to my post about our new president's "swagga" which was reported by CNN, reader BFMc writes:

....and cnn continues to sink deeper into the stank of shite journalism. Shaft? Really?

Absolutely. In fact, reader BFMc and I just were in Toronto together this past weekend and the topic of cable news came up. Is there any credibility (as a news source) left in any of these networks? we asked eachother. I really don't think so. All the networks have become so incredibly tabloid-y and their news reporting has sunk to such embarassing levels that its hard to even call them "news networks" anymore. CNN, MSNBC, FOX, the whole lot. It's pitiful.

The other side to this trend is that they are just responding to market forces. Americans who tune into MSNBC or CNN for example aren't necessarily looking for a well-researched piece of journalism about the implications of Obama's budget. They are likely stopping in to see what the "breaking news" of the moment is. A small two passenger plane crash outside of Cleveland? More swine flu deaths? The Obama's dog biting an errant journalist? There is a serious thirst for these bite-sized, forgettable stories whose ephemeral thrill sends a momentary burst of excitement down your spine. The feeling is addictive, and what is addictive sells pretty reliable ads. And these cable "news" networks are appealing to some of the more base human qualities by doing this kind of "reporting."

There is an upside here which is that new media (usually found on the internets) makes good journalism much more accessible than in the days of yore. Not only is original journalism much more available because of the web (and you find both good and bad), but secondary interpretations (in the form of blogs, tweets or what have you) are all over the place. Reliable media outlets have taken up bloggers-in-residence which has lent credibility to what was once a sea of dicey sources and rumors.

Conclusion: If you rely primarily upon one of the networks mentioned above for news intake, you might want to reconsider. My one suggestion would be to subscribe to and read weekly one periodical: The Economist. It costs about $50/year (less than 1 month of cable) and you'll be so busy reading it each week you won't have any time to miss TV! A great solution I think...

Thanks reader BFMc for pointing that out.