General Question

kruger_d's avatar

Why do newcasts make light of serious news?

Asked by kruger_d (6627points) August 14th, 2020

Today a woman was nearly killed by a bison. The teaser before commercial on the national news suggested “social distancing” while playing the footage, which makes light of both her near-death and COVID. Why does anyone think this is OK? I am so tired of journalists injecting humor into serious subjects.

No jokes, please. I really want to know your thoughts.

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5 Answers

zenvelo's avatar

Because the woman was fucking stupid! They tell you everywhere in Yellowstone and other parks to not approach wild animals, stay away from bison, and she tried to go near a calf.

Stupid people that do stupid things deserve to be laughed at.

She should get a Darwin Award nomination.

Jeruba's avatar

Because they’re actually in the entertainment business. The commercial stations, anyway. Their job is to deliver an audience for their advertisers.

elbanditoroso's avatar

First, don’t blame the journalist. It was the editor or the program director or the news director who made the choice to air the piece.

Second, @zenvelo is correct – the woman was stupid. Not that stupidity should be fatal, but…sometimes Darwin was right.

But most importantly – people need escapism especially nowadays. The dumb woman already did her stupid act – my laughing at her doesn’t affect her or the bison. So why the hell not?

kruger_d's avatar

Because a news broadcast is exactly the wrong forum for escapism or entertainment. If someone can’t handle reality, they should watch any reality show, which have very little.

elbanditoroso's avatar

@kruger_d so you say. But the programming people obviously disagree, and that decision is borne out because advertisers are buying commercial time on the basis of these newscasts.

If you want to do all serious news all the time, then start your own network and you can program anything you want.

Even CNN and the BBC do some frivolous pieces.

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