Blog 10: news source

I am sure you can all relate to a time in class where the professor mentions a major world event and sarcastically says, “You all do know that we are in a war” or “Were you even aware that an earthquake hit Japan last week?” In making these sort of sarcastic comments, the professor is referring to the fact that many young people are not aware of what is going on in the world. In his essay Are We Reaching Da Youth?, Danny Schechter says that mainstream news media ignores the youth and in turn, youth are ignoring the mainstream media. On page 419 Schechter says, “They [the youth] now get their “news” from late night TV, Comedy Channel or The Onion. Attitude is what excites them, not information.” I suppose this may be true for the majority, I don’t know, but it is not true for me. I do not watch late night TV or the Comedy Channel, and what is The Onion? I may be the black sheep here but I actually am interested in information, contrary to what Schechter says.

I think it is important to know what is going on in the world, small local news is usually of no interest to me. Being a busy college student who also works and has other obligations, I do not have time to sit down and read the news whether it be in the paper or on-line. My dilemma is how to find time to become informed with events of national or world significance. I actually get most of my news through my Dad’s influence.  In the evenings and mornings when my Dad is home, he always turns on the news (at this minute he is in the next room watching the news). Or when we are going on a trip or running an errand together, he has on his radio talk shows (usually about politics) or the news. My Dad provides an easy opportunity for me to be informed about what is going on in the world. Since my Dad already has the news turned on, I will sit down and watch the news with him while I eat my breakfast or dinner. As I think back on major events such as 9/11, the earthquakes in Hattie and then Japan, the Egyptian uprising, I was first informed by the television news, it is my main source of information. When I want to know more about what is going on I do usually turn to news on the television.

I am aware that news is biased, that they do not always report the whole story, and that they report and focus on the dramatic news. As I said before, I do not really have time to check on-line for extra information to cross reference in order to find out the whole story or to see what is reliable. I believe that in being aware that there is always another point of view and that the entire story my not be covered, I am able to discern what is reliable.

-E