Jeff Bennett
jbennett1919@gmail.com
Since the news media is a money-making industry, from time-to-time it seeks and reports news that is more entertaining than newsworthy. Unfortunately, sensational journalism ruins the credibility of honest, truth seeking journalism and blurs the lines between entertainment and news.
This became obvious when semi-credible news sources like ‘Hardcopy,’ ‘20/20’ and ‘Dateline’ inundated viewers with sensational stories such as the murder of JonBenet Ramsey or creating paranoia after September 11 with the constant update of colors corresponding to terror levels. These events were initially newsworthy, but the duration of coverage and the importance the media placed on these events was unquestionably done for profits and ratings.
Further, the pressure to ‘create’ news for profit-making purposes has encouraged many news stations to devote 24 hours to reporting the news. This is bad since the station is obligated to fill the timeslots with news that is questionable at best for its honest newsworthiness. This also perpetuates sloppy journalism that fails to check for accuracy, facts and honest sources since the journalists are under never-ending deadlines to help produce a 24 hour news segment.
This was apparent after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans and many false stories emerged from the city about incessant violence, murder and rape among the surviving citizens.
Nonetheless, it is refreshing when the media and newscasters resist the temptation to perpetuate sensationalism and instead approach the news from an honest and dignifying approach. It is also vital that journalists correct their mistakes to give the public the truth and reality of an inaccurate story. With a conscious effort to report newsworthy stories and an influx of new journalists, hopefully we can break the habits of the past to create a media centered on the truth.
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