Experiences with television and cable news

"Most of the time when I turned on the news I couldn’t even pay attention after I laid eyes on that man’s forehead". I talked for forty minutes with my mom on what her thoughts of news and television are and what they were, and if I wouldn't have stopped her we would still be talking. My mom has worked for the Cincinnati Enquirer for nineteen years. News has always been her life, and before it was my mom traveled the world with my dad as he was in the Navy. Because of her travel and my dad being in the Navy, she was always watching the news for updates on international conflicts or for just the weather in her new home that week. My mom sounded so passionate when she was talking about the new, understandably, and when I asked what she thought of it now she paused before saying "I feel disgusted t what is considered news currently". She later explained that especially in this last election not only are people coming out with stories that are made up and lies, but what people are considering stories are ridiculous. She talked about how pop culture shouldn't be the headline of the day when there are real pressing matters going in the world.

On the other hand, I interviewed my grandma about her thoughts on news and television and they couldn't be more opposite. She told me that when growing up they didn’t have a T.V. so instead she listened to the radio to get the news. Even then her father would listen to it in his room and would usually not allow her and her sister to listen because he didn’t want them to hear about the terrible things happening in the world. I then asked her if anything has changed since she was a child, and if she enjoys the news now. I was shocked at her answer to say the least. "I don't watch the news. I never have felt a need because I never grew up with it, so it's never been in my life".  She also explained that her father was right, the world was just filled with terrible things and it only upset her to listen to the stories.

What stuck out to me was the fact that my mom, someone who has lived her whole life in media and the news, was the opposite of her own mother. Though both completely different takes on the news one thing that stood out what both are now against the news and what it has become. This shows that today people are leaning away from the news because of stories. Some say it's because they are too harsh, or they are not 'true' news stories, but never the less news and television are losing their viewers. Both my mom and grandmother specifically remember 9/11 and the news stories of that time. My mom described it as some of the best reporting the country has ever seen, and my grandma couldn't watch what was happening. My mom has always been a fan of ABC, and NBC. She continues to watch these channels but complains every time someone puts on CNN. As time has gone on news has begun to switch based on their viewers. As the next generation begin to grow and watch, the news changes to adapt to what we watch and like. To me this is the main reason that most adults are leaving television news in the past.