Viewers expect, want more from TV news
More and more, I find myself watching the news on TV in total awe. I can't believe the power of the networks and how they can tell us what's important and what's not. The problem is that their interpretation of what's important, has more to do with viewership and sponsors than it does with the real world's interpretation of what's important, most of the time.
Apparently, the networks believe the average viewer is intellectually one small step above a chimpanzee. Newscast after newscast presents the same tiresome clips. Blago getting into his SUV; Drew Peterson walking down his driveway; Miss California answering a question. Ad nauseam.
Who cares? Tell us about it once and move on. Try to assume that we don't need to take off our shoes and socks in order to count to 20. Don't you networks know there is enough going on in this world (much of it good, by the way) that you have to waste our time focusing on the same trivial, uninteresting items hour after hour, day after day?
To make matters worse, the talking heads then take over, interviewing all sorts of people asking why they think it has become such an issue with the public. They have to realize that they made it an issue by pounding the same garbage into our ears 24/7.
My message to the broadcast media is: Grow up. If you are losing viewers, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. I have the feeling you'd be surprised how smart we really are.
Len Brauer
Palatine