Freedom of the press is important but it does need to be kept in check, that’s the hard part because we all want to know stuff even when we know we shouldn’t we still want to. How many of us would open Pandora’s Box (knowing that there was only a little news inside and not the end of the world)? Probably lots, and that’s the trouble, our curiosity gets the better of us and we throw what’s right out the window and we read/watch whatever the media can get to us. It could be a story about troop movement or Britney’s crotch, we shouldn’t be looking at either but we do (some we looked at twice ) and we will again if the media shows us. The people will not look away and we will even sit thru a commercial break to see the rest of the story and that’s what drives the media. It would be nice if the media would turn down a story or report it in respectful manner (like without the exact coordinates of our troops, their equipment and lodging arrangements.) but that doesn’t get the ratings as easily and the media is lazy and sensational.

I work PR with local and national media all the time and the one common thing I have found with all of them is that they are always (some exceptions apply) looking for the laziest way of doing things that will get them the largest audience. I say laziest rather than easiest because it is easy to get a second opinion or verify a source but they skip that part all the time when they have “enough” for the story, that’s lazy to me and often wrongly represents the story. (Knowing and understanding that, I try as hard as I can to provide the right information to make the story as skewed my way as possible, usually works too! )

I have found that if you want the real story (go to the .org ) you should try and catch it in as many sources as you can because they will all want to get a different take on the story just so they can have a shot at the same audience and not be considered copy cats. If you read the same story on FOX, CNN, ABC, etc. you might get a more rounded idea of the real situation. Local news is tougher because there isn’t usually an abundance of sources .

The government and even some private sector companies/institutions should kick the media out of some of their operations, the media should hold themselves to a higher standard and endorsing companies should look at the morals of the show they advertise in and not the ratings. But that is probably just a dream as kicking the media out will get you less favorable coverage when you do want it, higher standards equal more work and moral shows don’t get the same ratings as sensational ones.