Posted on 11/04/2007 4:29:38 AM PST by BigAlPro
Is it just me or are we all getting pretty tired of FNC’s abuse of “Breaking News” and “News Alerts”? It amazes me that you can’t watch one day’s worth of programming on America’s “fair and balanced” network without being assaulted by these false overtures. The producers at the FNC must think we are the dumbest viewers in the history of television news.
The recent fires in Southern California provided almost every anchor on Fox with the opportunity to over-dramatize the events of the day. I’ve never seen so many “Breaking News” reports on one story in my life. And it wasn’t as if they were actually reporting on something that hadn’t been covered all day long or even a significant change to what had already been reported. Everything was just “breaking”.
In order for news to be breaking, it is supposed to interrupt the regularly scheduled programming. That is why breaking news used to always be preceded with phrases like, “We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this special report”. Likewise, breaking news was always followed by the announcement, “We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.”
Hannity & Colmes are pretty much tied with Greta for being the worst when it comes to “News Alerts”. They flash that notice on the screen and start telling us all about some trivial story Shepard Smith “broke” six to seven hours earlier that same day. What is so alerting about a story that has been covered by every other anchor on your network?
When it comes to being overly dramatic, you can’t help but love Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera. However, the top Drama Queen of them all has to be John Gibson.
How is it possible to open your show with “Breaking News”? How do you head into a commercial break by saying, “When we come back, we’ll have Breaking News on today’s top story”? How do you have breaking news in the beginning, middle and end of a news program? How is anything “Brittney” breaking? Do they not understand the simple concept of “Breaking”?
As if all this weren’t bad enough, the FNC has become the king of speculation TV. When your interview includes questions like, “What do you think she meant by…” or “What is going through his mind right now…” you are no longer reporting, you are speculating. What could a retired Jersey trooper possibly know about a carjacker in California? If he’s not a psychic, he’s just another spectator and his input is nothing but conjecture.
Now, I don’t get CNN and I wouldn’t watch MSNBC if you paid me. For all I know, they may be just as bad as my beloved Fox. However, if someone doesn’t step up and do something about the over-dramatization of network news, I am going to have to turn off my TV and rely solely on the Internet for my daily news.
What is it going to take to bring some integrity to the cable news networks? Maybe we should get Bill O’Reilly to lead a boycott against all network news until they get their act together, quit speculating and stop abusing the once sacred “Breaking News”.
"News Flash"--They all do, so why single out Fox?
"..I am going to have to turn off my TV.."
That is the best idea.
Reporting without integrity is nothing more than story telling. If all I want is gossip or speculation, I can get that from the nut-job down at my local coffee shop.
As told by Lori Dhue...when introduces Kiran Chetry (at CNN), who quotes a story by Jerry Springer, who was doing a story on an author caught lying on Oprah, before she invited Hillary.....
Never needed it...how ‘bout you?:)~
“Is it just me or are we all getting pretty tired of FNC’s abuse of “Breaking News” and “News Alerts”? “
I used to run into the living room every time I heard “breaking news” on Fox- not anymore. In fact, I’m watching less and less of the FoxNews and the “fox babes” to get the REAL news.
I don’t think the anchors call for Breaking News Alerts. The suits have implemented the scheme and the block producers make the calls.
I was living in Colorado during that Jonbenetramsey flash...I’m tired of that name and that idiot on KOA radio who punched us with story after story on jonbenet (april sezbaugh...or something like that).
Add to JonBenet’s name, Britney, Paris, OJ, etc.
While I love Fox news I have to admit to getting upset and switching channels when they go into 24 hr mode over a story. The California fires were the latest example, how many shots of a reporter standing in front of a burned down house do we need to see?
Fox News overrun by Drama Queens
I prefer this over anything CNN or MSNBC provides.
Was reading yesterday, Israel cut CNN from the air ways, a very smart decision by the Israeli government.
(And maybe even those reporting don't know it anymore.)
Isn't it "breaking news" when it's first reported, but then a "developing story" from there on out???
John Gibson is excellent, a genuine conservative, both on Fox and on the radio. If you don’t like it, turn it off.
What's wrong with simply reporting the news and moving on to the next news story? Why do they have to be so melodramatic about every little thing?
Read the replies Judge Judy... I like John Gibson! But that doesn’t excuse his lack of integrity when it comes to reporting the “NEWS”.
The person who did the “fox news alert sound” was quoted as saying that it was orig. intended for really important,
breaking news stories. Not for trivial stuff/ “old news”
Nancy Grace on CNN-HN practically jumps through the TV screen with BREAKING NEWS!!!!!—including celeb stuff, or the
same old story facts from before...
but it’s what people want unfortunately judging from the ratings.
Laura Ingraham calls all of this Tragedy TV.
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