TV doesn't give quality news
By Roujin Mozaffarimehr
Hi. My name is Roujin, and I have decided to stop watching television news. It's extreme, but I am sick and tired of turning on the television hoping to get a glimpse of world news, to instead, see reports and updates on celebrity scandals. Sensationalism sells, but I am boycotting it.
A couple weeks ago, I turned on the television to get my 30 second soundbites of the news on CNN. But instead of hearing an update on the situation in Darfur or a story about the campaign season, the question plastered across the screen was, "Is America Addicted to Porn?" I thought this was a joke, but I was wrong. On this particular day, CNN believed that America's addiction to porn was the pertinent issue at hand.
It's well known that the job of the media, whether it's print or broadcast, is to pick issues and shape them into reportable, newsworthy stories. My question is this: With all the current events in the world, is America's addiction to porn really the issue we should be discussing?
Take for example, the scandal surrounding former Florida representative Mark Foley. He was caught having inappropriate conversations with minors. It's a horrible situation, but I ask you: Does anyone have any clue about the other scandals that have nothing to do with sex going on in government right now? The Jack Abramoff scandal has gotten barely any press.
Abramoff, a former lobbyist, was charged with fraud and conspiracy. His actions influenced different groups to pay big dollars to different congress-members in order to help sway legislation in their direction. His actions stem from his plan to buy casino chips in Florida. In other words, this man was not only using interest groups for his own benefit, but he was also a huge influence on corruption in our government. If it wasn't for the newspaper, I wouldn't have had any clue about this scandal.
We are obsessed with sex scandals and other forms of sensationalism. We all get sucked into it. But I wonder, what about the rest of the world? The death toll in Iraq seems to rise, and I barely see any in-depth coverage or an update on the situation. There is still genocide taking place in Darfur, but for some reason the American media does not deem that a story that should be covered. Apparently, America's addiction to porn is more relevant.
We are shaped by media. Sadly, more people depend on the television rather than newspapers for the news. Television media is known for its 30 second soundbites and its blurred line between fact and commentary.
It scares me that important issues are not being covered by television media. I understand and accept the fact that not every event in the world will be covered by the news, but it's unacceptable for network television to make America's addiction to porn a highlight.
I hope that the next time you watch TV you keep this in mind: News does not stop with the coverage of network television. Pick up a newspaper; find different online resources. Nothing in the world can change for the better if we have no idea what's going on.
Roujin Mozaffarimehr is a junior political science and Italian double major.