How TV news declines

How TV news declines

The way in which two recent events were covered on television revealed again how much show business has invaded and taken over TV news -- to the detriment of viewers.

This invasion has been going on for years now as, more and more, the elements of fictional TV have been appropriated by news programs. One example is the use of dramatic music on magazine shows to underscore points. Another is the employment of camera angles and lighting to make or emphasize points in the reporter's script.

For the most part, viewers are not aware of these techniques -- unless they look for them. And that's part of the danger. By working on us subconsciously, such cinematic tricks as lighting and music distort the news. Information is being replaced by emotion. The mind is being subjugated to the heart.

Don't think so? Listen carefully to the words chosen in stories on shows like "Dateline" and "20/20." More importantly, turn off the sound and just watch how the stories are filmed. You will have a pretty good idea of who the "heroes" and "villains" are through the camerawork.

Terror on Wall Street

Two recent events continued this trend: the stock market going on a roller coaster ride and an English au pair being convicted of murdering a baby. With those stories, TV news entered more obviously into show business through two other techniques -- over-statement and suspense.

The over-statement was evident throughout the coverage of the stock market's ups and downs. Words like "disaster," "cataclysm" and "whirlwind" were brought into play long before the reality of the situation was put into context: Given the heights to which the market had risen, the fall wasn't that precipitous.

This chicken-little technique, by the way, is leaking into the weather reports where ordinary storms are presented as deluges. One forecaster, putting his hands over his own ears, recently told viewers: "You may want to cover your ears when I tell you what's coming." The "horror" on its way was rain.

Hitchcockian news

The use of suspense was chosen by many stations to cover the first au pair verdict, which came in the evening -- to the delight of news directors trying to lure viewers to their late-night broadcasts. Prior to the news, anchors appeared with teasers that said: "A verdict has been reached in the nanny murder case. Stay tuned for details."

If newspeople were intent on informing people, rather than enticing them to watch the news (and, therefore, the commercials that go with the news), they would have said: "A verdict has been reached in the nanny murder case. It's guilty."

By withholding the outcome of the trial, newspeople were keeping a key fact secret in hopes that viewers would come to their broadcast. And if you think that the news is above emphasizing advertising over information, ask yourself this question: Have you ever seen a news bulletin interrupt a commercial, or do they come only when the shows are on?

Antidotes

To counter hype, misinformation and exaggerated claims, consumers are getting more and more guidance about all sorts of products. With that guidance, they can make more intelligent decisions about what to purchase. They should get the same sort of help when it comes to choosing the news.

My advice is this: If the news is overblown, filled with dramatic tricks and arranged to keep you in suspense, don't buy it.

(11-20-97)