Why we hate the media, part infinity

[mariness]

So I was indulging in my guilty pleasure of Revenge tonight (I admit; I have a severe crush on Nolan. And a minor crush on the actress playing "Amanda.") and unusually enough didn't turn off the TV before the local news came on

Comments

[time_shark]

This is the difference between television news and a newspaper. TV can run with unsourced stories and generally get away with it.

[mariness]

Even still, reporting the rumors of HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS?

They should have stuck with the concerned neighbors/cyclists saying that things are scary and they hope the responsible people are caught.

[time_shark]

Heh. I can't speak for the standard this particular station sets, only that I'm not surprised.

[mariness]

All I could think of was could they have possibly FOUND a less reliable source of info?

I also thought the clear chasing down of the one "witness" (the friend who may or may not have received this phone call) was pretty disgusting; the footage showed that the friend and his family did not want to talk but the media wasn't leaving. Really awful.

[time_shark]

I imagine some editor said, Well, try the schools! Maybe the kids know something!

[mariness]

Geesh.

[acwise]

This kind of thing seems to be more and more common with the advent of the 24 hour news cycle. Newsfeeds must at all times be filled with *something*, whether or not it is factual or important. Also: if we don't report it, someone else will, so we'd better say *something*, lest we be the voice absent from the general clamor.