You be the editor / producer

[BanzaiCat]

If I'm a local news organization, I will smother the airwaves with stories of crime, break-ins, assaults, and beatings, but will not help the community in any way by releasing any details about what the perps look like, so we don't offend anyone. In the midst of that I will have a story about cute little dogs at the pound that need adoption and something inane about a shoe sale nearby, because women be all about shoes. If there's time then something international. Usually there will not be time. Also, if any of these stories can be split up with the "more info later in the broadcast" to keep people watching my advertiser's stupid commercials (because my station is a whore), so much the better.

[skeptical.platypus]

If I were an editor/producer, I'd run compelling stories about how bacon and/or gravy improves lives in my community, and around the world. I'd feature all kinds of stuff with boobs, 'cause I like boobs. Also, yoga pants.

[Arctic Blast]

One more thing, the press should feel they have a civic duty to make people engaged citizens. Engaged citizens are less likely to have the wool pulled over their eyes. Several items are trivia. Who cares. Geopolitical events have far reaching consequences that impact far into the future.

But that only applies if citizens WANT to be engaged, and we don't want to be. The news is offering exactly what the viewing audience is demanding... absolutely nothing challenging, and a bunch of fluff.

Don't watch news for your fluff, there is sports, sitcoms, all kinds of stuff.

Again, the news (like everything else on network TV) is providing exactly what the people are demanding. Getting upset because the news is using up airtime on Entertainment segments and the like is just as misguided as complaining that major game publishers keep putting out shooters...they're providing what pays the bills.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I cancelled cable many years ago. With few exceptions, it is useless.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

One more thing, the press should feel they have a civic duty to make people engaged citizens. Engaged citizens are less likely to have the wool pulled over their eyes. Several items are trivia. Who cares. Geopolitical events have far reaching consequences that impact far into the future.

But that only applies if citizens WANT to be engaged, and we don't want to be. The news is offering exactly what the viewing audience is demanding... absolutely nothing challenging, and a bunch of fluff.

Don't watch news for your fluff, there is sports, sitcoms, all kinds of stuff.

Again, the news (like everything else on network TV) is providing exactly what the people are demanding. Getting upset because the news is using up airtime on Entertainment segments and the like is just as misguided as complaining that major game publishers keep putting out shooters...they're providing what pays the bills.

That's why they've got to re-instate broadcast standards as a prerequisite of getting a broadcast licence.  Bringing back things like being required to broadcast a certain number of hours devoted to news, education, and children's programming as a licencing requirement would be a good start.  That removed the profit motive so that the news is no longer pandering for ratings to sell ad time and instead becomes a prestige position where networks compete to have the best team for the gathering and dissemination of substantive news. 

[Arctic Blast]

I cancelled cable many years ago. With few exceptions, it is useless.

Oh, I pretty much completely agree.