News

Scene…I am in the gym doing weights. There are four televisions but no sound. Sound is reserved for the treadmillers and their headsets.

The three commercial channels are playing pretty much the same news.

Someone broke their back diving into a pool, a car accident, a shed burnt down, a tornado in the US, a drug courier got caught and thrown into a Balinese jail, etc. Not a thing about global political, economic and social events that could come to haunt us.

It strikes me that watching the misfortunes of others probably makes your average viewer feel temporarily better with their lot. Over time the news has drifted to this format, pushed by ratings feedback which drives advertising revenues.

And the genuine news is these days probably beyond the viewers’ comprehension and hence their interest. They must trust in the system to protect their interests. Besides the real news would just depress them.