Something I’ve noticed more and more on television news programs is that there’s very little actual news. It’s mostly commentary. It seems like they spend five minutes telling you what happened and then spend 50 minutes telling you how you should feel about what happened.
Firstly, news anchors should never tell you how to feel. They can offer perspective, or clarify, or explain the impact of information, but they should never offer opinions. How much of your so-called news is actually opinion?
Secondly, instead of informed experts giving commentary, we instead see professional commentators. These are leeches who have made their entire career on having Something To Say. They have opinions, and say their opinions in a clever way, so people keep paying them to be on shows. They don’t inform, clarify, or explain. Instead they confuse, argue, and lie.
Next time you are watching your favorite news program, pay close attention. How much time is spent actually giving the news? Just the news. Time it if you can. Start the timer when the news anchor begins telling you something new. Stop the timer when the anchor tells you an opinion. Stop the timer when a commentator just spouts off with opinion instead of fact. Stop the timer when a commentator goes off topic to confuse you.
Stop the timer and just change the channel.
Chris Lundy
News Editor
