Cable News As History News
One distinguishing signature of cable television news – including CNN, FOX and MSNBC – is their propensity for rehashing their own history or events as they interpret them. Latest case – the hurricane-that-couldn’t, named Gustav.
Fully 24 hours after the tropical storm dumped rain on New Orleans, the cable TV news shows, using red graphics as if to underscore danger, were repeatedly showing scenes of waves lapping over flood walls where nothing really happened.
A more relevant and timely story might be how the Republicans attempted to politicize Mother Nature by canceling, then un-canceling part of their convention in St. Paul. No one on the cable TV news programs has yet to tackle that logic, no one seems to be asking logical questions of the political opportunists. But, then, cable TV news is not so much about news but about trying to scrap for audience while filling 24 hours a day with advertisements, talking heads and scenes from yesterday.
Filed Under: News Media
About the Author: David is a veteran communications strategist ... writer ... blogger ... online publisher ... and Emmy Award winning former CBS Network News correspondent. He lives in the Washington, D. C., area, and works worldwide.
