news

He stands next to the stone wall, stoic, silent. The unmanned television camera is five or six feet away, facing him. His eyes are closed. His arms are crossed in front of his navy blazer. He holds a microphone in one hand.

The train leaves the stop and passes him quickly. He could be thinking, outlining his to-do list for the day or the remainder of the week. He could be rehearsing his piece, word by word. Maybe it’s live and he’ll only have one attempt.

There’s no one around, just him and the massive stadium behind him. The paths around it are empty. It’s cloudy and gray.

I don’t recognize him, which is to be expected. I can’t recall any local news anchors or correspondents by name and don’t watch their broadcasts. Occasionally I won’t be motivated enough to turn the channel when they come on.

They attempt to compete with cable programs and 24-hour news outlets. What’s left are hollow offerings and uninteresting stories.

Before my time, local news, whether print or television, were the main source of information. National headlines were translated into a local perspective. Deserving smaller happenings were highlighted.

Things are different. To force interest, broadcasts start with horrific events. Then the necessities like weather and sports highlights are covered before a heart-warming story. Cable news has taken over as the main television news source.

On cable, the three main news channels volley and pander and manipulate to bolster their ratings. Little attention is paid to the quality of reporting. Celebrities are covered with the same import as foreign relations. Irrational conclusions are jumped to as pundits try desperately to have a better sound-bite than another.

There is no perspective or judgment. Information is tossed at the viewer with reckless abandon. Context is ignored and consequences aren’t considered. Global events are reduced to repetitive fifteen-second clips.

Typical consumers are confounded, ignoring pressing facts that are supplied alongside trivial nonsense. Uninformed viewers rally behind ignorant and reactionary policy, leaving us hopelessly behind. Information delivered in this way is easily manipulated and manufactured.

Local news is left to fend for itself, competing with this incessant noise. It paints a violent, dark landscape. The focus is overwhelmingly negative. More people lock their doors, afraid of what lies on the other side. Neighbors don’t know each other and any sense of community is left neglected, decomposing.

The train rounds the corner and the news man disappears. I wonder what his piece is about.