Our news was delivered twice a day when I grew up. The St. Paul Pioneer press hit the doorsteps before dawn each day. And in the evening, The St. Paul Dispatch was there to wrap things up.
In the world of black and white television, before the Peacock of Color (NBC) made its presence common to household viewers, the first 30-minute nightly news broadcast hit the airwaves on September 2,1963.
We did not abandon the ink-smudged fingers from newsprint, but we enjoyed having a shortcut to the activities and events of the day. We religiously watched Walter Cronkite from his lead story to his iconic sign-off, “And that’s the way it is, on (day and date).”
Things are different today. Color television was available in the early 1950s but wasn’t adopted by the masses until the early 1970s when color programming had extended its reach and the price of televisions came down to a price point acceptable by most families. Today’s technology and the adoption of new products occur at lightning speed compared to those ancient times.
The “News” is now available to us in countless venues without stop. I will leave it to you to decide if a steady diet of talking heads, podcasters, and blog postings are good things.
For me, I lean strongly toward the concept of too much of anything is not good.
But the 30-minute nightly news wasn’t too much of a good thing. Channel flipping wasn’t typical (there were only 3 networks anyway) and I preferred the ‘original ‘in the voice of Mr. Cronkite. His delivery stayed the course: Facts presented without comment. From one story to the next, we heard what happened and what was said. Opinions were not expressed. In fact, at that time, there existed “The Fairness Doctrine” under the FCC that mandated broadcasters present fairness and balance when presenting controversial issues.
That was important. We were exposed to events and then we could discuss them ourselves coming to our own decisions about what it would mean for us as individuals, communities, and citizens. We were not told what to think. There was no political ‘slant’, it was just the facts. Because of this, we were all exposed to the same details; as they happened, they were reported.
Journalists had their own “Canons of Journalism” which promoted truth, accuracy, and impartiality. But like everything else, these concepts evolved as culture and society changed. I am afraid to research the rules that exist today because I fear there are none. Maybe one of these days I can unemotionally sit down and explore this topic, just not today.
As I lament loss of standards, I realize that we are now exposed to formats promoting controversial opinion rather than the bare bones of informational news. Layered in anger prone rhetoric, we are triggered in ways we fail to notice. We are influenced by “popular” personalities. Our emotions are systematically teased out by those who use metrics to decide what we will hear and more importantly, how we will hear it. They focus on one end: the Maximizing of Profits. The “News” is no longer informative and beneficial to the public; it is designed to grab our attention so that we will stay glued to the venue allowing advertisers access to our buying decisions. “Whatever it takes” seems to be the strategic guideline.
We want to know what happens in our world, but we are fooled into believing the opinions of others. We look at the writers, broadcasters, and podcasters believing they endeavor to teach us the truth. The credentials of trust are applied to loud-and-popular exploitation that encourages our attention.
But our capacity to think, analyze, and decide for ourselves is being co-opted as these ‘thieves’ reach into our wallets while promoting divisive scapegoating. Keeping us emotionally on edge is good for business. Keeping us in fear is profitable. Keeping us angry keeps us from thinking rationally and allows for the agenda of others to supersede our ability to say, “Hey! Wait a minute. I see what you’re doing!”
Consider this carefully.
What we think about largely determines who we become. If we pay attention to media personalities that are constantly outraged, we will be constantly outraged. If this is not who we want to be, if this outcome is undesirable, we need to change our input.
- If we consume hate, we become hateful.
- If we pay attention to fear mongering, we will become fearful.
- If we pay attention to comparing ourselves with others, we become jealous, ungrateful, and angry.
- If we constantly scroll while algorithms feed us only what we want to see, our lives become fragmented and closed to relationships. It becomes device vs companionship. Our bubble gets smaller and more concentrated.
Yes, I miss Walter Cronkite. He was considered the Most Trusted Man in America because he earned it. Who would we choose today? I think most of us would fail to come up with an objective answer.
I hope that at least some of us care enough to change our habits and to change how we receive our information. We can take back our freedom to choose, our control.
- Challenge. This is for you - a challenge to discover truth, but open-minded work is needed.
- Mantras. Self-talk is thought. Remind yourself by using phrases like, “What goes in is what comes out.” If the outcome (the “you” desired) proves true, you’re on track. If you’re a stranger to yourself, change what goes in.
- Examination. Question everything. There are agendas (some hidden, some obvious) that are being promoted all around you. Agendas can be good or bad; just make sure you know what they are so that informed decision making is possible.
- Think. Check your assumptions at the door. “Everything” includes consumed media of all types. Maybe the photo itself is real, but the attached text misleads. Manipulation is used to promote agendas. Artificial Intelligence is used to create media with believable voice, image, and video. It’s becoming more difficult than ever to determine what is true and what is not. Do not assume, take your time, think for yourself, and do not blindly accept.
- Attention: Paying attention is absolutely critical to informed decisions and freedom of choice. Romans 12:2. “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will and purpose.” Heard recently, “Attention is the steering wheel of your soul.” (Josh Crain)
One more idea. Take a moment to watch these videos. Notice how the most trusted man in America earned the description. Think about what the news looks like today. Think about the sources you consider reliable. Maybe apply the above criteria to these sources as you do to the media.
Walter Cronkite announcing the assassination of John F. Kennedy
Walter Cronkite says goodbye after 20 years of delivering the news.
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