Thread: There's a paradigm shift in news

There's a paradigm shift in news
By David Rankin

Jack Knight's recent community column, "Day of raw and crude is over," describes how news media corporations are distracting American citizens with celebrity gossip rather than reporting pertinent news stories. I, too, have grown tired of the latest celebrity news story which serves to pacify us with their (celebrities) dirty laundry.

Of course, whenever news media decisions are made by corporate executives, we shouldn't expect news reporting from a journalistic perspective but rather one that generates profits.

Even locally, citizens are not immune to the news media's practice of covering trivial news stories that border more on entertainment than informative news.

Making a big deal out of someone acting pretentiously should not be front page news, particularly, when more important issues need addressing.

The idea that Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and anyone else aspiring to be like them can dominate the American news media with their less than glamorous lifestyles is quite pathetic when you consider the more important issues America is facing.

In a post 9/11 era, where American civil liberties are dwindling, news media should be focused on those issues posing the greatest threat to our freedom - or what's left of it.

There seems to be a shift in the paradigm, however, of what is considered to be newsworthy, e.g., celebrities acting badly.

Meanwhile, issues such as the war in Iraq, eminent domain, the Real ID Act, habeas corpus, etc., are placed on the backburner for the latest juicy entertainment news.

Consequently, the price we, the misinformed American citizen, pay is the gradual shift from an informed, involved democratic society to a growing fascist form of government aided by news media propaganda.

I'm sure some of the things mentioned above may come across as a political stance toward the left; however, this is not an attempt to align myself with liberals or conservatives for that matter.

In my opinion, both Democrats and Republicans are selling out the interest of American citizens thanks to the deep pockets of special interests, political campaign contributors and the failures of news media to hold them accountable. If news media continue their charade of distracting and misinforming the American public, the consequences of their actions could be dire.

Consider this. More than 3,500 soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq, the United States' debt and roadways are being purchased by foreign countries, the U.S. dollar is losing value in the international market, energy prices continue to rise, prices are increasing on consumer goods, illegal immigration is still an issue, jobs are being exported overseas, an estimated 44 million Americans are without health care and the United States has a domestic spying program. And with all that. Paris Hilton is the top news story of the week. Give me a break.


David Rankin lives in Hattiesburg. He can be contacted at davidrankin79@hotmail.com.


http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps ... /707040333

William could have written this.

Great article!

But isn't it the truth.

Sad!

Consider this. More than 3,500 soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq, the United States' debt and roadways are being purchased by foreign countries, the U.S. dollar is losing value in the international market, energy prices continue to rise, prices are increasing on consumer goods, illegal immigration is still an issue, jobs are being exported overseas, an estimated 44 million Americans are without health care and the United States has a domestic spying program. And with all that. Paris Hilton is the top news story of the week. Give me a break.

That sums it up well, sorry to say.

Good article post jp!