How Balloon Boy Proves the Irrelevancy of Network News

Yesterday, I was thoroughly outdone that right in the middle of a conversation on Afghanistan Wolf Blitzer broke away for "breaking news." Do you know what the news was? Well, Rush Limbaugh had been denied the opportunity to own a NFL team after he had longed berated NFL players. There were two issues that sprung up immediately. First, how is this that a respectable news outlet like CNN could view this as "breaking news?" Second, how is it that the people that watch Limbaugh, who are probably poor working class folk, allow such a one to benefit by their viewing his show? I turned off CNN posthaste!

Now, today I'm watching CNN and they have wall to wall coverage of the kid who was believed to have gotten into the balloon and was flying thousands of feet above the ground in an invention that his dad had created. For two hours, CNN followed the silver balloon in the air and called on experts who spoke on the possibility of the direction of the balloon and where the kid might have been hiding. It was high drama. CNN created all kinds of scenarios. Finally, the balloon landed and there was no child. Oh, my!!! Now, this bit of drama added more speculation and scenarios, calling on my experts that talked about heat technology to identify the boy. It was getting dark. Where was the basket? Where had it dropped? Thank God for Google earth! What other kind of technology will be needed to locate the boy?

I was getting very annoyed at the coverage. Yes, I had hoped that if the boy had climbed aboard that he would be found safely. I even said a prayer. But how did we know that the kid had indeed climbed aboard? Where were his parents? Who allowed it to take off with the possibility of the kid climbing aboard? Either his parents should be investigated by protective services or CNN is running with this story because it's a slow news day? Is health care reform, increasing foreclosures, joblessness, banking reform, Afghanistan, and Iraq not fast enough, not meaningful enough? I got the feeling that CNN was loving the balloon story that could indeed have a tragic ending, for ratings. I cut it off. I had heard enough of this sensationalism. I switched to see what Ed on MSBNC was covering.

Just as I flicked on The Ed Show Ed was introducing Arianna. Oh, good, I thought. They're probably going to be talking about her latest post, "Why Joe Biden Should Resign." But to my utter annoyance Ed began with the story on the balloon. But I assume he forget who he was dealing with because Arianna shot back with something like "Okay, I understand why the story was covered initially, but why are we still talking about it. The boy is safe now -- on with it. (By the way, he was hiding out in the attic at home.) Why are you still covering it?" I must admit to ROFL! The sensational Ed was caught in his own sensationalism. I must also say that his holding the government's feet to the fire with regards to health care reform and joblessness has been noteworthy.

But Arianna's question was perfect for network news en masse. It was one that I was dying to ask. Ed became a little testy and tried to offer a lame excuse. How could you excuse having a psychic mother who was on Wife Swap with the family of the missing boy talking about extraterrestrial beings? I couldn't believe my eyes or ears. Ed let this psychic go on and on, even apologizing for interrupting her while Arianna was cut short a few times. Amazing! At the top of the 7:00 news hour on MSNBC, Hardball lead with "a story that transfixed a nation." The balloon boy had been found. Oh, Keith, it's 7:59. Please don't lead with this story. Does anybody really wonder why old media is becoming more irrelevant while new media continues to pave a new path? Go Arianna and Huffington Post!

 

 

Comments

[emm29056]

CNN, MSNBC, FOX are cable news.

CNN spends most of its time reading tweets & email from vapid viewers. MSNBC recycles the same 3 stories every 15 minutes. Don't watch much FOX. They all love video from helicoptors. That's why we get so many police pursuits. The producers, directors, whoever is in charge of deciding what goes on the air don't know the differance between local and national news.

NBC, ABC, CBS are network news, REAL news. When I was growing up long, long years ago they had correspondents, professional journalists, not just talking heads, all over the world and we got frequent reports from Japan, South America, Europe, everywhere. It was great. Budget cuts - due to these News companies being bought by greedy businessmen from outside the news/entertainment business - put an end to that and began the real dumbing down of the news and the viewers.

I'm glad I was taking a 90 year old relative to the doctor Thursday and missed the balloon crap.

[Catherine1234]

this is excellent; it's an scene--it's written like a play, but is short---in which the father of balloon boy talks to his son about this idea he has for making the family rich again....hilarious, i love it:

http://johnshore.com/2009/10/16/mr-hot-air-balloon-feel-like-doublin-your-allowance-son/

[Drjimmy72296]

"But I assume he forget who he was dealing with. ..."

Actually, I think it was quite the opposite. I'm guessing he figured here's a socialite who runs an Obama fan site which at any given time has three Jon & Kate stories on the front page. And remember, she was there to discuss her "What if Joe Biden" resigned nonsense. Who better to talk to about the balloon boy?

Unfortunately for Ed she went all Jon Stewart on him like he was Tucker Carlson or something.

[punk]

Rome burning.

[wernerholm]

yay! let's make smores, and watch reruns of Paris Hilton's New BFF on Youtube!

[progressivegreg]

I said to my wife while watching CNN, wow balloon boy made the movable objects screen and started laughing out loud.