ABC’s, to be specific. And I was utterly appalled by what I saw.
First two stories were about the hurricanes approaching Hawaii, and an Ebola outbreak. So far so good…but then…
2 pieces on accidents, a bus hit and killed a pedestrian, and a guy got his leg stuck in a subway. Things which wouldn’t be a big deal on a local news cast-wtf are they doing on a national news cast?? Then, only halfway thru the broadcast, a video. Of a shark. Grabbing some underwater buoy somewhere.
THAT is remotely newsworthy?? Huh???
The rest of it wasn’t any better. Hey ABC, nothing on Russia, China, Israel, congress? Legitimate science (vs. Silly shark videos)? Anything? Nothing.
I’m assuming this is your first time watching ABC’s fine flagship news program.
It’s ALWAYS like that. Glurge and utter crap. Every night.
Want real news? Read Buzzfeed. Ukraine. China Earthquake. Then listen to BBC Newsday at 10 PM on your local NPR talk station, for comet coverage and depressing Israel stuff.
The morning shows are worse. Kathie Lee and Hoda are presented by NBC news, but the hours before that are just a compilation of whatever they could find on Facebook or reddit.
I think BBC has a better news show, and that’s what I watch.
They mentioned right afterwards that Shark Week was coming up on Discovery. I commented to Pepper Mill that it was fortuitous that they happened to get shark footage JUST in time for Shark Week.
Neither ABC nor Disney seems to own The Discovery Channel, but there are connections between ABC and Discovery (ten Nightline staffers joined Discovery in 2006, for instance). I suspect the shark footage was highlighted to give Discovery’s Shark Week a boost, and for no other reason.
Certainly ABC news frequently hypes ABC TV events and Disney events during what should be news time.
I admit that I don’t know much about Disney. I did not know he was especially concerned about hard news.
But I believe he was known as a master showman. And close up footage of a shark attack (especially if it was appropriately teased) would be the kind of weenie he might admire.
IMO, one really has to rely on several different news sources across the left/right spectrum and draw conclusions. Things used to be different, but nowadays the only option left is to read between the lines. Not exactly why one watches the news, is it?
I think it was less a story about one Aussie’s inexplicable ability to do that and more about the fact 40 something passengers got off and collectively worked to rock the car so he could extricate his foot. Which admittedly still leaves it as little more than feel good fluff.
Seriously? That’s inexcusable. Years back I read that ABC News was shredding their annual budget. Haven’t watched them since.
