"Mad as Hell . . . ." -- A Rant, by Nancy, Near Philadelphia
What the heck is wrong with our country that this the main story on CNN today?
. . . .
Britney, Paris, Nicole, Lindsay . . . . I'm so tired of their drinking, their drugging, their shaving, their pantilessness for crying out loud. Even after her death we are still infected by the ever useless Anna Nicole. Are there actually people who are interested in this tawdriness that passes for lives?
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And the bigger, more important question: Why has the media prostituted itself for the likes of them?
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I stopped watching network news on the big three with the fall of Dan Rather, still grieving the retirement of Walter Cronkite. I discovered Aaron Brown on CNN and admired his taste, his demeanor, his credibility, his thoughtful, quiet commentary. Gave up on CNN news when he was replaced by Anderson Cooper (is there anyone who doesn't recall his desperate clinging to a street sign during Hurricaine Katrina when anyone with a shred of sanity would be reporting from inside?) who reminds me of nothing more that Kermit The Frog in hysterical reporter mode. Wolf Blitzer (and just what was his mother thinking when she named him? Does he have siblings named "Moose," "Coyote," "Tortoise"?) isn't significantly more tolerable.
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In a way, I guess, I'm thankful that Chet Huntley isn't around to witness any of it.
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Last night, after the TV tripe I was sewing in front of was over, I caught a glimpse of the local news with the obligatory weekly shot of a microphone stuffed in the face of a grieving mother after yet another random shooting, and I remembered why I stopped watching the local hacks as well as the national ones.
. . . .
So the default news sources for me are my morning paper -- which this very morning incensed my Lutheran soul by proclaiming that the Philadelphia Archdiocese has reinstituted the offering of plenary indulgences, thus jeopardizing any progress made in the thirty years of Lutheran-Catholic dialogue (but that isn't the fault of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the story was well-researched and well-written with quotes from credible authorities for a change) -- and an as-needed glimpse at the CNN website. Where I discovered the aforementioned lead story.
. . . .
As Bogie said, "We'll always have Paris." But do we have to have so damned much of her?
Comments
Your feelings, I think, are reflected in declining newspapers sales, declining cable news viewership, declining network news ratings, and increases in blog traffic.
Other than the Lehrer NewsHour, which can be pretty wanky itself, I put the headphones on a play guitar during the network news hours and watch old movies the rest of the day. And if I'm having a low blood pressure day? A few minutes of CNN takes it right out of me.
You have every right to be angry; we've failed you. The people you once trusted to bring you important information in a clear and concise way have morphed into this hideous beast that basically rams crap down your throat in the name of ratings.
I will say this though, for the record: although I miss the hell out of Aaron Brown right about now (and there's no denying that his dismissal was the unfortunate turning point for CNN) -- he was actually an insufferable pomous ass in person.
And Wolf? He's a really, really good guy. Seriously.
I wish there was more of a delineation between news and editorial on the stations, esp on CNN, which DOES seem to send people all over the world. So at least there is one good point.
Thankfully, the San Francisco ABC affiliate doesn't give her too much time.
You are so right; I'm afraid we will always have Paris, like it or not.
I just have yahoo give me the space news. Nothing else interesting ever happens. =) Love your last line.