a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment

Maybe this is a TV journalism oasis of ethics, public service and quality, in which case I'll take all I have to say back.

I hate TV news. ninety nine percent of it is a fetid pile of tripe.

I've been close enough to a few events, or just had their goddamn camera pushed in my snout while trying to buy groceries or what not (man in the street comment on non-news public interest bullshit) enough times to be granted the hallowed privileged of giving my opinion on the local news station at least a half a dozen times.

I have so little interest in being sandwiched between the "Eye on Your Pets" segment, or the fatal car crash on I-205, that I unleash a comment so laced with profanities that it would be a news story itself if it made it on air.

I've talked with the journalist off camera about the issues they are devoting a brief and uncaring 15 minutes of their lives on and talked to them about why I don't want to make a comment. Their responses have ranged between "yup, this story has no value to the public beyond the fact that it's gruesome or salacious, just the same as every story I've ever done. I hate my life," to stupid hacks that think they are breaking fucking Watergate.

Next time I'm asked to comment on a story I'm just going to tell them not to bother because I'm going to look dead in the camera and say "FHRITP".

Fuck TV news. It's the least worthy news medium that exists. I always dream that one network news entertainment venue in my area will devote itself to covering the things that matter in detail. At least I have a publicly funded NPR affiliate and KBOO radio to address things that actually matter.

The fact that these toothpaste and car sales people can feel offended by anything when their only purpose is to titillate and shock the public to push valueless cooperate consumerism makes me shake me head in disgust. When the revolution comes these cop apologist, racist, not serving the public, cooperate shills are going to wish they had to worry about FHRITP.