I think we need new news.
Disclaimer — Before you read another word, read this: I’m not saying mainstream media are evil, meant to control the population, or anything like that. They are businesses like any other, which fill a demand from their viewers/readers/listeners; that’s it. I have worked with countless journalists throughout my career, the vast majority of whom are good people, who chose their career to tell real stories, and to make a difference; they are not the problem.
For many years now, I have struggled with the way the news operates. Not only how it operates, but also how the public views it, uses it, and expects it to be. It would be more accurate to call it the bad news, since the focus is overwhelmingly on negative developments throughout the world. With news being delivered to our pockets and wrists as frequently as we can handle, and 24-hour news channels broadcasting a constant stream of death, disaster, and fear, there’s little wonder why depression and anxiety are rampant.
Completely ignoring the news and, therefore the wider world around us, is one way to combat this stream of negativity. Also, there are many news organizations which deliberately focus on positive news, while attempting to maintain a balance in not pretending everything is sunshine and rainbows all the time. I don’t think either of those options are ideal. I think the main problem stems from what we expect the news to be. It’s a massive oversimplification, but the news seems to be ‘noteworthy things that happened in the world’. Now, the only difference between the traditional news, like CNN or BBC, and those newer platforms which focus almost entirely on positive news, is their definition of noteworthy.
What is the news for?
I think we need to review the purpose of the news. I think we need to consider what we want the news to do for us. Inform the general population, yes, but inform us about what? What is noteworthy? Presenting all of the worst tragedies that happen throughout the days and months, while sprinkling-in a few feel-good stories, does little to improve society or the world overall.
The news has become, largely, entertainment. Many likely wouldn’t like to admit it, as it might strike them harshly to think the fact that they watch the news as much as they do, not because they are concerned about a major global conflict, but because they are, in effect, being entertained. It’s exciting, it’s dramatic, and it’s constantly developing. The thing is, it’s about real human beings — therein lies the reason many people might get defensive, should they be told they watch coverage about war and famine, the same way they watch rom-coms and the latest binge-worthy series.
Now, don’t get me wrong; the news as it is today does serve to spread awareness on major issues we all face. My issue is that the majority of the time is spent on exploring how devastating an event was, or on speculating on how bad the effects might be, while very little about solutions or progress is presented and/or discussed. I have no doubt there are a ton of journalists who would love to spend more time researching and reporting on developments and progress. If on one of the entertainment platforms, however, the advertising and market research departments dictate coverage and programming far more than they may have in the past.
New news
An alternative viewpoint and purpose to the news: reporting on progress that is being made towards improving our world.
This is not some kind of fairytale where war and violence are a thing of the past, and everyone holds hands and sings around a campfire. What I’m referring to is the very real work being done around the world to improve access to safe drinking water, access to education, a shift to a sustainable economy, and countless other issues which are absolutely solvable. If it’s all doom and gloom, then why bother trying at all? On the other hand, if we shine a spotlight on the work that is being done, or even could be done, then the number of people participating might increase — at the very least, it might help to increase the overall optimism concerning those issues.
I think we need even a small change in how stories are framed, in the larger context of the issues we face overall, and how those events will result in progress towards solving our major problems, or if they will have a negative impact. In this model, the purpose of the news would be something like a progress report. So long as there was a balance that leaned towards progress, as opposed to regression, I think this could serve humanity far better than doom and gloom.
‘But it’s important to know what’s happening in the world!’
I don’t suggest putting on blinders to filter-out anything that isn’t positive and linked directly to progress; that is often what the ‘good news’ organizations do now. What I am suggesting is re-evaluating what’s presented on the news and why. The only reason to report on a bus crash in South-east Asia which killed a dozen children, on Canadian news, is sensationalism (touch wood; I made that up). That story, presented in the way news is used to doing, serves no purpose other than to keep viewers tuning-in for more.
In this article, from the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the author presents this quote:
“We are evolutionarily wired to screen for and anticipate danger, which is why keeping our fingers on the pulse of bad news may trick us into feeling more prepared,”
The science is fairly clear: a regular feed of negative news — or ‘doom scrolling’, as it’s come to be known — can have a very real effect on our mental health, and even our brains themselves. The the article linked above does a good job of giving a surface-level explanation, as well as numerous other sources to consult.
Now, if that fictional bus crash I mentioned earlier has something to do with lax safety laws, or crumbling infrastructure, then that would be worth reporting on. Present the disaster, yes, but in the context of ‘this is what happens when progress is impeded’ or ‘this is why the work that’s being done by [person] is so important’. This approach shows the areas in our cultures and societies that need work, show the human impact of those issues, and focuses on how progress is needed or is being made.
Currently, the balance is much more skewed to reporting on the gory and tragic details of an event, with a tiny mention of any progress being made at the end of the story. I suggest flipping that balance on its head.
Focusing on progress would, hopefully, serve our communities in a tangible way: hope and inspiration.
Hope needed; apply within
Accord to this article from Stats Canada, only 64% of those polled felt hopeful about the future — a figure which stood at 75% in 2016. Those figures are broken-down and detailed at the link cited above, but the point is, a significant portion of humanity could likely use a dose of hope for the future. If people don’t have hope, then they will be less likely to work to further improve that future — apathy sets in when the future looks as grim as the mainstream news media presents it.
When patients have hope, they tend to do better than those with no hope. When children don’t see much light in the future, they tend to make bad decisions. When otherwise successful people see little hope in the future for their families and communities, they might make decisions which are less than ideal for our collective futures. Our worldview can, and often does, have tangible effects.
By showing areas that need work, as well as showing all the work that is already being done by regular people, some may be inspired to directly contribute their own time and effort. The issues that humanity faces today can be daunting, to say the least. Highlighting smaller areas where people can make a real difference could serve to reduce that feeling of overwhelming dread, and replace it with one of inspiration.
A missed opportunity
Many good news organizations do present progress being made around the world. What they often miss, in my experience, is linking those instances of progress with the larger issues humanity faces, and forming the narrative into something of a torrent of action by individuals.
To achieve these links, news organizations could present relevant developments into easily digestible segments; segments which contain all of the smaller efforts, only presented as smaller steps towards global goals. Some examples of this could be addiction, wealth gap and poverty, racism and hate crimes, sustainable business practices, and on and on. The point being, readers could begin to connect the dots from one story to another, see how they are related, and ideally identify with one or more aspects of the larger story.
One person helping their local community by setting up a neighbourhood library box is a nice story. That story could instead be framed in the context of local literacy rates, education efforts in that area, or the effects that regular reading can have on mental health and healthy worldviews. Then, later, those same efforts, or instances of progress, could be referenced again in a related story. For broadcast news, there could be specific segments where experts present tangible progress being made, as well as the work that’s being done in related areas (e.g. “Report on Climate Action”, or “The Education Initiative”).
Only when many individuals choose to act, choose to fight apathy and hopelessness, will their efforts begin to have an exponential effect, further inspiring others to action. Most people won’t act until they believe there’s hope (i.e. a purpose, and not an un-winnable fight), and they see other people like them participating. It may already be starting in some social circles, social media channels, etc., but a nationally broadcasting/publishing news organization might be able to create real FOMO (fear of missing out) on positive education and, hopefully, action.
Long-term goals
The goal of all this would be a long-term, and ongoing narrative of:
events occurring
issues identified/explained
solutions explored
action being taken (this could be the actual event)
progress being made
opportunity to contribute
repeat
The best possible outcome of all of this would, obviously, be more people becoming inspired to act; joining a local group, starting a program, changing their delay habits, or maybe even entering public service. Those outcomes are not likely to happen very often, nor would they be expected to — we all need to live our lives in our own way.
The outcome which could be much more realistic is an overall message of hope. When people feel hopeful for their future, and the futures of their children, they are much more likely to act in a way that is socially responsible; they are much more likely to make sacrifices in the areas of comfort or luxury, in favour of what is best for the future. They may not become full-time activists, but they may make different purchase decisions, express a more optimistic and supportive sentiment when discussing current events, or vote for the representative who values long-term goals for society, rather than short-term wins for the voter.
To sum it all up
All of this is a major oversimplification. Further, there are certainly news organizations which do not fit into the stereotype of ad-selling entertainment news, and have maintained journalistic integrity, while serving their communities with integrity — they are in the minority, unfortunately.
The majority of mainstream news organizations have a primary goal of attracting and retaining the attention of people, in order to secure more profitable advertisement contracts. Their secondary goal is to inform the public. They are largely little more than sensationalist entertainment.
There are many other news organizations who focus on positive news. These sometimes try to put them into the context of progress, but they are often naïve in their presentation, in my view.
What I’m suggesting is a new approach to the purpose of the news, while striving for a balance between realistic and optimistic. I suggest the news could be viewed more of a project management tool, or a communications campaign to inform the public of issues that need our attention, as well as progress being made. The end goal being to foster both hope and inspiration.
For this to ever become a reality, we would need two things:
A news organization willing to make this shift in purpose.
A public who is receptive to a more patient, and less sensational news media.
I have hope, but, admittedly, not a ton.
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