The Good News Is The Bad News Is Wrong

Bad news is big news
Good news is no news


On all news networks, on all media outlets, we are bombarded with bad news.
We cant escape its demoralising effects.

For a long time now there has been debate about whether there is bias within news. It is almost certainly an inevitability. However the most dangerous bias is not political, religious,class or advertising, but the bad news bias.

The brain, Cacioppo says, reacts more strongly to stimuli it deems negative. Thus, our attitudes are more influenced by downbeat news.

The Bad News Bias

A quick example from a news website today:

Soldiers' specialist mental health centre 'could close as MoD funding runs out'

Specialist mental health centres reserved for British service personnel suffering psychological trauma could close because Ministry of Defence funding is running out.

Criminals on probation commit a murder and rape a week

Criminals are committing a murder and rape every week while supposedly under the supervision of the Probation Service, figures show.

Pensioners at back of queue for swine flu vaccine

Pensioners will be at the back of the queue for the new swine flu vaccine as a list of priority groups are drawn up, it has emerged.

MI5 targeted by Islamic extremists in rushed recruitment drive after July 2005 attacks on London

MI5 is facing questions over whether it recruited up to six al Qaeda sympathisers in the rush to find Islamic recruits in the wake of the worst terrorist attacks on mainland Britain for a generation.

The Telegraph

I understand that these are important topics, but to have all of them as the main four news articles on the websites 'news' page proves my point.

Are we being slowly but surely demoralised?

The world is a wonderful place. It is not, repeat NOT, what the media would have us believe; a planet on its last legs, full of murder, scandal and war.

The MSM claims to be the truth.
Dont believe the truth!

Peace.

I think the MSM has long needed to show the bad side of life. It seems to be all we are interested in other than sport or technology. The news should have 2 stories on its frontpage dedicated to the daily doom or important events. And the rest focusing on other issues such as technology or something trivial or funny that makes peoples feelings rise.

I found an old British Paper from 1934 and the news being selected was not all doom but also uplifting and insightful. Also there could be up to four times as many columns as currently in most British Papers so more information.

reply to post by Persicoana


I agree.
Great point about how newspapers used to look. Huge great pieces of paper covered in WORDS!
Words? What are they?

Nowadays people dont want to read the news, they want to hear it and see it. Front pages of 'newspapers' are covered in images and advertisements.
Words drowning in a sea illustration.

Why wasn't this story on the main news page of the telegraph today?

Gaza children aim to break kite-flying record

Thousands of children in the Gaza Strip sought to break the world record for kite flying in a rare moment of respite from the war-battered enclave's daily life.

Gaza children......

What about this story?

Feed 18,000 Needy People? A Five-Year-Old Could Do It

www.tonic.com...


Its a shame that all the good news has been relegated to......"And in the lighter side of the news......"

Thanks

This is why it is a good idea to unplug from the digital hyperbole every once in a while. It sure makes me happy to just go out into nature or walk on the beach. I do end up taking along my netbook and my sprint card just in case.

I have long thought that the world really is in a good balance. Each negative that exists causes a positive to form, like the newtonian law of "for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction".


Basically, we're all walking down the center of a road, and on one side of the road is nothing but death and destruction, dismay and despair.

On the other side of the road is love, joy, pleasure and the lucky charms guy spreading rainbows everywhere.

Which direction are you looking in? That's what you're going to be focused on the most.


It's like the old story:

Inside each of us are 2 wolves. One is good, one is evil. They are constantly warring with each other.

Which one will win? Whichever one you feed the most.



For me, whenever i start to realize I've sucked in enough of the bad stuff, I have to walk away and counter it with some positivity and fun. I like a good balance. Too MUCH positivity can be "bad" for you, because you'll never see the bad stuff coming before it hits you. It causes denial most of the time. Too much negativity can be "bad" for you because it will suck out your life force faster than anything else will.

reply to post by LiveForever8


Well the good news is that one more person has noticed this in my opinion and more might with this topic popping up.

I think it is always good to point this out for the bombardment of media horror shows is getting even more rampant these days.

Nothing wrong with trying to balance the negative.



[edit on 1-8-2009 by XXXN3O]

reply to post by XXXN3O


True.

More people need to wake up and realize that we have accepted bad news as normal news.
This is a good website which only highlights the good news.
www.goodnewsnetwork.org...

It is out there people, you just need to wade through all the fear mongering.

reply to post by LiveForever8


The website doesnt appear to be running right now. Probably down time I take it?

Either that or the BBC got word that someone was writing actual news for a change?

It really wouldnt surprise me to be honest.

Ill check back and have a look at the site.

Edit: Thats it up and running now.



[edit on 2-8-2009 by XXXN3O]