Do you regularly watch the news?
 

If so, do you find it reassuring? Are you a political wonk? Do you think it's important to keep up on world events? Perhaps you only care about business and stock market news? Enjoy lifestyle and human interest pieces? Is it simply a part of your daily routine that you're accustomed to?

I'm likely an outlier, but I read/watch none of it and haven't for probably 25 years. We grew up with a half hour nightly newscast that managed to convey needed information, but now the world has evolved into multiple 24 hour channels that, IMO, have nothing much to say. The percentage of news to opinions is extremely skewed.

Local news is good for weather and traffic, I suppose. I'm not interested in crime reporting.

If something critical happens, it manages to filter down to me through friends or a tweet or something. I honestly feel like I'm much better off not watching or reading the news.

No, I don't. News is not new anymore, just editorials of the station you watch. They lost any credibility with me.

I watch the evening news on Wesh2 and Fox35 I think they do a good job of local news and only very occasionally express any opinions. I try not to watch ANY opinion based programs on the big three; CNN, MSNBC or Fox, although I think recently MSNBC has toned it down a bit. CNN usually is the most blatant when it stirs the pot and those who do not watch Fox News Network for the news, you would be very surprised how they have moderated their stance in the last year. I usually get my news from the MSN choices I see on my large computer screen that I am typing at here in the kitchen. I also frequently take their polls. It appears that the polls must be taken by a large percentage of retirees by the numbers.

I have dear friends who tell me NOT to watch the news and then they post their conspiracy theories that I suspect may come from their church association and I don't mean that as anti-church at all. I try so hard to go to sources that continue to be the most reliable when I read the news on my computer; AP wire, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Reuters, The Guardian, not so much U.S.A. Today. .There is no doubt that many lean left in their opinion pieces but they generally can be trusted for hard facts.

On any issue between science and politics having anything to do with Covid-19 I trust science, but I am very picky about it's source. I absolutely trust anything from Johns Hopkins. I trust Fauci and Birx. I was just listening to an interview on Amanpour with Dr. Bill Frist who was thrown out of the senate because of backing a bill that eventually helped his family holdings....but I STILL trust his scientific and medical opinions and feel very sad he did that dumb thing.

I think that in watching news about the pandemic, that the issue for many is trying to find "clean" news, factual news, without political bias and that is very, very, very, hard to do. Also we are barraged with conspiracy theories on social media, this Forum is full of them. I sometimes think every one has lost their mind. Most of us old birds have strong opinions on what is right and wrong.

I am so delighted by the twenty or so posters on this Forum who always show common sense to me anyway and are above prevailing theories and show deep knowledge of many things. They sit on both sides of the aisle and show all kinds of writing style and most do have a sense of humor at times. I do not trust any living soul who does not have a sense of humor.

I think it is important to know what is happening in the world, and that is very difficult in these troubling times.

P.S. The news in the Gantner house today is we are celebrating 58 years of marriage. I was damned clever to catch that fellow and so lucky to keep him. He is the finest man I have ever met.

Watching news is like watching wrestling and believing its real

Congratulations!
A special day that cannot be blunted by the current virus environment.

Yes, i watch the news every morning. Fox news is the only one i watch.

I only watch local news. When national/world news come on the TV goes off.

Congratulations to the Gantners! May you have many more happy and healthy anniversaries! :icon_wink:

I thought the purpose of the news shows was to have attorneys and auto dealers tell us how wonderful, friendly, and successful they are.:MOJE_whot:

You and I have been here on TOTV for a long time. I think I have read nearly all your posts through these years.
This by far is your best post. Sharing your opinion as usual, but also exposing, maybe some new thoughts.

We watch the Presidential brief daily and compare Fox with other stations...which is interesting to say the least. We keep an eye on what is being said locally, no longer consider CNN news and now read The Epoch Times paper online and get a print copy once a week. It is the only paper that seems to walk the narrow line between sides.
Like most, I resent being hoodwinked and really resent people trying to make up my mind for me or putting words in my mouth. I don’t think it’s just me but the world has taken a bad turn from the values we all grew up with. If you read the Epoch Times article yesterday about same, it is right on target IMHO.

In reality I try watching all the news outlets and form my own opinion of what the hecks going on..Tough task.

No news is good news. Too much propaganda.

The Epoch Times is a multi-language newspaper and media extension of the Falun Gong new religious movement.[2][3] The newspaper is part of the Epoch Media Group, which also operates New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD).[4] For its articles, the publication draws from a network within China, as well as staff living in the West.[5][6][7] The Epoch Times has been publishing in Chinese since May 2000. It is either sold or distributed free-of-charge in 35 countries, including various international regional editions. The Epoch Times websites are blocked in mainland China.
The Epoch Times - Wikipedia

We watch CNN and Fox and in our opinion the truth is somewhere between the two. It seems like unbiased reporting is now history.

I can't watch cable TV news because of the breathlessly-delivered hype, opinion, finger pointing and propaganda. It's all theater. That and the endless commercials.

But here's the biggest reason: all "newscasters," regardless of political persuasion, leave auxiliary verbs out of their statements and incorrectly use the present participle. To me, it is worse than nails on a chalkboard. For example:

Apple unveiling a new iPhone Wednesday and...
Covid-19 cases approaching the one million mark while...
The economic downturn driving the highest unemployment rate in over a decade.

These are not "headlines." This is the way they talk. Thankfully this hasn't happened *yet* in print media.

Hahahaha! Open your right eye, I also monitor both channels and CNN is far from telling us the truth......

Happy Anniversary.....congrats!

News?? Do I regularly watch the news?? No way. There is one and only one source for news and you can't watch it. I get my news from...

TOTV, of course!!!

:MOJE_whot::MOJE_whot::MOJE_whot:

We read online news from a variety of sources, and watch MSNBC. We read the Orlando paper. We occasionally watch Fox, and just shake our heads at how biased and incomplete it is. We initially started watching the President's news briefings, but eventually just watched the part of the briefings where Fauci and Birx spoke.

Exactly! Well written & well balanced observations. Thanks for expressing my thoughts on today's news.

Oh, Walter Cronkite, where are you when we need you?? :pray:

And BIG congrats :a040: :MOJE_whot: :coolsmiley: on that anniversary! :BigApplause:

Yes, I find it very reassuring to watch the news.

I switch back and forth between CNN, MSNBC, and FOXNEWS to see the different views. I always have the sound muted and I read the closed captions.

I find some of the commentators very unlikable and I can't stand to hear them speak. But with the closed captions, I can learn about their misguided opinions without getting irritated. On occasion, they say things that are interesting and thought provoking, and that is why I watch them.

I never learn anything from people who always agree with me.

Gracie No news is good news😂

I agree.

Since the beginning of stay-at-home rules, we have made it a habit to watch PBS Newshour, Mon-Fri evenings.

In answer to the OP....no if the provider uses the alphabet in it's designation!!

:duck:

I can't think of any that do not.

Do you regularly watch the news? Great question queasy. It was the tragedy on 9/11 that triggered me with the news. Before that I had a healthy interest in the news and since then its been out of control.
I listened to 1010 WINS AM out of N.Y. City from the second I turned the alarm clock off all the way through the day. As of late I realize this behavior can not continue. It's just to much. On the days when I give the news a break I feel much better. I've been checking in several times a day and been listening to some soothing music during the day.

Please dust off your headphones and listen to this beautiful 8G Song. Listen to the way the music moves around. Headphones are important. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (8D SOUND) - YouTube

Bee-eye-en-gee-oh!!

I have tried to get as much accurate information possible..
 

I have tried to get as much accurate information possible from the most widely trusted news media and not just reading or hearing or watching the media that is most akin to the party in office who I voted for.

I have in the last week lost almost all trust in how our national and state government is dispersing information, in how they have managed emergency monies and how they have attempted to "manage" the scientists. I am further worried about blame as to the cause which has not been proven by scientists.

I realize that we the people are at the mercy of the news systems and some of them continue to give opinions in their headlines and continue to spout opinions in their news stories. I would like some real hard facts about who died, why they died, and how many are currently sick and who has recovered. I want the government to listen to the scientists and not make them hush.

Fox Broadcasting Company - As in Red Fox or even Gray Fox
Not FBC

Yes, but never sure if it is not edited to lean toward a certain answer.
Local news to repetitive - every nigh a local car accident etc. Need real news of interest. To much time is taken up with what is coming up next etc. instead of adding more news. Don't understand the time spent on the lottery numbers since we can not go out to buy tickets. OR can we?

I like to get news from multiple sources and at least in 4 languages. It gives me a bit of an idea of the global perspective. Some news sources are so biased it is beyond funny, but I read what they are trying to say, nevertheless.

Good post. I do the same (except foreign languages ...not....but foreign press).

The word "funny" is not appropriate, however, as people hear it and believe everything they hear.

It is more difficult to get to the truth at times BUT it is there

Most media outlets do not outright lie..some yes, but most not. Problem is our society seems to have grown weary of asking for truth and facts. Thus out of sheer volume, we hold nobody accountable.

We seem to center on individuals, not truth which is, and always has been a grave error. Of course, this mostly applies to USA cable news channels. Written news media centers more squarely on facts . I suppose because of timing.

That does not get the media off the hook. Even if it's true that some people have grown weary of truth and facts (and I'm not disagreeing), it is still the media's responsibility to report the truth for those of us who still have an appetite for it. But no doubt, many prefer entertainment over real news.

I couldn't agree more that cable TV news has devolved into theater, finger pointing and gotchas. Talk about weary.

But they're giving the people what they want. They, as commercial entities, wouldn't be doing what they do if it were unwelcomed.

To be clear.....my post gave nobody a pass. Most (an overwhelmingly percentage) media does give us truth, but to your point it is then "supported" by "guests". Again, we do not seem to care to find truth....it is all there...we are driven by the person, not a pursuit of facts. Lies are accepted, truth takes a backseat. I have found the written media to do a better job, and perhaps the cable news is just entertainment, but if so, it is us, the folks who accept it who are keeping that ship afloat.

You have lost trust in the "past week". I go back to January, when we first saw the "silencing" of witnesses, and now again.

My trust, I think is now forever "broken" and I limit my "news" gathering to some trusted written media only.