Headlines or …?

I don’t remember exactly what the inspiration was, but since last night, I’ve been mulling over a new idea about news.  Like, The News. Tom Brokaw and the New York Times. (I know; exciting, right?  See why I had to tell you about it?)

I briefly heard someone talk about today’s news stories as something they go to for entertainment, rather than true information. Bread and circuses to keep us entertained. The implication was that current news stories are hyperbolic, a little bit made-up and sensational. As I type these words, I suppose in some sense, this is true, but… really?

This was a little unsettling to me. Barring the “liberal bias/conservative slant” that I hear people (my mother and my in-laws) complain about news sources, I have always assumed that news is pretty straight-forward and true! (Admittedly, I got my undergrad from the Uni that, at the time, had the #1 school of Journalism in the US (Brad Pitt went there) and all my J-school friends studied ethics in journalism, including my sophomore year roommate.)

But if news headlines are grandly inflated for our entertainment, what could be the real story behind it?

“Court Rejects Arizona’s Abortion Ban.” (They actually never considered the ban.  Some guitarists put together the Abortion Band, but the court didn’t like it.)

“Red Light Cameras Made the City’s Streets Safer.” (They actually made no difference, but we wanted to see what photos would look like in the red shadow. They’re flattering!)

“Feds to Probe Post-Sandy ads that starred Christi.” (They’re actually reviewing his onscreen presence – need a new reality TV path.)

Creativity is the order of the day!