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Re: Tour Bus overturns lands on Metrolink Pasadena Sub ROW in Irwindale
Author: Ivy Mike
Date: 08-22-2013 - 21:40
A while ago, someone had the bright idea that news should be a profit center and run for a profit motive.
In media, ratings are all important for setting prices and, hence, making a profit. Also, costs are important to determining profit, ie: the lower the better.
Ratings are determined by how many people watch / listen / etc. Costs are controlled by not letting reporters linger too long and get higher salaries, unless they are appealing / entertaining enough to draw ratings.
The people flock to whoever is the most sensational / entertaining / first on scene / confrontational / etc. Thus you get MORE sensational / etc. to attract MORE ratings and you hire for appeal instead of smarts and get rid of those who are around long enough to learn to be better so you can hire younger / cheaper / sexier / more entertaining.
In the end, the media is giving the public exactly what they indicate they want.
So, WHO is to blame here?
As Mencken said: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." One could also substitute "Capitalism" for "Democracy".
In media, ratings are all important for setting prices and, hence, making a profit. Also, costs are important to determining profit, ie: the lower the better.
Ratings are determined by how many people watch / listen / etc. Costs are controlled by not letting reporters linger too long and get higher salaries, unless they are appealing / entertaining enough to draw ratings.
The people flock to whoever is the most sensational / entertaining / first on scene / confrontational / etc. Thus you get MORE sensational / etc. to attract MORE ratings and you hire for appeal instead of smarts and get rid of those who are around long enough to learn to be better so you can hire younger / cheaper / sexier / more entertaining.
In the end, the media is giving the public exactly what they indicate they want.
So, WHO is to blame here?
As Mencken said: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." One could also substitute "Capitalism" for "Democracy".
