During the past eighteen months I've ceased watching or listening news as a matter of course. Where once I was a bit of an addict, I now find I access news online and then select stories that interest me. If I then wish to access extended coverage, I switch on the telly.

My ten year-old son has recently shown some interest in the news, however, I'm finding that I'm inclined to strongly regulate the amount he watches and make sure I'm on hand to explain the background to stories. It seems to me, having had this time without a repeated barrage of "bad news", that it doesn't serve us well psychologically to indulge ourselves in this manner.

I don't believe we were designed to be flooded with tragedies 24/7, which is effectively what we inflict on our psyches every day of the year. In the developed world we appear to operating on a heightened footing - we tune in hourly for the latest death, disease, trauma and woe.

No wonder depression is rife.

Any thoughts?

ahh pure0
trhe news is meant to depress..[de'press...get it?]

thing is news raduio was a joke from the get go
put on the worse wavelength...[noting tab radio is on the best]
then loo[ping arrounf the same limited news on a 15 minute loop
anywonder i went back to the other abc's

the best news is on the local channel briz 31[free to air]
but they went digetal after the floods..so i cant watch them no more]

of course what really ghappend is a good info source
and republic broadcasting..as well aas the latest yoyu tube news uploads[that they removede as an option]

you cant beat news some papers..and some magazines
[specialist ones]..not mens or womans iooking or star power ones

NO THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH NEWS
there is too little QUALITY news
then to much blood stars and gore spin

anyhow thanks for reminding me
im now more depressed thanm ever..[but not because of lack of new's]
but the same ol news designed to put us into fight or flight[preferably the latter]

sorry if my spelling is worse than ever
i cant see the screen.getting a migrane light show

im so over trying to wake people up
go the rabbit''ohs ..did ya hear what she done?

goss ip
go sip
gossip
goss up
gloss up

News remains what it has always been informative.
My problem is not seeing/hearing what is taking place.
It is the endless craftsmanship put in with the news.
And even worse, total lack of it, reports that are untrue but presented as fact.
A theft can grow in just a few reports from ten dollars to ten million.
Death toll from one thousand to ten.
A grin right now is the tribalism and embarrassing reports that Gillard bowed,not curtsied to the old English lady some say is Queen.

OUG and Belly,

We live in an age of rapid transmission of information.
One of the most significant of human qualities is empathy, the vicarious experiencing of feelings and thoughts of others.
For most of human history information would have been fairly slow in arrival, and local gossip would have chiefly comprised its content. Notwithstanding that death and illness were more a part of the domestic daily grind, whereas these days in the developed world we are largely screened from such things as far as is possible.

We now have a non-stop flow of tragedy and doom. I'm wondering about the effect on the psyche in having to constantly process such vast amounts of bad news.

Dear Poirot,

I also find the news programs on commercial television
rather depressing. I've begun to be more
selective in what channels I'll watch sticking
to SBS (World News Australia), and prior to that
PBS - News Hour, then The Journal (Deutsch News),
ABC News at 7.00pm. And, general programs
like Lateline, Four Corners, Q and A, Media
Watch. I do admit that I have enjoyed The 7PM Project,
but Today Tonight and A Current Affair - is a little
over the top for me (same as I used to love Two and
A Half Men - but the new program is a dud).

Anyway - I guess that the commercial news channels
tend to feature stories that they feel will draw in
large viewing audiences - therefore I guess this
means omitting issues that are more sober but
perhaps significant also. Their coverage is highly
selective or distorted.

cont'd ...

I forgot to answer your question as to what effect
all this has on people. The influence of television,
like that of the other media, is difficult to trace with
any certainty, because it is inevitably entangled in a
multitude of influences on personality. One major point
of controversy has been the impact of television violence.
If we take into account that by the time the average
child reaches the age of sixteen, he or she has witnessed
innumerable acts of violence - and according to the
National Institute of Mental Health in the US for example,
it was found
that these portrayals do, in fact, encourage aggressive
conduct among children and teenagers. Therefore I would
assume that constantly watching depressing news
from around the world
would also have an effect on the psyche. If nothing else
it probably encourages intellectual passivity (hindering
the acquisition of reading skills that could be developed
from say - newspapers, and other printed sources).

...And here was deluded me, after watching news on TV thinking the only news that mattered was sporting results and share prices! A major feature lacking in TV news is currency.

Lexi I agree with you that the programs like Today Tonight, & the other one are pure dross, I find the equivalent on 10 no better, in fact perhaps worse because of the ego of the presenters on display.

I can understand your attraction to the ABCs propaganda shows, stacked with lefties pushing their barrow, but I have given up on them.

I am finding our community channel, Briz 31 are doing better stuff all the time.

OUG I suggest you get a $50 set top box, as they are worth watching more often than any other free channel.

SBS is great for the documentaries that used to be the attraction of the ABC, but their news & current affairs can be hard to take. I do object to being talked down to, by someone who has little idea of their topic, a bad habit SBS people have developed.

As for the news damaging kids, just let them watch the ABC if your worried. Even a 10 year old should be able to see through their spin, & exposure to it may prepare them to resist more subtle, & better contrived spin, when they encounter.

If I want to find out what the socialist are up to I watch the ABC. Thankfully most have seen through the Green/Homosexual/ feminist/earth worshipping dogmas that they have insisted on pushing for 50 years. I think they gave up along time ago in trying to be balanced. If I want to get a more rounded view I will read Bolt or the Australian. The Australian has rusted on old lefties like Adams who is always good for a laugh and some talented balanced writers.

That's why I read papers (the Herald in particular as it has the least rubbish); because if I personally don't care about the Israel-Palestine conflict, or celebrity news, or some cannabis-bust, or how Obama's popularity is faring; I simply skip the stories entirely.

As a result, I can read any relevant political or science news at a leisurely pace, and be finished with the entire paper within five minutes.

Unfortunately, news is yet another victim of the all mighty dollar, whereby, it is often the ratings that matter rather than the news it's self.

Of cause, as a result of this race to be the top rated news broadcaster,we now have many cases of trial by media which, apart from entruding on ones private life, also make it very difficult for the justic system to make a case at times.

We no longer have the innocent until proven guilty sinario.

Like, who knew of the guy that is now accused of killing young Daiel, or, how many of us think the so called Dr Death is guilty.

How many of us have formed an opinion about Chapel Corbey?

All curteousy of the news and their appetite for the top spot.

There is not too much news

What is lacking these days in newws media is reporters.

They used to train their own reporters, now they go to Uni and come out fully fledged opinionators who give their own opinion on matters.

There is no such thing as reporting the facts and letting the readers/viewers/listeners form their own opinion.

If I want another opinion on a matter i will seek out a commentator.

I don't suppose there can be too much news for a species as curious as ours is. We're all huge sticky-beaks.

The comments so far indicate that most of us couldn't imagine a world without non-stop instantaneous feedback at the press of a button. I wonder if it makes us more fearful or more assured?

Poirot (and others),

I too despair with the quality of the news - I seldom watch it on TV (although I do like SBS world news) and haven't bought a paper in years. But if you are really looking for rubbish, check out MSN online daily (it’s like a car crash for me – I know it is bad to look but I can’t help it!).

To answer one of your earlier questions first – yes, I think that there could well be a cumulative effect of bad news on the psyche of young minds and my sub-ten children don’t get to see it as a result. I also think Lexi’s comment on violence is spot on.

Is there too much news? No, I think that there are some general concepts that play out with the enormous barrage of information where the truth is in there somewhere, even under the most enthusiastic efforts to dress it or distort it. As with the more loftier questions of life, it is up to the individual to interpret by their own values and in doing so forms their character.

Sounds good in theory but what if the character is formed by believing all the rubbish we see? Unfortunately, that is the case in the vast majority of our population.

Continued ...

... continued

You last question is a bit more pointed and leading – should we be fearful or assured? I will take it out of context intentionally and suggest that if you take the time to analyse many of the news and CA stories, both elements are at play – make you fearful of something but then assure you that it is all OK because ... (1) we have a policy, or (2) the police will protect you, or (3) we have a better policy, or (4) the army will protect you, or (5) etc.

A bit off-topic but this ploy? is also utilised significantly in TV advertising. For example - “be scared that all these nasty germs will make your family sick, so buy our anti-bacteria spray to sanitise your kitchen!” Create a problem and then solve the problem with something that you don’t need (and may be harmful by introducing toxins and/or reducing the ability of children to properly develop an immune system).

How did we get here?