I've just been lucky enough to catch an "episode" of ITV 2's Entertainment News and I must say I feel up to date in the world of news. I have just been informed (again!) that people, i.e. celebrities, who take drugs are "bad role models" for children. But the best bit of gossip was that Daniel Craig has apparently asked his girlfriend to marry him! AND it doesn't stop there! According to our colleagues at ITV 2, the engagement ring is a Cartier. Well....gosh....erm...I'm speechless.
Now compare this to the BBC's latest story on the referendum. I think I am close to discovering the secret to dumb news - and it's pointing towards commercial channels. Think about the advertising needed to keep them running and the need to keem audiences interested in between adverts. If you give them simple, dumbed down news then the Big Brother generation will be less likely to change channel and therefore keep sponsors happy.
It's not a complete theory I know but I'm working on it.
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I have to agree with you about commerical channels suffiently dumbing down the news more than their competitiors.
Why some commerical broadcasters feel the need for a four panel debate on why Lindsay Lohan decided to wear a dolce and gabanna dress ahead of her usual yves saint lorraine is really of little interest to me.
Although maybe I am not the taregt audience, or am I?
I am young...thats a tick in the right box.
I am a student and single....surely a tick in at least one box.
I go out on Saturday nights and enjoy spending money on products I don't really need such as music and movies, another tick in the correct box perhaps?
Although I do seem to meet some of the criteria, I don't really have an interest in the dress that Lindsay Lohan is wearing.
Ah...im male. There we go.
Perhaps I would be more interested in watching Sky's new techno file that can be viewed online and also on Friday nights on the television.
Guilty as charged.
But is it really news? Not in my opinion. It's more like tuning into talk radio to hear a discussion, you may not find much newsworthy material but it will help to pass an hour or two.
So in a consumer generated and consumer driven world of commerical news television one thing is clear. Viewers are key and if we are honest could stations like Sky survive if they did not pander to the viewers needs of not having news on all the time?
Oh I fogot, isn't Sky One for that?
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