23 May 2007

The News is NOT Funny!

When Peter Finch, playing Howard Beale in the movie "Network", announces that he will commit public suicide on his news show the following week, he follows this with a grin.
One does not expect such an affect when announcing such bad news, but there he was, grinning away. The producers and writer of this prophetic picture did not realize that one day, the smiling faced news person, announcing bad news, would be the norm.
I make it a point of not watching today's network news. I really don't need anyone reminding me that I live in a mad house. The news today belongs to the entertainers, not the journalists. Whenever we are watching whatever insipid programing the networks dish out to us, they often let us know the bad news ahead by announcing it as a kind of show.
For example: "Tonight on channel x, the beheading of 10 American journalists, toxic waste contaminates an entire town."
This announcement is followed by an image of the anchors all standing together in a little group, all smiling away. You would think that they were going to report on some blessed event, but this is not the case. News is no longer news anymore. It is show time.
That is another reason why I refuse to tune into the news. It is not something funny, and never will be.

1 comment:

Avi said...

I love Network-one of my favorite all time movies!