January 6, 2009
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Breaking News, uh, Gossip
When I was younger, the only time I recall hearing the phrase “BREAKING NEWS” was for something really major. The president has just been shot or the Challanger has blown up, war has broken out somewhere….something really important for us, as a nation, to know about.
We’ve been watching a cable news channels this week and I have noticed that they use that phrase every time they want to announce something. They don’t seem to know the difference between Breaking News, Breaking Gossip and just plain News.
So, News People, listen up!!!!
BREAKING NEWS: Blagojevich gets caught trying to sell senate seat.
JUST PLAIN NEWS: Blagojevich has been under surveilence for years.
BREAKING NEWS: John Travolta’s son dies.
BREAKING GOSSIP: The Travolta family takes son’s remains back to Florida
BREAKING NEWS: Obama elected president
BREAKING GOSSIP: Obama’s children attend first day of school.
BREAKING NEWS: Roland Burris appointed to senate seat by Blagojevich
JUST PLAIN NEWS: Roland Burris shows up to take his senate seat
If there isn’t a clear difference between these types of news, how in the world are we supposd to know when they are important enough to pay attention to?
Comments (4)
Maybe Breaking news should relegated to the same scrap-heap as “My bad”` and “From Wall Street to Main Street”. Nice post.
This is part of the reason that I don’t know as much about current events as I probably should – I never know what’s going to be relevant to me or just a waste of my time.
wow, an ‘important and well-stated Point.’ On Xanga?? Thanks so much for articulating what I may have only felt, like an environmental “insult” to use the current medical term. All this breaking news becomes, the next day, what? ‘Broken news?‘ /Oh, and an upside-down cat somehow screams a meaning; a powerful picture, like “don’t tread on me” only with claws and fangs. //Your last previous post: October? The shame, haha. -js in Tel Aviv-(one of ‘Mel’s most awe-struck admirers, and I have very high literary standards…
@jsolberg - thanks for the kind comments. I don’t tend to blog often, but sometimes when something really bugs me, I will rant a little.
The cat is ours…his name is Rocky. I caught him mid-yawn one day and thought it made a good picture. Unfortunately he doesn’t have his front claws anymore….it saves our furniture, but our year old puppies need the claws to teach them to stop harrassing him!
I enjoy reading your posts and your replies to Greg’s posts.