View Full Version : Hopefully this virus pandemic will force journalism to change tack
Whilst I was out walking our dog this morning, I was thinking about a lot of the initial indifference to the CV outbreak here in the UK, and the failure of both the authorities and the general public at large to take it extremely seriously. One very credible reason could be that many of us have now become more accustomed to misinformation/'fake' news and purely sensationalistic journalism in general over more recent years, which in turn has probably caused many of us to simply dismiss a lot of this CV stuff as nothing more than 'hype' and 'scaremongering'.
Whilst I still agree that many daily publications (especially the Daily Fail, Daily Depress, Scum, etc) have been really pushing all things CV to the absolute max, along with many other emotionally-charged issues over these past few years (eg President Trump, Brexit, terrorism, violent crime epidemics, etc), though all of such issues have been genuinely pertinent, it has probably caused a sense of 'too much info' amongst many and inadvertently the 'familiarity breeds contempt' scenario, which IMO has set a dangerous precedent for a lot of the indifference to CV and its potential risks, which we now seem to, unfortunately, be paying the price for!!
All in all, I consider the main fault of the press to be the fact that they have been 'crying wolf' over many issues for far too long now, mostly in pursuit of £s, which has inevitably resulted in information fatigue amongst many of us, causing many of us to simply 'switch off' and not take stuff as seriously anymore. I really hope this global CV pandemic and a lot of the consequential fallouts from it will force all newspapers, be they local, national or international, and regardless of political/
social/cultural angles start to change tack and tone down a lot of their OTT, sensationalistic stuff that they have been recklessly spewing out for far too long now, and all for the long-term benefit and wellbeing of society as a whole.
Pamplemousse
23-03-20, 17:18
Lencoboy, are you old enough to remember the very sober, very factual news bulletins we had on the telly in the 1970s? I don't know where the rot started, but doing away with the newsreader-behind-the-desk was one, then the idea of two presenters playing ping-pong with their lines grew. Then "analysis" appeared, and finally with the first Gulf War 24-hour news really took off in the UK. It has all been downhill ever since and with 24-hour news, much of it is speculation.
Maybe as part of the future cost savings at the BBC it should axe the News channel. Three bulletins a day will do!
WiredIncorrectly
23-03-20, 18:03
We said that about Brexit, but they're still spewing garbage sadly.
Lencoboy, are you old enough to remember the very sober, very factual news bulletins we had on the telly in the 1970s? I don't know where the rot started, but doing away with the newsreader-behind-the-desk was one, then the idea of two presenters playing ping-pong with their lines grew. Then "analysis" appeared, and finally with the first Gulf War 24-hour news really took off in the UK. It has all been downhill ever since and with 24-hour news, much of it is speculation.
Maybe as part of the future cost savings at the BBC it should axe the News channel. Three bulletins a day will do!
I am just a bit too young to remember the 70s as I was born in 1977, but I completely agree with what you're saying.
The BBC and Sky News channels being constantly shoved in our faces on screens in many public places (especially over the past 15 years or so) really does my nut in, as if we're expected to be on constant red alert all the time, which is obviously (and ironically) a necessity ATM with the CV pandemic.
As far as I am concerned, in pretty much all walks of life, less is more.
Pamplemousse
23-03-20, 19:38
Lencoboy, if you fancy a moment's amusement, have a look at this page (https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1977-03-23) from the BBC Genome project: it's the TV schedule for BBC1 on this day in 1977.
Very different to now, isn't it?
Mind you, it's a sheer coincidence that the drama serial Survivors - about life after a virus accidentally released by a Chinese scientist kills 4,999 out of 5,000 people on the planet - was on the telly then!
Lencoboy, if you fancy a moment's amusement, have a look at this page (https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1977-03-23) from the BBC Genome project: it's the TV schedule for BBC1 on this day in 1977.
Very different to now, isn't it?
Mind you, it's a sheer coincidence that the drama serial Survivors - about life after a virus accidentally released by a Chinese scientist kills 4,999 out of 5,000 people on the planet - was on the telly then!
Sshh, don't wake the conspiracy theorists, who would probably be having a field day over that!!
And was it set now in 2020 or set in the time it was first produced/aired?
Lencoboy, if you fancy a moment's amusement, have a look at this page (https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1977-03-23) from the BBC Genome project: it's the TV schedule for BBC1 on this day in 1977.
Very different to now, isn't it?
Mind you, it's a sheer coincidence that the drama serial Survivors - about life after a virus accidentally released by a Chinese scientist kills 4,999 out of 5,000 people on the planet - was on the telly then!
Bring back Ceefax! I'm surprised Sky haven't introduced a seasonal Pandemic Channel....
Pamplemousse
23-03-20, 19:58
Sshh, don't wake the conspiracy theorists, who would probably be having a field day over that!!
And was it set now in 2020 or set in the time it was first produced/aired?
Contemporary, as in 1975 when the first series went out. A few decades ago, someone said the easiest way to tell US from UK science fiction is that US science fiction was always rather optimistic "Cowboys and Indians In Space", whereas UK science fiction was almost always dystopian in nature.
However, some are drawing parallels between the series and now...
Pamplemousse
23-03-20, 20:00
Bring back Ceefax! I'm surprised Sky haven't introduced a seasonal Pandemic Channel....
Well, the much less user friendly (IMO) Red Button service has had a stay of execution from the BBC, and there's always TEEFAX (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ceefax-man-recreate-engineer-tv-a9338021.html) :)
Contemporary, as in 1975 when the first series went out, A few decades ago, someone said the easiest way to tell US from UK science fiction is that US science fiction was always rather optimistic "Cowboys and Indians In Space", whereas UK science fiction was almost always dystopian in nature.
However, some are drawing parallels between the series and now...
Typical examples being the 1971 film 'A Clockwork Orange' that was set in around 2005 (I think), and of course the all-time classic Jeff Wayne's musical version of 'The War Of The Worlds' double album from 1978, and not forgetting ELO's 'Time' album from 1981.
Pamplemousse
23-03-20, 20:11
I was thinking of things like The Earth Dies Screaming from 1965 - there's a song by Tom Waits with a similar name.
MyNameIsTerry
23-03-20, 20:15
We said that about Brexit, but they're still spewing garbage sadly.
Yep, let's add The Guardian and Independent then as they have been revelling in doom over this.
Yep, let's add The Guardian and Independent then as they have been revelling in doom over this.
Terry, I think pretty much all of our national daily rags have TBH. And not forgetting many people riling each other up on social media, etc.
I was thinking of things like The Earth Dies Screaming from 1965 - there's a song by Tom Waits with a similar name.
And UB40 (their third single release from 1980).
MyNameIsTerry
23-03-20, 20:30
Terry, I think pretty much all of our national daily rags have TBH. And not forgetting many people riling each other up on social media, etc.
I completely agree with you. It's another case of them also fanning the flames of the fighting on social media.
Have you often seen the comment about how back in 75 everyone just moved on without all this messing about? I question the influence of today's media in the current unpleasant environment.
I wish it would change but I'm cynical. I suspect they would need to greatly shrink to get back to previous times where they were more respectable. That means losing money and lots of the current crop losing lucrative jobs wibbling on all day long with opinions rather than reporting facts.
Perhaps its the people's reaction to it that is the thing that really needs to change? :whistles:
Positive thoughts
Perhaps its the people's reaction to it that is the thing that really needs to change? :whistles:
Positive thoughts
LOL People have been reactionary since the beginning of our existence. It's not going to change. Admit it. You're one of the sheeple, FMP. Baaa ;)
LOL People have been reactionary since the beginning of our existence. It's not going to change. Admit it. You're one of the sheeple, FMP. Baaa ;)
I read news from several sources and deduce my own thoughts and opinions to it. I consider myself an open mined sheeple ;) I truly try to be as objective as I can. Are the press sensationalizing this virus? Absolutely! BUT.... When I hear and see leaders of countries, mayors of towns and governors of states all saying and doing the same thing, I take heed. They're getting their information from the best of the best. Do I think they're overreacting? Actually no I don't. China was able to contain and treat those affected in Wuhan and now, last I heard, there hasn't been a new case in days. They acted, built hospitals in literally days and took care of business. The rest of the country was relatively free of the virus.
The rest of the world is behind the eight ball compared to them. I do find it interesting that China is recovering and there's under 500 cases in Russia :shades: Vlad isn't complaining :whistles:
Positive thoughts
I think journalism will be banned.
As Pamplemousse said about the TV news situation back in the 70s, when it was (mostly) 3 main bulletins per day, watching it was probably considered to be more of an 'occasion', as the vast majority of households back then only had just one TV set, sitting in the corner of the living room (unlike today where most people have multiple sets dotted around the house, sometimes one in every single room, even in the bathroom/toilet), and people actually engaged properly with the programming.
And of course, the much greater simplicity in the way each bulletin was presented, and where people actually identified with the newsreaders themselves. The much lesser on-screen graphics/captions made it all look much cleaner and more orderly, unlike today where we are constantly bombarded with too much on-screen detail such as endless scrolling text, and not forgetting the pop-up banners whose wording often consists of sensationalist, emotionally-charged slogans, especially when suffixed with the word 'crisis', which IMO has devalued said word due to its chronic over-use over the past twenty years or so!!
As I've said earlier upthread, sometimes less is more!
MyNameIsTerry
24-03-20, 19:50
As Pamplemousse said about the TV news situation back in the 70s, when it was (mostly) 3 main bulletins per day, watching it was probably considered to be more of an 'occasion', as the vast majority of households back then only had just one TV set, sitting in the corner of the living room (unlike today where most people have multiple sets dotted around the house, sometimes one in every single room, even in the bathroom/toilet), and people actually engaged properly with the programming.
And of course, the much greater simplicity in the way each bulletin was presented, and where people actually identified with the newsreaders themselves. The much lesser on-screen graphics/captions made it all look much cleaner and more orderly, unlike today where we are constantly bombarded with too much on-screen detail such as endless scrolling text, and not forgetting the pop-up banners whose wording often consists of sensationalist, emotionally-charged slogans, especially when suffixed with the word 'crisis', which IMO has devalued said word due to its chronic over-use over the past twenty years or so!!
As I've said earlier upthread, sometimes less is more!
Ah but the downside was you were told what Aunty wanted you to hear and she told you what the government wanted you to hear.
MyNameIsTerry
24-03-20, 19:52
I think journalism will be banned.
This is where I suspect your anxiety is skewing things again, Frank. Are you catastrophizing that we will be China after all this?
Besides the media are a powerful political tool to kick the opposition with. That's why the Corbynites whine the world was against Jezza so they don't have to confront the truth.
You all do realize that this pandemic is just part of my world domination plans, right?
Pamplemousse
25-03-20, 12:38
You all do realize that this pandemic is just part of my world domination plans, right?
:roflmao:
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