# I'm becoming afraid of the news reporters **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 25, 2015, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530 "2015-11-25T11:18:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/21 "2015-11-26T05:08:01Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Between the two of them, we have indisputable proof that money and connections are more important than intelligence, decency, or having good ideas. Exactly. Which is why politicians on this level are evil incarnate and any idiot who solely sides with one party or the other just because they are D or R are shittards who need a good kicking in the balls for their retardedness. All politicians at this level have to play the game of the powers\* behind the scenes. One does not get to this level without the backing of the powers. Which is why Trump will never be Prez. The powers want someone they can control. Which is why Ol’ Uncle Biden said such things of Obama, who was the pick of the powers because he was half black and young to counteract the image of the old white guy, that he is “clean and articulate.” Biden was trying to sell Obama to the masses like he was a hamburger. After all the Pres is just the marketing PR face of the party. They are no more than the Paris Hilton of Carls Jr. The Ds and Rs have successfully convinced the retards of the nation that there is a difference between the two Idiocracies. And the retards bought it like retards. Both parties only want to keep themselves in power and money and fuck the people they oversee unless it is in their best interest to do so to get re-elected and to stay in power. The partisans, on both sides, are a disgrace. They are keeping the Elite Ruling Class, who only want power and money, aka the Clintons and Bushes, ruling over us because they are too stupid to know any better even though that is why the pilgrims left in the first damn place. This myth that we are not ruled by Royalty, and therefore free, is shit because the powers behind the scenes keep making the decisions while they let us “vote” for new representatives. Reps, that the the people with power and money choose for us. George Bush Sr. said in his book that Karl Rove and Dick Cheney bullied Bush Jr. into doing what they wanted and not what he wanted. And if you retards don’t think that same thing is happening on the D side well then you are bigger retards than a retard ever tarded. _Those powers are people like Dick Cheney and Karl Rove_\* who have been behind the scene pulling strings since the Nixon era. \*\*And the equivalent on the D side. ---
**Author:** ![DoggyDunnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@DoggyDunnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoggyDunnit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/22 "2015-11-26T05:20:48Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > The local news has the annoying habit of jumping to "BREAKING NEWS!!! :eek: " every time someone stubs their toe. Here in North Texas, the local news still generally keeps the use of “breaking news” break-ins to appropriate situations. …which is more than I can say for NATIONAL news networks. 75% of the times I walk by the den and MSNBC or CNN is on, there’s a “breaking news” banner on the screen. I mean, really? :smack: As for the news in general, [Glove and Boots did a masterful summary of the current state of American news](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic20MS58TkE), in case y’all missed it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/23 "2015-11-26T05:29:58Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Every time I view the news, the reporters are trying to make me live my life in fear. So live your life in fear. Don’t you **dare** try **fighting** this, or you’ll have far more to fear, I promise you! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/24 "2015-11-26T09:11:59Z")
Like CNN’s massive coverage of missing Malaysian flight MH 370. “Breaking news! We’ve still got nothing to go on! It’s still missing!” ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/25 "2015-11-26T20:40:40Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Every time I view the news, the reporters are trying to make me live my life in fear. So stop viewing the news. You won’t miss it. Most of what they cover won’t matter tomorrow, or even be remembered by then. If you keep on doing something that is bothering you, the problem is with you. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/26 "2015-11-27T15:34:42Z")
> [@andros](#): > > So…always? It wasn’t always that way. In the 70s and 80s, the national newscast was NEWS, not info-fluff with a side of fear. > [@yawuntz](#): > > Like CNN’s massive coverage of missing Malaysian flight MH 370. “Breaking news! We’ve still got nothing to go on! It’s still missing!” “But here’s a plane! And a model of a plane! And we’re in a pretend cockpit of a plane!” That was some hard-hitting reporting. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/27 "2015-11-27T15:43:00Z")
I am constantly surprised by how slanted the TV news is in the US and how it cynically tries to play on people’s base fears. Also I notice a tendency to treat solid facts that might compromise the story as mere footnotes or present highly contentious statements as fact. FOX news of course is by far the worst offender. Over here in the UK the TV news is by contrast very sober and balanced and the scaremongering usually takes place in the print press. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/28 "2015-11-27T20:10:46Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > And if you retards don’t think that same thing is happening on the D side well then you are bigger retards than a retard ever tarded. Dude, never go full retard. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/29 "2015-11-27T23:18:48Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > “_THUNDERSTORMS_ could break out ahead of the _COLD FRONT_ approaching our area! Keep tuned to SkyWatch SuperWarn End Times Color Weather Radar for the latest developments and keep your family safe!!!” No doppler? Your radar aint shit with no doppler. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/30 "2015-11-27T23:40:34Z")
Between the news and the government, I fell like I am forced to live in heightened insecurity. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/31 "2015-11-28T15:30:19Z")
TV news is shit. Stop watching it. If enough people stop watching it, it will go away and the world will be a better place. (And, no, it wasn’t always like this. CNN was good in the 90’s. Network news was good before that. Now it’s worse than clickbait.) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/32 "2015-11-28T16:28:31Z")
You know what helps me somewhat? Concentrate on the Bait-and-Switch tactics and you’ll be angrier than scared. Anger can be useful. 10:59PM–your show is concluding. You would like to see the credits to find out who the babe was in the first half. Plus, you like the theme music. SORRY, the news just put all that in a tiny box down in the corner and blocked the sound so you can hear: “Coming up next! Armageddon arrives tomorrow! Details in the next half hour!” Armageddon has a passing interest for me. I’ll see what’s what. 11:01–Newsjerk repeats teaser line but goes on to other “stories.” Just before first station break, repeats teaser line again minus “Details…”. After commercials, repeats previous segment. Show continues in this manner until over, never getting to Armageddon feature, which was bumped for Muppet Show exposé. Jimmy Fallon gets the tiny box treatment as the “news” runs overtime into the next show. Angry yet? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/33 "2015-11-28T22:32:32Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I dunno, the clickbate can be entertaining sometimes. > > The local news has the annoying habit of jumping to "BREAKING NEWS!!! :eek: " every time someone stubs their toe. > > “Breaking News! (Interrupting the weather forecast this morning.) A car has flipped over in front of the federal courthouse!” > Umm. OK. Get back to me when it turns out to have a bomb in it. _Then_ it’s breaking news. Otherwise, just mention it in the traffic report where it belongs. > > “Breaking News! (Too many days to count.) There’s a house fire on Detroit’s west side.” Cut to overhead footage of a recently-extinguished house with firefighters standing around. > Um, dude? I’m sure the traffic helicopter guy gets bored reporting on the same traffic jams on the same freeways every day, and he probably loves spotting stuff like this. Buy it barely qualifies as “news,” let alone breaking news. Maybe sqeeze it in at the end if you have an extra minute. It’s particularly annoying when the breaking news has to do with a sports team coach or manager or president or whatever getting fired or replaced or some such, or some sort of union negotiations are/aren’t looking like they’re going well. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/34 "2015-11-28T23:04:36Z")
I can’t stand tv news. My mom watches it religiously and she does indeed live in fear. Despite crime falling for the last 10 years she’s sure it’s worse than it ever was. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/35 "2015-11-29T16:56:32Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > In Chicago, the local weather report is one part of the news I try not to miss. > [https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;\_ylt=A0LEV7pnvFVWrEoA8v4nnIlQ?p=cheryl+scott&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004](https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEV7pnvFVWrEoA8v4nnIlQ?p=cheryl+scott&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004) I’ll see your Chicago weather reporter and raise you Miami’s meteorologist. [Julie Durda.](https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=julie+durda&FORM=HDRSC2) (And, yeah, the news sucks). ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/36 "2015-11-29T17:32:53Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > In Chicago, the local weather report is one part of the news I try not to miss. > [https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;\_ylt=A0LEV7pnvFVWrEoA8v4nnIlQ?p=cheryl+scott&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004](https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEV7pnvFVWrEoA8v4nnIlQ?p=cheryl+scott&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004) Basic algebra: NBC5 x2 = NBC10 (& [Sheena Parveen](https://www.google.com/search?q=Sheena+Parveen+images&rlz=1C1SAVI_enUS598US598&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj31NSnlLbJAhVMNz4KHZY5COYQsAQIHQ&biw=1600&bih=799)) Oh, & it’s a quarterly sweeps month, which only amps up _those_ stories ---
**Author:** ![split\_p\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@split\_p\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/split_p_j)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/37 "2015-11-29T18:15:28Z")
It’s all by design, fear is a powerful tool of control. Read up on [Edward Bernays](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays). His propaganda techniques are clearly being used to promote fear, and a new national mythos in the form 0f 911 and Islamic terrorism. It’s not the first time this technique has been used. Case in point, the capabilities of the USSR during the cold war were purposely and repeatedly over stated to advance the agenda of the military-industrial complex. The excellent documentary [“The Power of Nightmares”](http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-power-of-nightmares/) goes into great detail on this and makes it very clear how and why we are at the level of hysteria we find today. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/38 "2015-11-29T18:33:52Z")
It’s an older essay, but very well written: [How this man lost his dad to FOX’news scare mongering.](http://www.salon.com/2014/02/27/i_lost_my_dad_to_fox_news_how_a_generation_was_captured_by_thrashing_hysteria/) ---
**Author:** ![split\_p\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@split\_p\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/split_p_j)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/39 "2015-11-29T18:43:00Z")
I want to remind people of this from[Donald Rumsfeld](http://s882.photobucket.com/user/ujisx/media/TheCartoonthatneverwas-DonaldRumsfe.jpg.html). Remember, he said "there were not just one, but many of these on “Meet The Press”. I love the hydro-electric power caption. This is a clear example of trying to create a national mythos, taken from Bernays’ ideas, and a grossly overstating our so-called enemies capabilities to create fear. This was splashed all over media back then, but was never investigated or never called out for the BS it was known, even at the time, to be. That’s propaganda, and the MSM is complicit. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530/40 "2015-12-01T22:07:50Z")
Splitp&j, thanks for those links. Very interesting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-becoming-afraid-of-the-news-reporters/738530.md?page=3)