Reply #11: News — particularly in the electronic media [View All]

[Oeditpus Rex]

became little more than a marketing tool some 20 years ago. The network heads' mantra goes something like this:

This news must be reported in this fashion to cater to this demographic so it'll buy this stuff. And, since the news itself is all the same because we're all terrified of doing something that's actually different — like, presenting real news — we need this anchor to present the news in this way to keep pace in the ratings.

Or, see Ned Beatty's masterful chewing-out of Peter Finch in "Network."

There are standards. The enforcement of them has just gotten conveniently lax.

And, critical thinking? Costs too much.