The U.S. Media, Their Obsession with the Unimportant, and Other Sins

Well, we gotta have 'em, love 'em or
loathe 'em: but some of us DEMAND
our so-called journalists do their damn
jobs, just as we insist the pols DO
THEIRS.

I oh so rarely agree with the Donald
about anything, but he was spot on
in his defense of wife Melania, who
wasn't seen in public for three weeks.
In indecent speculation, reporters were
howling how hadn't Ms. M had  plastic
surgery, and alluded to other less than
desirable motivations/actions...Stay in
your lane, media maniacs!

In the interest of accuracy of info going
out to the public, I have often dialed up TV
stations (even PBS!) to object to errors
of all sorts and provided corrections.
This phenomenon is intolerable, as I possess
fewer educational credentials than these
anchors--they should be more
accurate THAN ME.

Pursuing a president's wife or other celebrity,
harping on their clothing, public appearances,
health, etc. is highly unseemly AND robs
time from coverage of more matters
of import, matters directly affecting most
people's lives, like war, corruption,
eliminating programs helping the poor,
elderly and disabled, to say nothing of
easing middle class tax burdens.

But then less-researched drama may boost
ratings and provide lazy reporters the
'relaxation" they all SO desperately need.
(I am not criticizing Lester Holt and the
other serious hard news beat journalists
who often serve in harms' way.)

Say, lazy bones, are you up to emulating
the higher level of reportage evinced by
Walter Cronkite, Edw. R. Murrow and
like-minded others?

It's doubtful--habit and a nice salary plus
some prestige will militate against such
improvements...

So obsession with the unimportant will
roll on, along with cruel unsupported digs
at people in a vulnerable state.