Should newspapers cover more positive stories?

[AB Asks]

Newspapers have been long accused of sensationalism and only focussing on the negative news stories. However, there are positive stories out there that either get no coverage, or are buried in the middle pages. Do you think newspapers should cover more positive news on their front pages, perhaps be forced to? Or is bad news the only news that people really want to hear?

[Romeo]

In China, newspapers are by law required to report a fifty per cent minimum of good news. Although some would say that this is a form of government propaganda and censorship, I'm not too sure it's such a bad idea. Because actually there are good things happening, and not just sentimental personal human stories like old friends reunited or cats rescued from trees. Race crime is going down in certain parts of the country, space exploration is being carried out, medicine is making new breakthroughs. But do people want to know about such things?

[naomi24]

Definitely not. They already do that when they want to keep something low profile. The likes of Jade Goodie take precedence enough over world events or this shambles of a government and the mess they're causing.

[maxximus]

your question is just scratching the surface, the news is a far more sinister tool than you are suggesting. here is an excellent program on how the news was manipulated leading up to the iraq war and was used as a propaganda tool to convince the masses and how it was achieved http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/btw/watch.ht ml well worth watching. clic watch video under screen ' buying the war '

[maxximus]

yes this freedom and democracy thing is really quite special isn't it. great word that 'perfidious' by the way. ( admittedly looked it up. ) glad you took the time to watch and enjoyed the program. i've watched bill moyers for years and have always liked him. cheers!