Why is news coverage so watered down now?

[Paper_jam 831]

This gripe especially applies to online news, but print journalism as well. It's maddening how many news articles leave out critical details or information. You see reports about proposed or adopted legislation that don't identify the bill number or author. You see accident reports that have no real description of the persons, vehicles, or locations involved, or who is at fault. Crime coverage is the worst: the articles are so generic you can't even tell what really happened. A good news report should include enough detail so the reader can form a complete picture of the events in their mind.

If you read a modern news article about a murder, it will go something like: "Police apprehended a person of interest after a body was found Tuesday night on the sidewalk in the 7000 block of Shipley Road.  The cause of death is under investigation. A police spokesperson said the death is believed to be an isolated incident and is not a continuing threat to the public."

If you read a newspaper article in 1955 about the same incident, it would read something like this:

"Police arrested a male suspect, Jonathan Frakes, 29, a white man, in connection with the murder of Jennifer Jones Jackson, 22, of Pflugerville, an unmarried woman. Jackson's body was found at 10:18 PM Tuesday, on the sidewalk just outside Franklin Sporting Goods store at 7216 Shipley Road. The body had deep stab wounds to the torso and the victims' upper clothing had been removed.  Police said that Frakes did not previously know the victim, but went into a murderous rage when the victim made a gesture which implied he had a small penis. This reporter interviewed a neighbor living in an apartment adjacent to Mr. Frakes' , Mr. Jake Moss, who stated that it was well known within the building that Frakes had a tendency to react violently to any sign of disrespect. Frakes was taken to Travis County Jail for holding, his arraignment is scheduled for Monday."

It's like news today is intentionally sanitized to be free of details like motives, timelines, relationships, everything that would make it interesting. 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Paper_jam

[Gatorubet 30290]

I would assume that, with a passage of time, they now realize that the first guy arrested may not be the real perpetrator, and that key aspects and details of the crime are better left unannounced so that further investigations are not contaminated.
Usually only the perpetrator knows all the details, and it is better that he not know what they know.   I’m totally guessing. 

[956 Worldwide 34747]

The internet and speed is not a friend to good reporting. In your example, the article would not have gone to print until the next day at earliest and that would have given reporters and editors more time to chase down the story, gather the information, and edit and confirm and make it worthwhile. Today, they simply repeat whatever the police spokesperson says and get it online as fast as possible since the cops will be tweeting that shit anyway. A follow up will be more detailed.

And local papers have slashed reporting staff and editors especially. That’s why the writing is such shit these days. 

[Gatorubet 30290]

7 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

The internet and speed is not a friend to good reporting. In your example, the article would not have gone to print until the next day at earliest and that would have given reporters and editors more time to chase down the story, gather the information, and edit and confirm and make it worthwhile. Today, they simply repeat whatever the police spokesperson says and get it online as fast as possible since the cops will be tweeting that shit anyway. A follow up will be more detailed.

And local papers have slashed reporting staff and editors especially. That’s why the writing is such shit these days. 

Those are both excellent points.

I watched All the President’s  Men recently, and it was sort of charmingly naïve the extent to which the reporters all had to double check sources before they reported anything.  Now two wackos on wacko blogs report something, and 15 minutes later you see it on Fox News.

[Mikey4 2476]

The news is all CR'd to shit

[Celery Man 20996]

same thing happened with science, it's fucked

[HRSchenker 2273]

Don't even think about criticizing your local journalists or they'll accuse you of attacking the free press and acting like a "fascist". Even though some of them put out bullshit stories that are opinion disguised as factual commentary. Now I just accept that every article I read has some sort of bias that I have to sort through to get the real truth. 

Nothing will fuck up your view of media quite like volunteering to block walk for your local city councilmember. 

[Neonmoon 38130]

As already pointed out, the speed of information dilutes the veracity.

In addition, information and our consumption of it is constantly evolving, thus truth is a moving target. That doesn’t mean there is no such thing as truth, but now time must be considered. And most people haven’t really embraced that reality yet 

The pandemic was a great example of this new dynamic. 

Twitter allows information to flow instantly. Things that were true in February were not true in April. Masks were not necessary and then they were because new information came to light. 

So let’s take the car accident example. The same is true. Initially information will be fast but less reliable, and then change over time, until eventually there will be a common understanding of the truth as more time and analysis happen 

 

 

[Herpa Derpa 6129]

William Randolph Hearst finds y'all quite amusing. The "news" has never been better or worse that it is now. Figuring out that a reporter is a human is not a spectacular insight. 

[PRONG HORN 3150]

2 hours ago, Paper_jam said:

It's like news today is intentionally sanitized to be free of details like motives, timelines, relationships, everything that would make it interesting. 

[ClubWhatever 12154]

Try to find fault with this one.   Betcha can't. 
 

https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/weird-texas-beach-thing-18254775.php

[Rudiger 1168]

Market forces at work. People are idiots and don’t want news. They want pablum that reinforces what they already believe. 

[BottleRocket 647]

Market forces at work. People are idiots and don’t want news. They want pablum that reinforces what they already believe. 

Exactly! That’s what I always say!

[Nivek 16979]

This gripe especially applies to online news, but print journalism as well. It's maddening how many news articles leave out critical details or information. You see reports about proposed or adopted legislation that don't identify the bill number or author. You see accident reports that have no real description of the persons, vehicles, or locations involved, or who is at fault. Crime coverage is the worst: the articles are so generic you can't even tell what really happened. A good news report should include enough detail so the reader can form a complete picture of the events in their mind.
If you read a modern news article about a murder, it will go something like: "Police apprehended a person of interest after a body was found Tuesday night on the sidewalk in the 7000 block of Shipley Road.  The cause of death is under investigation. A police spokesperson said the death is believed to be an isolated incident and is not a continuing threat to the public."
If you read a newspaper article in 1955 about the same incident, it would read something like this:
"Police arrested a male suspect, Jonathan Frakes, 29, a white man, in connection with the murder of Jennifer Jones Jackson, 22, of Pflugerville, an unmarried woman. Jackson's body was found at 10:18 PM Tuesday, on the sidewalk just outside Franklin Sporting Goods store at 7216 Shipley Road. The body had deep stab wounds to the torso and the victims' upper clothing had been removed.  Police said that Frakes did not previously know the victim, but went into a murderous rage when the victim made a gesture which implied he had a small penis. This reporter interviewed a neighbor living in an apartment adjacent to Mr. Frakes' , Mr. Jake Moss, who stated that it was well known within the building that Frakes had a tendency to react violently to any sign of disrespect. Frakes was taken to Travis County Jail for holding, his arraignment is scheduled for Monday."
It's like news today is intentionally sanitized to be free of details like motives, timelines, relationships, everything that would make it interesting. 
 
 

Riker is innocent.

[83Horn 1647]

4 hours ago, Paper_jam said:

This gripe especially applies to online news, but print journalism as well. It's maddening how many news articles leave out critical details or information. You see reports about proposed or adopted legislation that don't identify the bill number or author. You see accident reports that have no real description of the persons, vehicles, or locations involved, or who is at fault. Crime coverage is the worst: the articles are so generic you can't even tell what really happened. A good news report should include enough detail so the reader can form a complete picture of the events in their mind.

If you read a modern news article about a murder, it will go something like: "Police apprehended a person of interest after a body was found Tuesday night on the sidewalk in the 7000 block of Shipley Road.  The cause of death is under investigation. A police spokesperson said the death is believed to be an isolated incident and is not a continuing threat to the public."

If you read a newspaper article in 1955 about the same incident, it would read something like this:

"Police arrested a male suspect, Jonathan Frakes, 29, a white man, in connection with the murder of Jennifer Jones Jackson, 22, of Pflugerville, an unmarried woman. Jackson's body was found at 10:18 PM Tuesday, on the sidewalk just outside Franklin Sporting Goods store at 7216 Shipley Road. The body had deep stab wounds to the torso and the victims' upper clothing had been removed.  Police said that Frakes did not previously know the victim, but went into a murderous rage when the victim made a gesture which implied he had a small penis. This reporter interviewed a neighbor living in an apartment adjacent to Mr. Frakes' , Mr. Jake Moss, who stated that it was well known within the building that Frakes had a tendency to react violently to any sign of disrespect. Frakes was taken to Travis County Jail for holding, his arraignment is scheduled for Monday."

It's like news today is intentionally sanitized to be free of details like motives, timelines, relationships, everything that would make it interesting. 

 

 

That 1955 article would probably also have had a photo of Ms. Jackson's lifeless, bloody body lying on the sidewalk, and perhaps a photo of a handcuffed, disheveled Mr. Frakes looking like he had just done 15 rounds with Rocky Marciano.

[83Horn 1647]

3 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

Those are both excellent points.

I watched All the President’s  Men recently, and it was sort of charmingly naïve the extent to which the reporters all had to double check sources before they reported anything.  Now two wackos on wacko blogs report something, and 15 minutes later you see it on Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC.

FIFY

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4977]

4 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

I would assume that, with a passage of time, they now realize that the first guy arrested may not be the real perpetrator, and that key aspects and details of the crime are better left unannounced so that further investigations are not contaminated.
Usually only the perpetrator knows all the details, and it is better that he not know what they know.   I’m totally guessing. 

So what you're basically saying is all the good journalists are serving time for murder?

[Gatorubet 30290]

6 minutes ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

So what you're basically saying is all the good journalists are serving time for murder?

Yes, but on a spaceship.  I’m trying to be clear here. 

[atomheartbevo 89778]

1 hour ago, Nivek said:

Riker is innocent.

[Dennis Taylor 18853]

7 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

I would assume that, with a passage of time, they now realize that the first guy arrested may not be the real perpetrator, and that key aspects and details of the crime are better left unannounced so that further investigations are not contaminated.
Usually only the perpetrator knows all the details, and it is better that he not know what they know.   I’m totally guessing. 

There is great significance to the passage of time

[millhouse 2616]

Social media is the downfall of society. Gotta be the first to break, or you don't get the clicks you are looking for. That's why i come here for all my news

[MonkeyDoughnut 10353]

People don't read past the headline or 1st sentence anyway.  You'll often read the comments and find people arguing with the author even though they agree.

[wildcat09 29376]

15 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

The internet and speed is not a friend to good reporting. In your example, the article would not have gone to print until the next day at earliest and that would have given reporters and editors more time to chase down the story, gather the information, and edit and confirm and make it worthwhile. Today, they simply repeat whatever the police spokesperson says and get it online as fast as possible since the cops will be tweeting that shit anyway. A follow up will be more detailed.

And local papers have slashed reporting staff and editors especially. That’s why the writing is such shit these days. 

This is the biggest part of it. Private equity bought up most newspapers and slashed payroll, forcing out the reporters and editors who best knew how to do the job and train new reporters and editors. Now at most places you've got inexperienced reporters without proper editorial oversight trying to do the work of what used to take two or three (or more) people to do, and trying to do it all faster than they should be.

[956 Worldwide 34747]

38 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

This is the biggest part of it. Private equity bought up most newspapers and slashed payroll, forcing out the reporters and editors who best knew how to do the job and train new reporters and editors. Now at most places you've got inexperienced reporters without proper editorial oversight trying to do the work of what used to take two or three (or more) people to do, and trying to do it all faster than they should be.

Good work costs money. If you have a commitment to not paying for things, you get shit and that’s what happened to the local news. 

[TwiceHorn 31529]

1 hour ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Good work costs money. If you have a commitment to not paying for things, you get shit and that’s what happened to the local news. 

I hate it so much because I have always been a "paper reader" and generally dislike video news and talking heads.

It's so hard to find good, in-depth factual coverage of anything.  Especially anything that the right wing has some dumbass viewpoint on, because the proliferation of dumbass right wing sites parrroting the same counterfactual bullshit is absurd.

[DDD Dad 14347]

This thread is going about as I expected. 

[Bevo 13596]

The easiest way to not offend anyone is to not say anything and the easiest way to lower expenses is to not do anything.

[Newdoc 3448]

I guess "news" has been diluted or sacrificed for expediency and comfort for the reader. Echo chamber level crap.  Mainstream/mass journalism has been dead for a couple of decades. We can thank ourselves for that. 

[Armybrat 40875]

8 hours ago, millhouse said:

Social media is the downfall of society. Gotta be the first to break, or you don't get the clicks you are looking for. That's why i come here for all my news

Then there is my Luddite oldest brother…

 

[Homercles 10206]

I just use google news as an aggregator, read multiple sources if I’m interested in the topic, and make up my own mind.  Shit like TikTok certainly trains people to have minute attention spans, but that’s their problem…except when my wife sends me fuckin TikTok recipes.  
 

What grinds my gears more is websites with usually interesting content but are so mired by ads, menu bars and content preview that it’s a long, battery-draining slog just to consume their content.  I’m looking at you Jalopnik

Edited July 30, 2023 by Homercles

[C-Man 27254]

Technology, specifically the internet, has killed newsprint, at least in the daily paper format. First, it was eBay and then CraigsList that crushed newspaper's classified ads, which was the biggest revenue-driver for papers. Newspapers were not proactive enough to join the online world and by the time they understood that, they'd been lapped by everything else. No more classifieds. Less ad revenue as circulations dropped.

Network national news is still relatively down-the-middle, perhaps with a slight leftist bent, but that's always been media's pull in  this country. Then you branch into MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, Newsmax and OAN and it gets progressively more whack-a-doodle as you go in the TV world. Another thing is that there is NOTHING stopping anybody on this board from starting a "news source" tonight. All you need is a web domain, a publishing program, knowledge of HTML (or whatever the coding system is) and boom, you're in business writing whatever the fuck you want. Hell, Mike Lindell of all people has a "TV network." These ridiculous, fear-mongering far in any direction sites just post whatever alarmist drivel they want and most Americans are too stupid to know better. "I read it on the internet, it must be true!"

[SmokeyTheBear 5562]

17 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

As already pointed out, the speed of information dilutes the veracity.

In addition, information and our consumption of it is constantly evolving, thus truth is a moving target. That doesn’t mean there is no such thing as truth, but now time must be considered. And most people haven’t really embraced that reality yet 

The pandemic was a great example of this new dynamic. 

Twitter allows information to flow instantly. Things that were true in February were not true in April. Masks were not necessary and then they were because new information came to light. 

So let’s take the car accident example. The same is true. Initially information will be fast but less reliable, and then change over time, until eventually there will be a common understanding of the truth as more time and analysis happen 

 

 

Also, dude, Twitter is not the preferred nomenclature. 

/s

Edited July 30, 2023 by SmokeyTheBear

[Celery Man 20996]

2 hours ago, Homercles said:

I just use google news as an aggregator, read multiple sources if I’m interested in the topic, and make up my own mind.  Shit like TikTok certainly trains people to have minute attention spans, but that’s their problem…except when my wife sends me fuckin TikTok recipes.  
 

What grinds my gears more is websites with usually interesting content but are so mired by ads, menu bars and content preview that it’s a long, battery-draining slog just to consume their content.  I’m looking at you Jalopnik

It is bananas just how bad every local news site is. they are all exactly like that picture, it's fucking crazy.

This thread reminds me of people lamenting the decline of service from airlines. Moan and moan and then 95% of us buy the cheapest ticket.

[Not that Bob 739]

We now accept gotchas' and acerbic one liners as news. 

[956 Worldwide 34747]

53 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

It is bananas just how bad every local news site is. they are all exactly like that picture, it's fucking crazy.

This thread reminds me of people lamenting the decline of service from airlines. Moan and moan and then 95% of us buy the cheapest ticket.

With news, though, at some point you can’t make a difference.  I was a longtime subscriber to a couple of local papers but they simply turned to utter crap because that was the business model their owners chose. 

You can subscribe to The Economist and WaPo/Times and see what journalism should look like. But very few local outlets are worth the money for a sub. 

[nbmishoid 962]

Could not get WaPo here on Bainbridge, so went with NYT.  Learned to read by reading the newspaper, first with funnies.

[C-Man 27254]

Another thing I'll add is that is 100% not helped that we had the most powerful man in the world repeating "fake news" over and over and over again and it's just stuck. That dipshit is responsible for a lot of deplorable things in the eight years since he launched his political career but one of the absolute worst is sowing complete distrust in US mainstream media.

[Biff Tannen 45712]

11 hours ago, wildcat09 said:

This is the biggest part of it. Private equity bought up most newspapers and slashed payroll, forcing out the reporters and editors who best knew how to do the job and train new reporters and editors. Now at most places you've got inexperienced reporters without proper editorial oversight trying to do the work of what used to take two or three (or more) people to do, and trying to do it all faster than they should be.

Is there anything private equity hasn't completely fucked up?  They infiltrate industries they don't understand, destroy them, and then make off with a profit.  They should be illegal.

[Chopper 17244]

6 hours ago, C-Man said:

Network national news is still relatively down-the-middle, perhaps with a slight leftist bent

Yeah Comcast, Disney and Viacom/Paramount are out there running "slightly" liberal national news networks on their OTA. LOL

Edited July 30, 2023 by Chopper