I haven’t watch TV news all year and guess what…..
Something changed with TV news. I remember Dougal Stevenson, Richard Long, Philip Sherry, Judy Bailey very clearly. And do you know what I miss most about them – they read the news.
Now I know there is more than that to reading the news. But first and foremost, that was their job – they knew it, they were professional and perhaps most importantly their personal opinions were kept personal.
I gave up on the news when climate change was blamed for almost everything. I learnt a new buzz word – “Atmospheric River”. We used to call it rain. Now when rain comes, it almost feels like the world’s going to end. “The sky is falling,” cried Chicken Little!!!
The political agendas were always there, but over the last few decades, it’s got ridiculous. It’s not the news – it’s more like preaching their doctrine. And there is nothing better they like than to instil fear, anxiety or impending doom. No wonder we’re so uptight and neurotic.
Then newsreaders became the news. Their private lives drove them to be more celebrity than reporter. And many reporters decided that getting “clicks” was far more important than substance.
So I wasn’t surprised when the media started realising that I wasn’t alone. In fact many people were sick and tired of their games. And what was funny, but kinda sad too, is that they didn’t realise how bad things were for them. The people we get our news from – they didn’t read the signs about themselves. Just think about that for a second.
Now they are facing what many New Zealanders have also faced – uncertainty, redundancy, life changes. The problem is that because they’re the media, they have more of a voice than the thousands who have faced the same road. But the sympathy for them probably isn’t as high as they like. Maybe they could get the school kids to march for them?
I also found it amusing that (and I think I got this right – I didn’t really look into that much, because I didn’t really care) they wanted the government to help them out.
Which basically means this: they are making a product that is not meeting the market and instead of upping their game, they want us to pay for them to continue doing what they have done, which is still not improving.
It might be really good for them to have a taste of the real world. Just like Labour had their reality check last election.
Every business that doesn’t meet a need doesn’t tend to last long. They can die or evolve. But staying the same isn’t an option.
I don’t know how many disasters or misfortunes I have missed viewing no TV news. I don’t know how many things I should have been worried about that didn’t actually happen that I missed. I sure as hell haven’t missed the daily political preaching agendas telling me what to think and how to live.
If something is worrying me, I have a chat to Harry and if he isn’t worried then why should I?
Back to the question at the start… I haven’t watch TV news all year and guess what….. I haven’t missed it at all.
Here’s a good book to read.
