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Piffle“What Americans don’t care much about is the piffle we put on TV these days, what they don’t care about is boring, irrelevant, badly told stories, and what they really hate is the presumption that they’re too stupid to know the difference.”
—Christiane Amanpour, CNN chief foreign correspondent, 2007
2009: Katie Couric’s 52nd birthday
1999: Clinton impeachment trial begins
1979: Pol Pot overthrown
1959: U.S. recognizes first Cuban government
1903: Zora Neale Hurston’s birthday
1892: Oklahoma mine explosion
1789: George Washington elected in America’s first presidential election.
1999: Clinton impeachment trial begins
1979: Pol Pot overthrown
1959: U.S. recognizes first Cuban government
1903: Zora Neale Hurston’s birthday
1892: Oklahoma mine explosion
1789: George Washington elected in America’s first presidential election.
I guess that puts me back on my bandwagon... if seasoned professionals in the news 'business' can recognise the problem, analyse the problem, verbalise the problem, then what are they doing to help fix the problem?
ReplyDeleteJudging by the continuing sad state of journalism and media - not a lot....
Given the ethics involved, why the reluctance to step over the threshold from being a complaining, enabling participant to being a change agent? If enough of us got together to take a stand and make innovative change, change would happen....
Agreeing with Sahila, if citizens have a problem with the news and the way the media is running it why not step up and help change it for the better. Millions of people can complain, but until ONE person steps up and takes action nothing will be done.
ReplyDeleteI think people actually enjoy the garbage that journalists are putting on TV and calling it "news" and "entertainment". Sure, the journalist students at universities can complain about it, but I know that my mom is a HUGE fan of Dr. Phil, E! News, and The Bachelor, and when she turns on the REAL news all she says is, "The news is always so negative." What is intriguing about this is she hates watching real world issues and stories and would rather watch a fake doctor tell guests on his TV show the obvious: that they shouldn't cheat on their husbands or that they eat too much food.
ReplyDeleteI hope that there is some change in the future on what is considered entertainment in our society!
Viewers who think they are stupid for not understanding, but don't care enough to check up on the media with different sources deserve to think they are inadequate. Americans tend to either be quite skeptical about everything, or are incredibly gullible. I believe there needs to be a happy medium. I think Green Day says it best: "Question everything, or shut up and be a victim of authority!" SO! People should either question every story's validity and contrast stories with media sources online and such, OR just shut up and believe everything the media tells them.
ReplyDeleteI think that Americans thirst for entertainment just can't be quenched. I doubt that we will ever be truely happy with our media or our news. Thats just not the way our society works. We always want things bigger and better, and so no matter what we do as citizens, or what the media does, to change the news, it will be hard to ever get to a point where we are satisfied.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sahila and Amber that if the media has recognized and verbalized that there is a problem and society is unsatisfied, they should take initiative to fix the problem.
ReplyDeleteI understand what Lauren means about people enjoying the "Junk news", however, I believe there is a large number of people with enough media literacy to distinguish between what is entertainment television and what is important news and if it is reported well or poorly.
I believe that it is ok to watch the "Garbage" on TV in moderation as long as you can look at it critically and understand its more for entertainment than actual news value.
I think most people are too caught up in their own lives to care about what is really going on around the world. They use media to be entertained, not informed.
ReplyDeletePeople should go out to create change if they want it. It is also good to learn the difference between the real story and what might not be so true. I would rather know the truth than be told what is not so true.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am amazed at the "piffle" that is broadcasted on public television these days. It boggles my mind that shows like "The Bachelor," "Survivor," and "American Idol are airing their sixth season or greater. The American public, in my mind, is getting sick and tired of the meaningless garbage that is fed to us via the tube. It seriously makes the American people appear unintelligent. Originality and substance is what makes a program great. Once that flair is gone the program should be cut and replaced with something more new and intriguing.
ReplyDeleteHa ha so I just realize that the above paragraph was a bit off topic. But the same can be said for journalism programs. Some news broadcasts treat the public as if they are naive, believe anything drones. The American public is probably more aware than most people think and are smart enough to pick out a bad or flawed story when they see or read one.
I think some Americans use TV as a release from the stresses of life. Things that are irrelevant and and not real provide them an escape from life. I don't think shows like "American Idol" and "Survivor" are very harmless as long as they're watched in moderation. But when such TV shows become the focus of an individual and take up hours of their day I think it's harmful. Unfortunately this is the state of so many Americans.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with most everyone I believe that the change has to be of thought before you think to bash on things.
ReplyDeleteThese Television programs are becoming even more worthless by the day. Although people still keep watching it. Some people will watch a certain show just the the simple satisfaction that they "would never do those things, would never act that way, or would never live such a life" but simply watching the program is something enjoyed.
I think reality T.V. is really where the problems are.
Yet, until someone wants to create change with the station or program, Americans will keep indulging in mindless television.
As much as it pains me to say this, “The Daily Show with John Stewart” is an example of how Americans prefer to get their news: Comedy. We prefer to watch someone poke fun at the news and pull out any ridiculous bias that our media may have and help citizens to view current events in a different light. I am just as guilty as many of the other students on campus in the fact that I would probably watch Stewart or Colbert over CNN or MSNBC, but maybe that’s our problem. We really are too concerned with being entertained rather than looking for the real story or the truth.
ReplyDelete