After watching some of the media coverage of the inauguration this last week I have become more convinced that the media lacks, more than ever, the ability to differentiate, to keep things in proper perspective. We see it on both sides of the news now. When a tragedy like a hurricane, tornado, or flood wiping out a city happens they dwell on it for days on end, digging into every little piece of minutia. They refuse to break away from the scene of the story, even if they don't have any new developments.
Weather reports are great for that. You get a tornado warning and they'll sit and talk about tornadoes and the potential damage they can do for hours. They'll bring in a guy who survived a tornado twenty years ago, yet there may not be a single tornado that touches down in the viewing area.
The coverage of the Barrack Obama inauguration had a similar feel to me. I agree that the election and inauguration of our first "black" president was significant historically. However, did it need non-stop, 24-7, news coverage for 2-3 straight days? I am of the opinion that when you start analyzing and reanalyzing the fashion choices of the Obama family you are no longer reporting news. That, to me, is to suggest that the producers (the decision makers at the networks) have lost perspective.
What do you think?
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