So where's the Good News?

[Tritan]

I was wondering, is anyone here bored with today's current affairs and news reports?

It seems to me like every day there is another scare tactic to scare us, the public, and make us listen/fall into line so 'we do what we are told'. Every day there is a new survey that shows something we once took for granted is now bad for us and will kill you. Every hour there are news headline of terror this, people die here, new disease kills.

It's just getting really boring, repetitive, and depressing. Why is there hardly ever any good news? Something that makes us feel good about being alive, or makes you smile before you go to work?

[stoo_pid]

Because good news don't sell newspapers

[Andy008]

Because, because, because....

The real world is a horrible, nasty, unpleasant place. Nice news sadly rarely comes to our attention, because the majority of people want to hear bad news because it gives us a point of reference for our lives. After all, why do you think EastEnders is so depressing, yet so popular?

Life is universally horrible with intermittent patches of fun and laughter. I wish more people would realise that. 

[georgit79]

'Life is universally horrible with intermittent patches of fun and laughter'? Where on earth do you live?

My life is quite pleasant thankyou.

In answer to your question Tritan, there is in fact lots of good news out there, but we as a society have been conditioned to be predisposed to only hearing the bad. Bad news sells, good news makes us smile. Papers are like bestselling books- they have to grab the attention, shock, stupefy. Good news just isn't going to have that effect, is it?

But do you want some good news? Ok- there was no traffic on my way in to work this morning. Only took me 20 minutes!

[Gevs1966]

Quite simply because for the most part "good news" isn't news. Take georgit's example I couldn't care less if there was no traffic (good) on my way to work as this would be considered normal and not news but I would want to know if there was a traffic jam (bad) as that is news and then I can plan around it. If you can give me examples of good news that is actually interesting (and isn't related to bad news ie someone being caught for a crime etc) then I might change my mind.

[mfewell]

I like the Today programme on R4 in the morning before work when it is presented (as today) by Sarah Montague and Carolyn Quinn. Never mind the news, just concentrate on the sultriness of two of the finest voices on radio.

[Champagne]

Tritan, why don't you switch off your television set and go out and do something less boring instead?

Seriously though, I don't own a tv so I only catch the news on the BBC website or whenever I remember to buy a newspaper. Other than that everything is very upbeat and positive.

Now excuse me while I go and skip through a poppy field...

[luckyboy]

BBC or itv reporter doing a report on say the NHS talks to say 20 people about what they think of it, 16 people say something deemed by said reporters editor to be positive so are edited out the 4 negative comments are what us viewers get to see in the broadcast...giving the viewers a totally lopsided view of the state of a range of issues..this type of thing has been going on for years...because of the widespread belief that negativity sells...and it is especialy true in our country not sure it applies to a country like america mind.

[Gevs1966]

Or maybe luckyboy that the issues that people are happy with do not need addressing but the issues that cause concern are those that people shoud focus on anyway...

[VINNY100_2]

Heres a nice tune to cheer you up Tritan.(:)

<><><><><>>


It's good news week,
Someone's dropped a bomb somewhere,
Contaminating atmosphere
And blackening the sky,
It's good news week,
Someone's found a way to give,
The rotting dead a will to live,
Go on and never die.
Have you heard the news?
What did it say?
Who's won that race?
What's the weather like today?
It's good news week,
Families shake the need for gold,
By stimulating birth control,
We're wanting less to eat.
It's good news week,
Doctors finding many ways,
Of wrapping brains in metal trays,
To keep us from the heat.
It's good news week,
Someone's dropped a bomb somewhere,
Contaminating atmosphere