And you know what that means. Everthing on TV is trying everything possible in order to increase ratings, including the news. First up, Fox 5 News in DC was hyping their “most dangerous toy for kids” report for their 10 O’clock News this past Monday. I only heard the hype via a bitcast of WTOP newsradio. The radio spot features a kid blowing into something. After a few of these, I have an idea of what the report will be about, but I think the idea is so stupid it must be something else. I tune in to see if it really is something else. Had to wait through the usual anthrax updates and something about a “pink cloud over DC”, then they finally showed the report I was waiting for. Starts off with the reporter in front of a hospital, then a tape of a couple discussing some parties their family had recently. At this point, I’m dissapointed. It’s clear that that the “stupid” idea I had at work was indeed correct and the “most dangerous toy for kids” are toy balloons! Argh! Of course they’re dangerous, that’s why there’s a warning on the packages! I’m sorry your son died from inhaling a piece of a broken balloon, but why was he and his two sisters playing with them in an upstairs bedroom when you’re downstairs doing whatever? Read the fucking package, it says something like “Not to be used without parental supervision.”! Don’t you see? It’s partly your fault that the boy died. He wasn’t anywhere close to having adult supervision! I was so upset by both the hype and this crap masquerading as a news report, I had to turn off the tv, completely missing the report of the “pink cloud” which was the Northern Lights!
Before anyone asks, and I’m sure someone will, the boy was about 5 years old, and his two sisters were about the same age at the time. And I tried finding the report at fox5dc.com Monday afternoon but for some strange reason there’s really not much in the way of local news there.