|
Post by tory on Sept 26, 2023 20:29:27 GMT
The Today program (for our non-UK members the flagship BBC radio daily news) has lost over a quarter of its listeners since Covid. Nick Robinson has blamed "news avoiders" - apparently, market research suggests that many people out there want to "avoid news altogether". However, at the same time, Times Radio, Talk Radio, LBC and GB News all report a marked increase in listeners and viewers.
In comparison to, say 10 years ago, what has changed in how you access the news?
Do you still read a newspaper?
Do you watch news on TV at all?
Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse?
Do you read a local news source at all?
|
|
|
News
Sept 26, 2023 20:44:19 GMT
via mobile
Sneelock likes this
Post by davey on Sept 26, 2023 20:44:19 GMT
What has changed:
Here in the US, the landscape has changed a lot recently. Years of anti-journalism propaganda has created a disdain for the “mainstream media” shared by a wide swath of both the right and left. It has caused a rise in what I can only call “grifter-journalism” - aimed at marketing itself to the pre-existing prejudices of its audience.
Sadly, as this style of journalism rises, the mainstream outlets have begun to follow suit. So it is very hard to avoid identitaruan news.
This has caused a lot of folks to disengage completely. Others just marinate in their own world view.
Do you still read a newspaper?:
Not in paper form.
Do you watch news on TV at all?:
A bit. But most of it is opinion.
Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse?:
Far worse. Specifically the lack of local news.
Do you read a local news source at all?:
Most of what I read is local.
|
|
|
News
Sept 26, 2023 21:58:38 GMT
Post by souphound on Sept 26, 2023 21:58:38 GMT
In comparison to, say 10 years ago, what has changed in how you access the news?
A significant part of my work involves going through the offerings of various news outlets worldwide daily. But that's business news. That's gotten better a) certainly in terms of ease of access and b) somewhat in terms of contents. If I'm interested in a specific topic, I can get some relevant insight in a flash.
On the personal side of things, since I've been spending a lot more time at home that I used to, I access the news in a variety of ways, mostly on tv but also a bit on the web. I'll watch the French channels for local stuff that's of interest to francos (like me), the local anglo station for more local news with a focus on anglo issues (which affect me a lot) and the national anglo network for national and international stories (by the time I watch those I've usually seen most of the hot topics during my workday).
What has really changed in my view is that one can access a lot more news BUT practically each and every source feeds a particular agenda and one needs to be either more selective in their choices or at least be aware that what they're consuming is targeted to a specific audience. Good luck finding wholesome impartiality regardless of the issue. That's existed for a long time, but I feel it's gotten way worse in the last decade.
Do you still read a newspaper?
Nah. Hardly ever. In the part of town where I live, the only one I might consult regularly is a pain to get your hands on. Not worth the effort.
Do you watch news on TV at all?
Yes, regularly/daily. But I see it almost as entertainment at this point.
Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse?
As I described above, yes, and not for the better. Tell the masses what they want to hear and you're in business.
Do you read a local news source at all?
Read on paper? Never. On the web, I check the headlines mostly.
|
|
|
News
Sept 27, 2023 0:47:52 GMT
Post by Charlie O. on Sept 27, 2023 0:47:52 GMT
My answers are virtually identical to davey's, except that I don't watch TV news (or TV, for that matter) at all unless I happen to be somewhere where it happens to be on; I might watch a clip on YouTube if it looks interesting. I get most of my news from The Washington Post and The NY Times (digital subscriptions), from National Public Radio, and other bits and bobs picked up here and there online. I agree that none of it is as "impartial" as it used to (appear to) be, and that very much bothers me, but I also understand it.
|
|
|
Post by DarknessFish on Sept 27, 2023 8:51:08 GMT
Do you still read a newspaper? No, it's a time management problem with a dog, a child, and an elderly parent. I really miss sitting down on a Saturday morning with the huge broadsheet and all the tat supplements that come with it, it used to be one of my favourite things about the weekend. And yeah, The Guardian/Observer/Independent were the usual choices, but I read The Telegraph and The Times regularly, too.
Do you watch news on TV at all? Yeah, I watch BBC Breakfast, if that counts as news anymore, and quite often catch Channel 4 News, or the 10 o'clock news. I tend to not watch ITV much, if I can help it.
Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse? It's certainly changed, probably due to the nature of 24 hour rolling news and the social media boom. Politics has become more of a kind of celebrity/entertainment business from both the politicians and the presenters, and there seems to be a gossip-column type presentation of a lot of the news. You see this in the way that the likes of Laura Kuenssberg, Chris Mason, Adam Fleming, etc seemingly integrate themselves into the story, they try to present themselves as characters, host podcasts (which are broadcast on the BBC) which are as much about them as about the stories. International news seems to be largely lacking, everything is focused on Westminster, it's frustrating how little coverage is given to anything outside of London.
Do you read a local news source at all? Only vaguely. We don't get a local newspaper anymore (The Wigan Reporter used to be delivered free to everyone), but I follow a couple of Wigan-based Twitter news accounts, and get some free monthly (very) local magazines which I occasionally flip through.
|
|
Sneelock
god
you're gonna break another heart
Posts: 8,545
|
Post by Sneelock on Sept 29, 2023 21:31:06 GMT
In comparison to, say 10 years ago, what has changed in how you access the news? 10 years ago would be 2013. Not TOO much. I dodge paywalls. I like to get a left leaning weekly. this sounds like I get my news off a nozzle but I don't. lefites disagree on most things. I like for people to explain why they've reached their conclusions. I'd already given up on "balancing" this with reading on the right. I did that in the 70's and 80's. I found this wasn't needed by the 90's and certainly by George W. Bush saying any fool thing and getting the benefit of the doubt. is it any wonder that Donald J. needn't even TRY to make sense? Do you still read a newspaper? almost never. I feel like they gave up on me before I gave up on them. I remember maybe 3 times I spread out with a newspaper in the last couple of years. it felt like going fishing or something. why did I ever go through all this? where did I ever find the time? Do you watch news on TV at all?yes. I prefer Reuters. they certainly have all the problems the other outlets do but there is much I like about it. I like the presumption that what's going on in the world is important. I like how much of the footage comes from people's phones just because they happened to be somewhere that something notable happened. there is less jackass commentary in the "catching you up on the news" format. Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse?Cable News blew right out of the gate and it has only gotten worse. my Mother in Law can watch CNN for hours at a time. they talk about the SAME shit ALL day long. All cable news is like that. the only difference is WHAT they talk about all day long. Talk about "manufacturing consensus". Regarding coverage of the post 9/11 events destroyed what little faith I had left in using broadcast media to stay informed about the world I live in. Do you read a local news source at all?oh my, YES! I love those little "community papers" we still have like when I get a haircut or go to a local vendor. this replaces how I used to read "National Review" or something for keeping up with what conservatives are thinking. you get a little bleeding heart liberalism here and there but mostly those things are like the Lion's Club or something. what's good for Robber Barons is good for America! let's take a poll. who hates "the media"?? all hands go up. Polls say 99.9% of us hate the media. well, why don't they ask better questions? WHY do you hate the media for instance. last week Donald Trump made some rather jaw dropping statements. these are discussed but only in a real "horse race" sort of way. will this help him? will this hurt him? well SHIT, saying General Milley would have been shot for treason in the good old days - is this really the stuff of Horse races? doesn't somebody need to put things like this and calling people prosecuting him "vermin" & such in a different sort of context? there are some that do and do a good job of this but they are put in the same ghetto as the people on FOX who say Biden isn't really President. sure we all hate "the media" but I hate it for doing a lousy job. my brother in law hates it for not doing a LOUSIER job. Did you know Tom Hanks eats babies? why are they afraid to talk about that? huh? all us media haters have our own reasons for hating it. we are no longer in the same boat. I don't think our compasses are going to be worth a plug nickel until we are back in the same boat. I wish I could see this happening. we won't be having the discussions we need to have until we are.
|
|
|
Post by cousinlou on Oct 5, 2023 10:07:34 GMT
In comparison to, say 10 years ago, what has changed in how you access the news?
I tend to access the news more randomly.
Do you still read a newspaper?
I do. Truth be told, I spend most of the time reading the paper on saturday morning. We have a subscription underwhich I receive the paper version on saturday and the rest of the week digitally.
Do you watch news on TV at all?
Yes, each day the 20.00 hrs o'clock news.
Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse?
Not so much in the media I follow but other than that, I think there's been a massive change. I mean, things like Twitter were hardly heard of ten years ago. I think the emergence of online media where anyone can post whatever they feel like has certaily changed they way I look at people.
Do you read a local news source at all?
We still get a local paper delivered once or twice a week. When I feel like it I'll read it.
|
|
|
Post by fearlessfreap on Oct 5, 2023 13:28:15 GMT
In comparison to, say 10 years ago, what has changed in how you access the news? I watch far less news than I did 10 years ago. I'd love to find a news site that only presented facts, but they don't exist.
Do you still read a newspaper? No, our local paper is so small anymore, it's not really worth it. If I come across one, say in the break room at work, I'll skim through it, and skim is the operative word.
Do you watch news on TV at all? Not on purpose. My wife will have it on while we're making dinner, but it's usually local.
Do you think news coverage has changed, whether for better or worse?
For the worse, I don't think there's any argument otherwise. It's all for entertainment, and it's all preaching to the converted. It's presented as sports and what "team" you are on.
Do you read a local news source at all? Once in a while, I'll go to the website. Local news is a bit more trustworthy, at least where I live. I only want what happened, I don't need to read opinions.
|
|
Sneelock
god
you're gonna break another heart
Posts: 8,545
|
News
Oct 19, 2023 15:34:47 GMT
Post by Sneelock on Oct 19, 2023 15:34:47 GMT
I've been thinking about this thread while parsing some recent events. I heard this guy on a public affairs program so I read his article on Newsweek Online: Why U.S. Intel Says Israel did Not Attack Gaza Hospitalnow, a big step back. I'm not saying I know what happened because I read this guy's article. there are a lot of moving parts to something like this. I am, however, very frustrated. This is journalism. He talked to sources he finds credible and presents it as journalism. well, it took long enough, didn't it? I mean, I'm not saying he's the only guy who has looked into these events. I'm saying that i think it's a fair assessment that each and every News Outlet was more than willing to say Any Goddam Thing about it when it first happened. shouldn't articles like this be the FIRST response of media organizations? are they really so cowed by the instant crack-like hit of social media and Info-Tainment Bias-Media that "some people say" is the backbone of a breaking news story? so, the story unfolds as it should. Every time "NEWS" jumps with both feet on "what people are saying" in these breaking stories I think unraveling them later becomes harder. If I tell you "I fucked your Mother" and then later I tell you I was just joking - you are NEVER going to forget how fucked up it was that I said that to you. I think our news is doing something like that and doing it a lot.
|
|
|
News
Oct 19, 2023 15:57:14 GMT
Post by Reactionary Rage on Oct 19, 2023 15:57:14 GMT
The issue with that story is how so many in the media defaulted to repeating what I would describe as terrorist propaganda so it was "Israeli air strike kills 500" from the off. It turns out it's "highly likely" (i.e. we are certain) it was a jihadist bomb that malfunctioned which damaged a parking lot and the number of deaths are unknown (although surely nowhere near what was claimed and it's a possibility nobody was killed).
The thing is on Twitter as soon as that story broke on the likes of the BBC there was immediately counter evidence that suggested what we now know to be true - I watched this in real time - therefore it's not as if at the time there wasn't enough information and stuff coming out of the IDF etc to create significant doubt but it was simply ignored.
That's down to a lack of professional and journalist ethics combined with a desire to sensationally frame things a certain way.
|
|
rayge
Administrator
Invisible
Posts: 8,789
|
News
Oct 19, 2023 16:14:44 GMT
Post by rayge on Oct 19, 2023 16:14:44 GMT
That link leads straight back to this page.
|
|
Sneelock
god
you're gonna break another heart
Posts: 8,545
|
News
Oct 19, 2023 16:20:43 GMT
rayge likes this
Post by Sneelock on Oct 19, 2023 16:20:43 GMT
I hate when that happens! fixed.
|
|
|
News
Oct 19, 2023 19:15:01 GMT
via mobile
Post by Reactionary Rage on Oct 19, 2023 19:15:01 GMT
C4 “news”
|
|