PressEthic

I watched an entire episode of the Fox Report with Shepard Smith last night. Obviously there was a lot that I could write about, but I will try to focus on the one aspect of the show that affected me the most.

I do not watch television often. I get most of my news from print mediums and on-line. Hence, watching a nightly news broadcast almost gave me a seizure. Shepard Smith raced from one story to the next without missing a beat. The broadcast covered 29 stories in approximately 42 minutes of airtime. It was like being in the mind of a person who only reads the headlines in the newspaper.

It was amazing and scary to think that millions of Americans get their news from shows like the Fox Report. Three minutes: that was the longest time given to any one story. That story briefly described John Roberts’ confirmation and the criticism he received from Democrats for his indirect answers.

That is the way the major networks present the news, and it’s not just on TV. People want the news and they want it fast. Thus, the media tailors its product to the wants of its consumers by presenting snippets of the major stories of the day – just enough to keep the attention of the audience.

I have a problem with this type of reporting: no in depth accounts. I am not implying that every story should be covered in detail, but there must be an effort to present a story, especially a controversial story, in its complete context. Providing context is a major component of a reporter’s attempt to be objective. A story can be easily misinterpreted if background information is not given.

For example, the reports on the government response to the victims of Katrina were so confusing at first that I did not know whom I should blame. One moment it was the state and local officials’ fault for not preparing, and the next moment it was the President’s fault for not demanding immediate action. Of course, it seems to be the fault of officials at every level, but where were the reports describing the actual protocol involved in an event like hurricane Katrina? We were told that an investigation – by the Bush Administration, not the media – would take place to see where the procedure, and the officials involved, failed.

I still do not know much about the “procedure,” and I think it is the media’s job to inform me about it, not the Bush Administration. Without the background information, I cannot make an informed decision about my government’s failure to act and who is at fault for it. Yet, millions of Americans arrive at conclusions based on the twenty-second reports of shows like the Fox Report.

It’s amazing and it’s truly frightening.