This week in Mass Media we discussed the news and the impact it has on the world. Cable news is often flawed, inaccurate, and heavily opinionated. For me, if I had to watch the news, I would want the most realistic and straight to the point. All the extra arguing and sugar coating just would not do it for me. In order for us students to understand the news, we watched two episodes of “The Newsroom” in class.

In the first episode we watched titled “We Just Decided To”, a troubled news anchor Will McAvoy who returns after a few year hiatus after truthfully answering a group of students about the current state of America. He comes back to a much different environment and struggles to adapt. His ex girlfriend also had a higher role there which was hard for him to deal with since there was clearly hard feelings left. Will must adapt and work with his new team to cover an Oil Spill off the coast of Louisiana. The episode did a great job portraying how dramatic and chaotic covering a breaking story can be. It also shows how hands on covering a story can be and how many people are needed in order to give a great product.

In the second episode we watch, “The Blackout, Part 1: Tragedy Porn” it shows how choosing not to cover a story because it seems more like entertainment as opposed to news can take a toll. The team chose not to cover the Casey Anthony trial because it was more of a circus act than a legitimate story. They lost half their viewers and it forced their hand to cover the trial in order to regain the followers. Mack was extremely against it, but Will and Skinner thought it was crucial to cover it. I thought this episode was interesting because it showed more of the real side of things which is news channels being worried about views, which has a direct correlation to the content. While covering this story, it knocked off many other stories in order to use an ample amount of time. This shows how news outlets cover the entertaining story, rather than other very important things. The content in which we receive is selfishly used for their own success. It just makes you think, What else have we missed on?

I do not pay much attention to the news. I do know whats going on because it is hard to not know. But I do not know the ins and outs of every story. To be honest, I do not really care. Most of the stories are depressing and just jammed down your throat. When I do seek news, its usually on social media from a legitimate source such as NY Times. I think it is ignorant for people who completely avoid the news, though. I feel as citizens we should know what is going on. There is a very fine line between not wanting to know, and tuning it out.