Jun 29, 2009
Breaking News? Not So Much.
Like Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes’s comment regarding the love scene in The English Patient, give me something I can use.
So here’s a note to broadcast media: NOT EVERYTHING IS BREAKING NEWS! There’s so much “breaking” news that’s NOT even remotely breaking that the word has lost its meaning. “Breaking” news now just means “made you look”. Networks have diluted the term so much that it’s more like “boy cried wolf”.
We understand that ratings rule; we understand you’re meeting a need; and we understand the purpose of reruns. But seriously, days have passed since Jackson passed, so tell us something we don’t already know. We’ve repeatedly heard the 911 tape (were those guys polite or what?); we’ve seen the historic moonwalk, Thriller segments and baby Michael tapes until we’re blue in the face; and we’ve read the same, tired quotes about the involvement of prescription meds. Enough already.
On a going forward basis, when networks air “Breaking News” accompanied by sounds equivalent to the shouts bringing down the walls of Jericho, they’re going to have to re-invent its meaning. Maybe “Breaking News – This Time, We Really Mean It” or “Seriously Breaking News” or “Trust Us, This Is New Stuff”.
Michael Jackson’s death is no longer breaking news. Enough is enough.
It’s all about ratings, competition, and “who’s first?” And although Jackson was a brilliant talent and contributor to pop music, I’m wondering if the same amount of coverage will be given to someone REALLY important when they die.
This is in regards to Laura, what are you talking about someone REALLY important? Who would you consider to be really important? That is totally subjective…I was no hard-core MJ fan but the fact of the matter is he was a world wide celebrity who touched millions of people around the WORLD. Name another person (I’m assuming when you say IMPORTANT person you mean a politician…)that has that type of pull and then you make your statement. Mother Teresa, Gandi, MJ was along those lines as he did a ton of charity work and would never hurt a fly. When grown 250 lb. macho men start crying and screaming because they are happy to see say a politician or who ever you consider IMPORTANT should be covered.