So many can't watch news. Me too?

[becca]

So many people I know have been in a don't want to know frame of mind the last dozen or so years. Some vote some don't, but I think I'm getting to where I am going to join them. This is for both U.S. and Canada. I guess at 45 I'm not all that old but I don't remember things ever being so right vs. left like they are. Especially not in Canada! I just saw a newspaper from the province of Alberta that was really slanted to one side and until now did not know that was even possible up here. Very depressing times.

I didn't want to go into it in detail, politics/news here, just wondering if I am wrong to start to tune out. I've taken breaks but man, I am just about finished, and this just after seeing something huge in terms of progress take place in the U.S. But though that made me happy the same day they did some incredibly offensive things... one step forward two steps back. Argh! I have been fairly outspoken and active over the years in what I've felt were the right places and made some small difference along with many others. I wish I could really feel better about things by now. I can often see both or more sides of things but so many these days are hyper-reactive with long enemy lists and it seems more hopeless that people can meet in the middle. My boyfriend and I have stress over it when it comes up and we're really not that far apart... I don't know, I just want to rip up my motto that simply knowing is doing something. There is so much news everywhere now too but the quality is often bad, meant to provoke outrage. How can anyone go on being outraged about something without getting burned out. It's all the outrage that outrages me the most I think. Why does everything have to become emotional? I want politics to be boring ideally. No grand visions maybe, or legacies and so forth, just people doing the job and the right thing hopefully for the most people for the long term. Ha.

How do you deal with this part of life? Is it really as extreme everywhere as it seems to me right now? Have you ever been banned from a place because of a bunch of fanatics who didn't like your political comment?

[Dex]

Becca, which newspaper from Alberta are you talking about? I'm just curious as a lifelong Albertan. The province's reputation as "redneck" has been far removed from my pleasant experience growing up in it as a gay man. But I'm from Calgary, which may just be one of the big-city exceptions to that stereotype. Certainly there are stupid people here, and the media to cater to them. Just curious. :)

My sister and I have had arguments about this. She doesn't pay attention to news at all anymore, saying more or less what you've said. It's a misrepresentation of the events of the world and is designed to provoke anger and is just generally depressing etc. I feel pretty passionately that as a citizen of a democracy it is your duty to stay informed about what's happening. She disagrees and says she'll do what makes her happy. I really can't blame her for doing what she has to do to not become monumentally depressed/exhausted/stressed out (though I would never admit that in the heat of debate ;) ). That's more important in the scheme of things. It doesn't sit 100% perfectly with me, but I get it.

There is a lot of appalling news media here in the UK too (see my rant in another thread on The Daily Mail, which is me being restrained), but it's not all bad. I'm just choosy about which news outlets I expose myself to in terms of actual practical use, using the others sometimes just to laugh at for fun (the Daily Mail is funny sometimes if you forget how large its readership is). I find the BBC news website is very good for just giving me the facts without trying for emotional pull. The BBC is an independently-run, taxpayer-funded corporation, which isn't interested in selling to you, hence the lack of "drama" in its news. So much media tries to make everything emotional because emotion sells, so I guess the trick is to find something without a commercial interest. I'm not sure if there's a Canadian news outlet quite as good... Perhaps the CBC website? But I know the CBC has been struggling and isn't entirely comparable to the BBC. Might be worth a bit of exploring around, if you're so inclined.

So yes, choosy about where I get my news, and also choosy about the company I keep generally. I tend to stick with and be exposed to relatively articulate, level-headed people. Not necessarily people who agree with me (I don't think my line manager and I have ever agreed on anything outside of work, at all, but she's lovely to talk to). I know that amount of choice isn't necessarily something everybody has the luxury of, though.

At the risk of sounding incredibly wanky, I've also always felt kind of outside the cultural mainstream, probably from growing up gay and now officially living as a "foreigner". And I also just don't feel things as deeply as many do, generally speaking. There is a level of detachment I enjoy (and sometimes don't enjoy) which probably makes it easier to keep looking at things objectively and not feeling as caught up in how ridiculous it can all sometimes be. This is perhaps the key difference between me and my sister which explains our very different approaches to media consumption.

Sorry if this whole post was self-indulgent and unhelpful, Becca. I hope you find a way to make everything work better for you, mentally. But ultimately, my ideals aside, put yourself first, and whatever you think would make you happier is probably the best thing to do.

[TimeCastASpell]

I'm even younger than you but used to be a political (and news in general) junkie. Although I was actually a lot more heavy into Israeli and Middle East politics and in a way, easier to be following a far away country's screwed up politics over your own, I suppose! I was also a Middle East Studies major that was my passion and I paid a lot more attention to International news in general. In fact, I've heard it's a bit better in Canada at least but ugh the young adults of the US have horrific attitudes about now caring about what goes on outside of the US and that disgusts me to this day. I've had so many people say "who cares? If its not the US it doesn't matter". Maybe if the US was still the powerhouse it once was that'd be an okay attitude but given out economy and how probably overly involved the US government has gotten with foreign policy (especially in the Middle East!) how can you just not care?

With that said, I realize you're not one of those people who is ignorant and just doesn't want to know what's going on. I think everyone should have a decent sized knowledge base of not just what's going on in their own country but around the world and a basic understanding at the very least in how their country's political system works and the alternatives to that (as in try getting most people in the US to understand what multi-party systems or parliamentary government systems are like... Oy!). Heck people in the US obsess so much on the president but he's not the one making the laws! So I mean I can't sand people who are just willfully ignorant and/or elitist.

However, I never did finish my major because I got very sick and I will be very sick my whole life. Not only do I just not have the energy to follow news and politics anywhere near to the extent that I used to, I also just have realized that hey my own personal life is rocky and rough enough! Its not going to help me any to get all caught up in political debates and drama. Besides, like you, I was always more moderate and just didn't see things in black and white the way so many do. I got jaded in that sense too because I just don't tow either US party's line. I'm not a liberal or conservative but somewhere in between. But with all the bias out there how do you make heads or tails of anything anymore? I honestly used to get most of my US news from foreign sources for this reason. There was still bias but not as bad generally.

In the last US election I didn't really want to vote. I'd like to believe its important to do so but then with the electoral college and the way that in the US its either this guy or that and if you vote for anyone else then you've just thrown your vote away anyway... Well I don't know anymore. Honestly I care a whole lot more about local elections where my vote may in fact really matter and even when voting for senators and representatives I try to read up on their views regardless of party because in the end they have more say than the president. But not going to lie, I went into the last election almost blind. I didn't have the health or time to do the research and I don't know... I'm feeling a great deal like you are I think.

For that matter I'm a lesbian but just don't even so much care to get wrapped up even in gay political issues. Great news with the Supreme Court but I'm curious to see what happens next since I still live in a state that has a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage and I've heard the biggest gay rights group in my state is bidding their time perhaps unnecessarily long to even try to bring it up for a vote again. So eh... And like I said, I'm very sick. And I'm single. I don't even know that I believe I have much hope of meeting anyone. I'm more concerned about social security and the changing health care laws and all in the US. And all of these things (the Supreme Court decisions, health care reform, social security and Medicare, etc) I have a much greater understanding of than the average American but I don't actually actively follow what's going on anymore. I think having a solid knowledge base means I can sort of tube in now and then to what's going on and understand pretty quickly what it means without having to closely follow it. Does that make sense? Like the Supreme Court DOMA/ Prop 8 thing was huge and everyone was talking about it but very few people seemed to understand what it would mean if it were repealed. It was as if everyone thought gay marriage would instantly be legal everywhere in the country. Obviously its a lot more complicated than that but because I knew this and have a best friend also who's more politically involved than me so I just went to him with a few questions I had then honestly I think I only read half of one news article about things the other day. That was it. Great news but I didn't feel like chasing news stories.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I'm making sense but Im trying to say, I guess, that it sounds like you're an intelligent person. You've thought out why you don't really care to follow news and politics and all. You have a good understanding of how things work. So I don't think its good to completely tune out but I think it can be extremely liberating to just walk away and lessen the amount of time you spend on things but you know, you can pop in now and again when something interests you and then pop back out. Does that make sense? I mean I think the people that get sick of it all are generally probably the more intelligent/ knowledgable ones anyway. We see the bias. We see how nothing gets done when things are so polarized and everyone is arguing and spewing hate. And that is very different than the people I described in the first part of what I wrote who want nothing to do with news and politics out of ignorance.

Oh and I just noticed your last sentence "have you ever been banned from a place..." I don't think I've been outright banned but I've learned to keep my mouth shut precisely because at least here in the US (and even when it came to Israel...) people are sooo polarized and they can't see the gray at all anymore. I completely agree with you on that and yes I think its very bad and nothing can even get done and there's so much hate! Many people can't stand to hear my opinions because I'm not on one side or the other but somewhere in the middle. So they automatically think I'm against them because I'm not fanatically one side or the other. It seems if you bring up a middle ground people don't know how to handle it...

[secret love]

All the Australian media seems to talk and write about lately is Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.

They are both Federal Australian Labor Party politicians - Kevin was Prime Minister from 2007 - 2010, then before the election Julia took his job; we had a hung parliament in 2010 and the ALP formed a minority government with the help of three key independent MPs and The Greens... Julia was PM from 2010 - 2013 and just two days ago on Thursday evening after years of undermining her authority Kevin finally took Julia's place and returned to his former position in parliament as Prime Minister. He won the leadership ballot 57-45 and Julia had to resign because they both agreed that whoever lost would leave the parliament.

The headline in the Daily Telegraph on Friday was funny - SWEET KEVENGE.

But I'm a bit sick of the news focusing so much on politics - we do not get news stories about government policy or what the opposition has to offer as an alternative government in terms of policy and proposed legislation - no, we get stories about politician's personalities, "gender wars", criticism which says what the government is doing wrong, what the opposition would do wrong if they got the chance blah blah blah and little news about what the government has achieved or what the opposition has to offer (e.g. cut unnecessary spending to reduce the budget deficit). All of this negativity and no focus on the nation's future. Then there is the media's obsession with opinion polls which is rather annoying as the only poll that matters is the one on election day.

So I'm a bit sick of the news too... but maybe not for the same reasons?

Sorry for ranting and raving.

[seekerj]

So many people I know have been in a don't want to know frame of mind the last dozen or so years. Some vote some don't, but I think I'm getting to where I am going to join them. This is for both U.S. and Canada. I guess at 45 I'm not all that old but I don't remember things ever being so right vs. left like they are. Especially not in Canada! I just saw a newspaper from the province of Alberta that was really slanted to one side and until now did not know that was even possible up here. Very depressing times.

I didn't want to go into it in detail, politics/news here, just wondering if I am wrong to start to tune out. I've taken breaks but man, I am just about finished, and this just after seeing something huge in terms of progress take place in the U.S. But though that made me happy the same day they did some incredibly offensive things... one step forward two steps back. Argh! I have been fairly outspoken and active over the years in what I've felt were the right places and made some small difference along with many others. I wish I could really feel better about things by now. I can often see both or more sides of things but so many these days are hyper-reactive with long enemy lists and it seems more hopeless that people can meet in the middle. My boyfriend and I have stress over it when it comes up and we're really not that far apart... I don't know, I just want to rip up my motto that simply knowing is doing something. There is so much news everywhere now too but the quality is often bad, meant to provoke outrage. How can anyone go on being outraged about something without getting burned out. It's all the outrage that outrages me the most I think. Why does everything have to become emotional? I want politics to be boring ideally. No grand visions maybe, or legacies and so forth, just people doing the job and the right thing hopefully for the most people for the long term. Ha.

How do you deal with this part of life? Is it really as extreme everywhere as it seems to me right now? Have you ever been banned from a place because of a bunch of fanatics who didn't like your political comment?

I firmly beleive that this is because of old people. If we keep voting them in, it will get worse. Why is 95% of the House and the Senate over 60 years old? Why does every political talk show on tv look like the show is visiting a nursing home? They live in a world from the past. Every generation kind of gets"stuck" in the world as it was when they were growing up. Old people need to know when it's over (Hello, Barbara Walters) and let the next generation rule its own world. Because it is their world now. The old peoples' time is over. We have people deciding our fate who do wouldn't know an IPAD from a bathroom sink. And they force their opnions and wills down the young peoples' throats. And I'm 48, but I think even that's way too old to hold any kind of political office. I think 40 or maybe 45 should be the limit. And I can't understand why there is a minimum age for President of the United States, but no maximum? Really? All I have to say to that is "John McCain", who looks like he has a full load in his diaper every time he walks. And it's worse when he talks. The load is even fuller.

I am not saying not to respect the old. I'm saying that the old need to know when it's time to let the next generation take over.

I wish young people would band together and take control and vote for their peers. Then they could deal with issues as they are in their world today, not the world as it was when Ed Sullivan had the Beatles on.

[becca]

I'm not sure I can really tune out, even just for the summer sunshine, but have been very careful about passing on news to others lest they bite my head off about not wanting to know. I don't know anybody right now first hand who wants to know. This would be just the time for somebody in office to sneak something major by probably! :p

If I say it was the Calgary Sun tabloid (with a U.K. style 'Sunshine girl' pin-up page) which offended my sensibilities I guess that lets the cat out of the bag that I'm one of those 'liberals' (to be said like a swear word by supposed 'conservatives').

It's just like with the climate change stuff, they put one of the hundreds of scientists saying it's happening on against the one (of one) paid oil company scientist and call it balanced coverage. So often the media gives you some old wacked-out born into privilege and ignorance religious fanatic on against a person who asks forgiveness everyday for micro-organisms they may have harmed up to a century ago. Instead of manufacturing consent these days it's often more manufacturing outrage, which has led to pretty much all the dumb legislation and reactionary political 'movements' going which then alienates the vast middle. We're no better than Egypt where they revolt against the military only to get fanatical religion in who then do the exact same thing to them.

I guess I'm the last of my kind around where I am so it probably helps to know there are others who can face the news and politics without becoming a radicalized crank of some sort (or labelled as one). But I need some time off before I can write letters and get active about an issue. I spent some time alone and working with established groups (PFLAG, EGALE) to promote 'allowing' same-sex marriages (to be called marriage) even in spite of a minority of negative gay people who because it wasn't an immediate concern of theirs were against it as joining the straight system! I should be happy to see actual results from this in both the U.S. and Canada. I suppose it's normal to be worn out. Maybe it's because of all the no choice and voter ID laws being passed suddenly in very unusual ways in many U.S. states at the same time. I remember how they did Prop 8 in California (with 'charity write-off' money from the Mormon church and Mitt Romney among others) and rewrote the Hawaii state constitution to discriminate, and all the they can't do that outrage. I don't even know if I believe in marriage for myself after all this, but darn it, I wanted to see some kind of progress in my lifetime besides the moon landing!

Maybe I should just take a vacation now and not feel responsible? Or embrace being a 'radical'? I sure hope things take a swing back toward being less extreme soon though, but I also know that to some my issues would seem extreme. Nobody can talk anymore though and I think that's that the source of my depression. The don't want to knows won't let me talk, literally I get silenced and a few months ago banned from a supposedly open and free chat area. The extreme types named after a tax rebellion cry discrimination for a tax collection agency looking at them while discriminating against women and gays and poor minorities, they banded to get me banned from another place for technicalities mostly over the gun regulation topics while saying how Americans hate censorship and love freedom and making veiled threats through military type gun icons for their photo. I tried to stand up to and fight back but was outnumbered is all. They get to keep making intimations of violence even to the staff of the place that saw me as causing a problem (most other 'liberals' won't report bad behaviour to 'the man' as it were so I was again pretty much isolated there and in fact lectured constantly for admitting I sometimes did report the flag-festooned gun nut types... guns are a tool I grew up around to me is all, and to be handled carefully).

"Listen to yourself, you're ranting." In England they call it getting wound up, and I definitely feel I've been given the wind up from a number of directions. Sigh. But am I leaving it all to the more motivated fanatics?

Anyway, thanks for this sounding board and letting me have other perspectives. I know with text only how easy it is to come across wrong and I'm sure I've come across here in ways other than I would like to for some.

Yes, I need to listen to some Beatles, that sounds positive. I try not to age discriminate... I think we all need more of a mix though generally, but do you legislate it with quotas? I think there are too many born into what they've become of all sorts of age brackets.

[Dex]

I am not saying not to respect the old. I'm saying that the old need to know when it's time to let the next generation take over..

It's up to young people, though, to actually vote. The numbers are in, and are consistent across the board: Old people vote. Young people don't. Western democratic politics will always be skewed toward the elderly voting base as long as this remains true. In many ways I agree with what you're saying, seekerj, but old people are as entitled as ever to exercise their right to vote, they don't have to "let" anyone take over. The onus is on the younger generations to get off their lazy, jaded asses and express their views, too. (I'm speaking generally, of course. I'm sure this forum has many young voters on it, myself included.)



If I say it was the Calgary Sun tabloid (with a U.K. style 'Sunshine girl' pin-up page) which offended my sensibilities I guess that lets the cat out of the bag that I'm one of those 'liberals' (to be said like a swear word by supposed 'conservatives').

Ha! Yes. The Sun is a complete rag. Would it help you to know that, in Calgary, the Sun's readership are the ones considered "radical", generally? Considering that publication to be trashy and lacking in any information is the moderate majority opinion.


I guess I'm the last of my kind around where I am so it probably helps to know there are others who can face the news and politics without becoming a radicalized crank of some sort (or labelled as one). But I need some time off before I can write letters and get active about an issue. I spent some time alone and working with established groups (PFLAG, EGALE) to promote 'allowing' same-sex marriages (to be called marriage) even in spite of a minority of negative gay people who because it wasn't an immediate concern of theirs were against it as joining the straight system! I should be happy to see actual results from this in both the U.S. and Canada. I suppose it's normal to be worn out. Maybe it's because of all the no choice and voter ID laws being passed suddenly in very unusual ways in many U.S. states at the same time. I remember how they did Prop 8 in California (with 'charity write-off' money from the Mormon church and Mitt Romney among others) and rewrote the Hawaii state constitution to discriminate, and all the they can't do that outrage. I don't even know if I believe in marriage for myself after all this, but darn it, I wanted to see some kind of progress in my lifetime besides the moon landing!

I owe you and people like you a load of thanks, for this. As I'm getting same-sex married in a couple of days. (Alright, the UK is slower on the uptake than Canada is, so it'll be called a "civil partnership" until the middle of next year sometime, but eh. ;) )

I don't think being in favour of marriage equality is a "radical" opinion at all though. 75% of Britons are in favour of it, making it decidedly un-radical and moderate. And this is a more socially conservative nation than Canada is, generally. I think it's important to keep in mind that the opinions expressed on internet forums don't necessarily reflect those of society in general. These sites are often where fringe views are overrepresented and given focus and development beyond what they realistically deserve. Maybe you are radical in some ways (not a bad thing), but from your posts it just sounds more like the internet is just being its usual, charmless, internetty self. There is a massive difference in the opinions I pick up from people on the street compared to those I read on internet forums, and this is something I always have to remind myself of when I spend a lot of time online.

[becca]

Ha! Yes. The Sun is a complete rag. Would it help you to know that, in Calgary, the Sun's readership are the ones considered "radical", generally? Considering that publication to be trashy and lacking in any information is the moderate majority opinion.

Whew, I'm glad I wasn't hallucinating it being trashy and redneckish. My Mother was stranded there for a few days during the flooding and brought them back for the photos of that. I'm told there is even a Sun news channel along the lines of the U.S. Fox one, glad we don't get that.

There is a massive difference in the opinions I pick up from people on the street compared to those I read on internet forums, and this is something I always have to remind myself of when I spend a lot of time online.

That helps, I should print this out whenever I get too tangled up in the net. One place seemed to ban loads of people and the other was a no politics allowed sort of place without saying so. I go through spates of health problems where I'm more likely to spend time online. It was a comment about there not being any lobby group for disabled sixty year old white men from a long time friend I told about the DOMA being struck down that kind of really depressed me recently though. There is a backlash of ignorant types seeing any equality for minorities as special privileges that burns me up. I wrote some letters, met some politicians, manned some legal pamphlet tables at pride days... the worst i really had to deal with was a Christian Real Women group where the chairperson was almost physically threatening to anyone evil who was part of the gay agenda. I've known a same-sex couples in a long time monogamous relationships and that's part of what got me into fighting for them to be 'official' and equal in treatment. They got married on the first day it was possible, and it was a great day. :nod:

[seekerj]

It's up to young people, though, to actually vote. The numbers are in, and are consistent across the board: Old people vote. Young people don't. Western democratic politics will always be skewed toward the elderly voting base as long as this remains true. In many ways I agree with what you're saying, seekerj, but old people are as entitled as ever to exercise their right to vote, they don't have to "let" anyone take over. The onus is on the younger generations to get off their lazy, jaded asses and express their views, too. (I'm speaking generally, of course. I'm sure this forum has many young voters on it, myself included.)

LOL, ... I was trying to say this in a nice way. I like your way better!

Really, Dex, you summed up my point, and very well, too! Young people really need to get out there and get involved and not turn a deaf ear!

[becca]

I deliberately didn't vote one year quite awhile ago because I couldn't see much difference between parties at the time (Oh, how impossible that sounds now) so in a way voted for all by voting for none, but I probably should have found something to vote 'for'. One other time I was bopping around between countries and remote areas and found no way in time to cast a ballot (but I should have).

Sometimes I think maybe people who haven't paid attention shouldn't vote... but then of course they ought to have paid some kind of attention.

[desertangel]

I have turned the news off from time to time over the last few years. Mostly around election time. I've switched my party back and forth a couple of times, but have been independent for several years. This because I didn't see a lot of differences either. It seemed to me like the Dems would pump money into domestic affairs and the Reps would pump money into military and large corporations, when what I would really like is a return to human rights and civil liberties at the top of the agenda. Not necessarily socialism, but more equality in general. That said, these are definitely unprecedented times we are living in. Seems like ever since 9/11 there have been a lot of things happening that most people could never imagine happening in their lifetime. From an attack on U.S. soil to the Wall Street mess, then what looks like is going to be the legalization of pot and now same sex marriages. This has all taken place in a very short period of time. It is overwhelming and it's no wonder the country seems divided. It's a lot to adjust to. It's probably not unlike other eras where there was a lot of change and unrest; the 60s with civil rights, the women's movement, free sex and the drug craze.. is a good example. Although I still say 9/11 and same sex marriages is pretty huge on the scale of things. I guess I'm happy that other countries are going the same route with pot and same sex marriages, makes me feel not so alone in the direction the U.S. is going. I'm not going to say whether it's a good direction or a bad direction, it's just different and that's what societies do over time. Actually, I think it's kind of cool to be living in times like these... gives us something to tell our grandkids and great grandkids should we be lucky enough to have that opportunity and should they want to listen.

When I go on news bans I watch the Science channel, Animal Planet and basically a lot of documentaries. Sometimes I watch old TV shows like I Love Lucy, just to give my soul and brain a rest. I got off of Facebook in part because of all the political wrangling and mostly the drama. I know several people whose lives seem to be always full of drama and I just think there are some people who are addicted to the adrenaline rush of drama. They'll whine about it afterwards, I think because it's like sugar, there's always a let down that leaves them feeling wiped out and they swear they're gonna quit, but they never do. I make it a point to avoid those people as much as possible because they add a layer of complication to my life that I don't need. I typically have enough on my plate as it is without having to listen to the latest chapter. That said, I think it's perfectly healthy to not want to be swept up in the modern trend of sensationalism and drama. Those of us who chose to live our lives in such a way are ahead of the curve, in my opinion. Anyway, network news has become more sensationalized over time and I think it's a real shame. When the anchor wears a plastic smile even while describing a story involving the rape and murder of a 5 year old, that's a little much even for me. I usually change the channel when that happens.

Good thread, thanks for letting me add my 10cents.

Edit: about young people getting more involved - I know some young people who are involved in change. I can't honestly speak to why some get involved and others don't, other than I know the "drama people" act like they don't see past their own noses, probably because of their chosen lifestyle.... I think maybe lack of goals, depression, IQ, upbringing, drug use might be things that can play into a person not seeming to care about politics and society. Be a spearhead and enlist support from your peers... that's what we used to do back in the day when they had picket lines and strikes for anything and everything. Me and my buddies used to go to Ban the Bomb rallies for nuclear disarmament.

[KarmaContestant]

I'm a news junkie; I like being educated.

That said, I'm growing more tired of political news. I'm tired of the "reality TV series" approach to political reporting, where every story is a slam, a zing, a gotcha-moment. Politicians are not celebrities - they're hired to do a job.

I hate political ads. I dont care what side, they all suck and do a disservice to voters.

I also detest the trend these day of "news" pretty much being celebrities, sports, weather and local drama/trauma. Because of that, I've started listening to NPR for my news instead of watching it on TV. I find it remarkably unbiased, neither left nor right - just the facts.

[louielouie2000]

I'm a news junkie; I like being educated.

That said, I'm growing more tired of political news. I'm tired of the "reality TV series" approach to political reporting, where every story is a slam, a zing, a gotcha-moment. Politicians are not celebrities - they're hired to do a job.

I hate political ads. I dont care what side, they all suck and do a disservice to voters.

I also detest the trend these day of "news" pretty much being celebrities, sports, weather and local drama/trauma. Because of that, I've started listening to NPR for my news instead of watching it on TV. I find it remarkably unbiased, neither left nor right - just the facts.

This pretty much sums it all up for me. I am a total news junkie. But I get my news through various websites throughout the day so I don't have to bother with subjects or news outlets I'm sick of. I occasionally watch PBS News at home, but I'm even past my pain threshold with PBS news at the moment. It's not that I don't keep close tabs on events, I just seem to be able to tolerate controversial subjects better by reading them in print vs having to watch/hear some angry twit orating on TV. 6 years ago I gave up cable TV because I was sick of Reality TV creeping it's way into even news reporting. So my 46" plasma TV is only used for DVDs & my digital antenna. The good thing about broadcast TV is there are NO political commercials!! It's WONDERFUL. Instead I have a variety of PBS stations which provide me with all the news, documentaries, and lifestyle shows I can soak up. It's nice.

[becca]

PBS and NPR are great sources for indepth news without being sensationalistic or 'entertaining'. Sometimes though even Bill Moyers can be too exciting for me. :(

I hope things get closer to sane again soon as I'm well past being fed up with the various talking heads behaving badly. I agree most people would just like to see the politicians doing their basic jobs and maybe less grand visions or moral leadership (as if, ha). Also some leading by example where all this austerity is coming into things, nobody is stopping any politicians from returning some of their pay or lowering expenses... how about campaigning on that record? Nah, divide and conquer works quicker and easier (if dirtier).

[KarmaContestant]

PBS and NPR are great sources for indepth news without being sensationalistic or 'entertaining'. Sometimes though even Bill Moyers can be too exciting for me. :(



:laugh:

Damn.

[Macfanforever]

I'm usually have the news on in the car or read it on the computer before I head here.

In the car I listen to WCBS News 880 and 1010 WINS for news.I dont bother with the TV talk show and radio talk shows because they are sometimes annoying.

[becca]

There was a recent bombing attempt here where I live and all the local media just went into overdrive covering ever pointless detail about it to the exclusion of almost all else. I think most people had to turn it off or look elsewhere for news. It bugs me too when I put on a news channel hoping for a rundown on the news and get instead hour nine of raw coverage of the Zimmerman trial. :(

[becca]

I definitely need a news vacation now! I get so wound up sometimes and I know it's not so good for me. The old caring too much cliche?

Chill pill in preparation, honest! :nod: