Life begins a return to normal with only my bride and I at our home after family has left. There’s been a truck with Texas plates in the driveway for 5-weeks or so, and we sure hate to see them gone. Maybe it’s time to make a new normal? It’s over 100 degrees down there and only 71 up here. Hint. Hint. That’s news you can use!
Life is an overwhelming splat of news stories that are told only, and in such a way, to create ad revenue. What some call headlines, others say are only human interest stories. True news about current events is sandwiched between advertisements to entice you to “Stay tuned for news!” as the famous Paul Harvey used to say. When I was a kid, and the 10 p.m. news came on, the announcer would say, “It’s 10 p.m.. Where are your children?” Walter Cronkite would sign off with: “And that’s the way it is…” and he would give you the day and date of the event.
There was a time when you felt you could trust the news source, reporter, reader, and the corporation that produced the news hour.
Yes. There was a time. You once felt like you could trust the newsreader to give it to us straight – no curves, slants, twists, nor filled with fakery. I’m not sure if any news angle can be unslanted. Corporations have power, investors, stockholders, and billions tied up in their brand. We get blasted with their story version and are told it’s “true journalism.”
When their national report begins in the evening, they spend 7 minutes telling you the synopsis of news they will tell you, then several minutes of life-saving commercials. —followed by 3 minutes of hard-hitting news, followed by commercials. Next? One minute of news, followed by commercials. Confident that had you hooked, they would finally reach the end of the news cycle sure they’ve told you all you need to know.
Most Of Us
I believe most of us already have an opinion of what we believe to be true, and no newscaster has the power to change our minds. So, they are “preaching to the choir.” Affirming their version to their followers who believe it as they do, they preach their facts which are only the reported facts of others.
Growing up in a time when there were three TV stations, and then you add the PBS station from a local university, you quickly find the version and style of news you enjoy.
Houston and surrounding communities for 100 miles.
Eyewitness News! KTRK. Channel 13, an ABC affiliate.
KHOU, Channel 11, the CBS affiliate.
Finally, Channel 2, KPRC, the NBC affiliate.
It’s hard to find clarity because there are local, regional, national, and global voices. Each tells its corporate story, sliced and diced with its own flavor. It’s hard to weed out the weeds and find the truth.
Newsprint is going out of style, and the newspapers still want you to subscribe to a digital version of the paper. Why must you pay if you don’t have anything left over to recycle or use in the bottom of the cage? Their advertising schemes of revenue do not produce enough to support their bottom line.
When you pay for news, you support that corporation’s voice. Cable News is the same way. Ca-Ching!
News You Can Use: It's hard to find clarity because there are local, regional, national, and global voices. Each tells its corporate story, sliced and diced with its own flavor. It's hard to weed out the weeds and find the truth. Click To TweetImagine The Day
There’s no broadcasting system, but news came by runners bringing the latest and greatest report. It happened to one of the oldest known stories in scripture. Job. He’s enjoying his day, and runners come one after the other bringing him the bad news. The first runner comes exhausted to Job, “Raiders strike, and the wealth of your cadre of workhorse animals are gone!” Another comes running, . Firerom heaven burned everything up! Quickly, another runner brings him the bad news that all his camels have been stolen. Finally, the last runner tells him that his children are all dead due to a great wind storm. (Job 1: 13-22)
Where are the reporters? Eye in the sky choppers? Camera trucks? Are the satellites aligned? Does the microphone work? The news anchor doesn’t look somber enough, quick! A new set of somber clothes from the wardrobe? Wait! We need the news anchor to report “from the scene” to show how important the story is to our viewers. Get the corporate jet fired up!
How do we learn of the news event? Carrier Pigeons? The Town Crier used to wander the streets, corner by corner, and shout out the current news. Tom Hanks even performed a movie where a man would go town-to-town with newspapers he collected and charge an entry fee to hear him read and recite the news of the day. Ships would spend months carrying the latest news across the oceans. Pony Expresses were once, and for just a short period, the fastest way to send information where there was no telegraph.
Closing Thought
Today, and for the remainder of my search for good news, I would like to have true facts laid out before me, allowing me to choose the method I would like presented to me. Then, I can make better choices from the voices that clamor for my dollars.
Otherwise?? Silence is Golden. I’ve been up for nearly three hours, enjoying my quiet time. Come back soon, now, you hear? You know who you are…