Breaking News
Remember when Breaking News meant that something truly important had happened. The President had been shot or the Space Shuttle had exploded. Today, Breaking News is nothing more that a consultant-driven marketing ploy. It's a constant. Used almost nightly, sometimes multiple times, on every channel to bring a false sense of urgency to every newscast. Breaking News can be anything: a run-or-the-mill car crash, a snow storm, Jen and Brad breaking up. I'm gonna do an experiment for the next couple days. Let's see exactly what qualifies as Breaking News in Boston, and on cable.
1.23.06 Report
No Breaking News tonight, but there was one Developing Story which is the same thing isn't it? Bunch of people evacuated from an apartment building in Brookline because of a carbon monoxide leak.
1.24.06 Report
BIG Breaking News tonight on Headline News. Drama music in the background and everything. The same kind of music they played in the background the night of Reagan's funeral, or during other times of national mourning. Stunning new developments (Nancy Grace said stunning 5 times in a minute) in the Natalee Holloway case. Police from Aruba are traveling to her hometown to re-interview her friends that were with her in Aruba. I listened for a while, and can't get too much more than that. Lots of speculation from NG. "What does this mean..." "They must be close to solving the case..." Doesn't seem to be much new here, but it says Breaking News so this must be important. Lots more sensationalism, and manipulation of the poor girl's mother.
More late Breaking News locally on Channel 56. The bus carrying the BC basketball team hit and killed a bike rider in North Carolina. No more details at this time or anything, but why wait for details, when you can say Breaking News. This is big Breaking News at 11 too on Channel 5 too. Big red full screen banner. Smaller banner Breaking News on Channel 7. Channel 4 decided that the murder of a mother and her baby in Hopkington was more important. Gee, someone with news judgment? Amazing. Bus story isn't even in the top 5 on Channel 4.
Labels: boston, marketing, news media, television
posted by Cranky at 11:30 PM
2 Comments:
You are so right on the money with this. I was just thinking the same thing the other day. Heaven save me , I was actualyl watching Fox News the other day and they completely stopped what they were doing to flash a "Breaking News Report". I cant remember what it was, maybe Dick Cheney's grandson takign off his training wheels for the first time to ride a bike. No really, I dont remember, but it was something that really was not of too great importance i didnt think. Keep checking out my blogs, enjoy yours.
8:23 AM
See my followup post here.
12:15 AM
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