Media reporting GOOD news

afro-elf · 09-26-2003, 07:50 PM

Eventhough I have oft brooding demeanor, here is something that
some of you less-somber types might like:

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

jerseydevil · 09-26-2003, 08:01 PM

Afro-Elf - don't you know, good news doesn't sell. Peopla want to see suffering, stabbings, gun fights, people acting like assholes to each other. That's what people like to watch - so that's what the media shows. Just look at the reality shows if anyone wants to disagree.

It is good that someone actually put "good news from around the world" together though.

It's funny how this wasn't reported -

Quote:

600,000 offenders will be released from prison in 2002. Because they were not rehabilitated, half will commit a serious crime within 3 years. But this summer, Attorney Gen. John Ashcroft announced $100 million in grants to fund programs that turn convicts into citizens by providing newly released people with job and life skills training, education, substance abuse treatment and careful monitoring.

gimli7410 · 09-27-2003, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jerseydevil
assholes

im surprised the censors didnt catch that. doesnt that mean i can use it

i remember watching bowling for columbine and your guys news was like murder,stabbing so on and ours was "breaking news! new speedbumps" that made me feel pretty pathetic:P. but down here we have some pretty bad news obviously cuz it sells but there is lots of good new too

jerseydevil · 09-27-2003, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gimli7410
im surprised the censors didnt catch that. doesnt that mean i can use it

You can only use it when it's not directed at someone.

Quote:

i remember watching bowling for columbine and your guys news was like murder,stabbing so on and ours was "breaking news! new speedbumps" that made me feel pretty pathetic:P. but down here we have some pretty bad news obviously cuz it sells but there is lots of good new too

Bowling for Columbine as I have said - is itself a sensationalized thing. It also plays on the same emotions of over blowing the truth. We have good news too of course, but people would rather see over sensationalized stuff. People would rather here over and over again about the Lacey Peterson case than they would about more important things.

Ruinel · 09-27-2003, 04:41 PM

That's why crap shows like Jerry Springer still exist. (It still exists, doesn't it?

)

But bad news does sell. You are right, JD. Too bad, because it gives the world the impression that the US is going to hell in a handbasket, all high school kids carry knives or guns to school, everyone is on drugs and we all commit violent crimes against one another. Sorry to break it to you all, that's really not the way it is here at all.

The Gaffer · 09-27-2003, 05:00 PM

Hey, you should think yourselves lucky. For years here we had an obligatory slot in every news bulletin for some heartwarming tosh about a granny renewing her bus pass or some such pish.

Worse, they had a built-in production system for such trivial items: the Royals. We'd get a nice clip of the Duke of Edinburgh offending some tribe, or Fergie and Di sipping champers on a ski slope while the rest of us slog away at our meaningless lives in the drizzle and pay our taxes to fund their lifestyles.

For some reason, this no longer happens and we only hear about the Royals when their houses burn down, they break a hip or die or get caught smoking dope or something. A much improved state of affairs.

Claenoic · 09-30-2003, 07:50 AM

I'm only going to quote what a friend of mine told me and leave it at that.

On imitating a news anchor: "In international news, people are killing each other. In national news, prople hate Bush and are killing each other. In local news, nothing much happened, so we drove around until we hit a pedestrian."

Not that I'm saying people actually do that, it's just that the news goes out of their way to find bad news so they'll sell better. I'm shutting up now.

sun-star · 09-30-2003, 12:00 PM

Good website. Heartwarming, and all that.

Bad news sells because it's dramatic. It's not proof that people are inherently evil or anything, just that people working in the news need exciting headlines. Good news is rarely exciting: bad events often come out of nowhere, or if they're long-standing trends they can be presented as a pressing crisis. Good news is often slower, less immediate and unquantifiable (like "this number of people have not died today"), so in an age of instant news it gets pushed out.

Actually I think the media, at least in the UK, does report a lot of good news (with obvious exceptions like tabloid newspapers). I find the BBC irritatingly chirpy at times

Insidious Rex · 09-30-2003, 02:00 PM

like the song says... "we love dirty laundry"

09-26-2003, 07:50 PM	#1
afro-elf Hoplite Nomad Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 3,931	Media reporting GOOD news Eventhough I have oft brooding demeanor, here is something that some of you less-somber types might like: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ __________________ About Eowyn, Does anyone know what her alias Dernhelm means? She was kown as dernhelm because of her exclaimation when she realized that the rider's headgear was heavy and obscured her sight. 'Dern Helm" Culled from Entmoot From Kirinski 57 and Wayfarer.

09-27-2003, 05:00 PM	#6
The Gaffer Elf Lord Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: In me taters Posts: 3,288	Hey, you should think yourselves lucky. For years here we had an obligatory slot in every news bulletin for some heartwarming tosh about a granny renewing her bus pass or some such pish. Worse, they had a built-in production system for such trivial items: the Royals. We'd get a nice clip of the Duke of Edinburgh offending some tribe, or Fergie and Di sipping champers on a ski slope while the rest of us slog away at our meaningless lives in the drizzle and pay our taxes to fund their lifestyles. For some reason, this no longer happens and we only hear about the Royals when their houses burn down, they break a hip or die or get caught smoking dope or something. A much improved state of affairs. Last edited by The Gaffer : 09-27-2003 at 05:02 PM.

09-30-2003, 07:50 AM	#7
Claenoic Queen of Prolonged, Unexplained Absences Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Texas. 'Nuff said. Posts: 556	I'm only going to quote what a friend of mine told me and leave it at that. On imitating a news anchor: "In international news, people are killing each other. In national news, prople hate Bush and are killing each other. In local news, nothing much happened, so we drove around until we hit a pedestrian." Not that I'm saying people actually do that, it's just that the news goes out of their way to find bad news so they'll sell better. I'm shutting up now. __________________ Very Biased Alternate Script (but it's funny!):Click here! FREAK RAIN!!!!!!!! O.o Queen of prolonged unexplained absences and long, loooong car rides. Well, hullo everyone. As you can see, I don't hang out here muchly anymore. There's a good reason for this. Y'see, I've been hanging out at a different chatboard called Cardboardia. So far, I've been havin' a blast. Not that I don't love the TLA, but the magic of Entmoot is lost on me. So, as soon as TLA ends, so will my existance here, probably. Who knows though? I might stay. Highly unlikely however. This is a good bye in advance, then. Unless you want to join me and my group of friends at Cardboardia. Cheers!

09-30-2003, 12:00 PM	#8
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	Good website. Heartwarming, and all that. Bad news sells because it's dramatic. It's not proof that people are inherently evil or anything, just that people working in the news need exciting headlines. Good news is rarely exciting: bad events often come out of nowhere, or if they're long-standing trends they can be presented as a pressing crisis. Good news is often slower, less immediate and unquantifiable (like "this number of people have not died today"), so in an age of instant news it gets pushed out. Actually I think the media, at least in the UK, does report a lot of good news (with obvious exceptions like tabloid newspapers). I find the BBC irritatingly chirpy at times __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

09-30-2003, 02:00 PM	#9
Insidious Rex Quasi Evil Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Maryland, US Posts: 4,634	like the song says... "we love dirty laundry" __________________ "People's political beliefs don't stem from the factual information they've acquired. Far more the facts people choose to believe are the product of their political beliefs." "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

09-27-2003, 04:41 PM	#5
Ruinel Banned Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: I have no idea. Posts: 5,441	That's why crap shows like Jerry Springer still exist. (It still exists, doesn't it? ) But bad news does sell. You are right, JD. Too bad, because it gives the world the impression that the US is going to hell in a handbasket, all high school kids carry knives or guns to school, everyone is on drugs and we all commit violent crimes against one another. Sorry to break it to you all, that's really not the way it is here at all.

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