Television News Is Dead
In a society with an increasing appetite for instant gratification, television news has become obsolete. Surveys from companies such as Nielsen show viewership down overall, and especially in key categories such as the 18-49 age group and demographics.
Digital media and the internet have siphoned viewers and listeners away. Increasingly, more people are reading stories and watching videos over their internet connections, both land-based and mobile. Time-shifting has also allowed individuals to watch/listen at a time of their choosing, and where VCRs left off, devices such as Tivo have picked up and moved light years ahead.
Television and radio news has been slow to incorporate the habits of these consumers of news. Television broadcast networks still have the evening news shows, which provide 22 minutes of headlines in a 30 minute time slot, and regurgitate what has been on the wire services for the prior 23 and 1/2 hours. News divisions of the major networks have the same sources that you and I have online...Associated Press and Reuters...providing the bulk of the reporting and posting. In fact, the overpaid 'stars' of the evening news are simply newsreaders (as they are referred to in many countries) and provide little drawing power to the broadcasts. Combine that with the alleged bias of many reporters and newsreaders, and it should come as no surprise that TV sets have gone dark, or at least changed channels in many consumer's homes.
Digital media and the internet have siphoned viewers and listeners away. Increasingly, more people are reading stories and watching videos over their internet connections, both land-based and mobile. Time-shifting has also allowed individuals to watch/listen at a time of their choosing, and where VCRs left off, devices such as Tivo have picked up and moved light years ahead.
Television and radio news has been slow to incorporate the habits of these consumers of news. Television broadcast networks still have the evening news shows, which provide 22 minutes of headlines in a 30 minute time slot, and regurgitate what has been on the wire services for the prior 23 and 1/2 hours. News divisions of the major networks have the same sources that you and I have online...Associated Press and Reuters...providing the bulk of the reporting and posting. In fact, the overpaid 'stars' of the evening news are simply newsreaders (as they are referred to in many countries) and provide little drawing power to the broadcasts. Combine that with the alleged bias of many reporters and newsreaders, and it should come as no surprise that TV sets have gone dark, or at least changed channels in many consumer's homes.
posted by MM at 1:25 PM
