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Have you noticed how WRAL has been putting rare good economic stories on their main webpage, but the many bad economic stories get buried in the business page? I noticed this trend a while back and it really showed the other day when all the devastating reports came out with economist mentioning the "D" word and these stories were put on the back pages. These were major headline stories and never showed up on the front page. What is going on with them?
I personally would never rely on a local TV news organization for actual news. If it doesn't involve crime, a fire, or some other sensational event, all they seem to do is regurtigate the news somone else (i.e. the N&O) has actually done the leg work to report, and usually only after all the crime and fire stories. It doesn't shock me that WRAL's website would not prioritize stories in the same way that a legitimate news site would. Their mission is TV ratings, not providing information.
I personally would never rely on a local TV news organization for actual news. If it doesn't involve crime, a fire, or some other sensational event, all they seem to do is regurtigate the news somone else (i.e. the N&O) has actually done the leg work to report, and usually only after all the crime and fire stories. It doesn't shock me that WRAL's website would not prioritize stories in the same way that a legitimate news site would. Their mission is TV ratings, not providing information.
So true.
The WRAL 11 o'clock news last night lead with a story about a forest fire in Sampson County (I wonder how many Triangle Residents could locate Sampson County on a Map?). That was followed by a story about a theif stealing air conditioner units from storm damaged homes in Fayetteville. Then came a teaser about the hot weather.
It wasn't until 15 minutes into the broadcast, after all the sensational "news" that they made a 20 second mention about the NC Senate passing the new state budget.
Somewhere along the line, they realized that "good news makes people happy", and therefore it sells. That is basically what is going on. (I think they actually promoted this point at one time, stating how they'd focus on the good stories.)
Like others, I believe that local news is good for getting the local pulse, hearing the (usually wrong) weather report, and finding out what major events are going on in town, but to get your real news you need to reach out further.
I try to vary my sources, and get diverse input from multiple medium and multiple sources, with differing biases, and then decide for myself. If I had to pinpoint one good, unbiased source that I go to regularly, it's the Economist. (Weekly "newspaper" that we Americans would call a "magazine".) they pride themselves on making it so the reader can not pin them as liberal or conservative, and in fact their writers are all anonymous. It's "the Economist". If you read most articles, they slant one way or the other, and about mid-way through they present the opposing side. Reader gets to decide how to interpret the story.
I've also noticed that on WRAL's website. I've tried to comment on some of the stories as well and if I have a very different opinion, even if said respectfully, it never gets published. I do like the @nccapitol page on there. It posts the General Assembly calendar and that reporter live tweets from the GA so you can get a feel for at least what is going on.
I've found though to take every thing the media says with a grain of salt and do my own research on the subject, ESPECIALLY if it's a political story like on the budget. Each side always presents it in their favor and spins the other sides story. I'd rather see what both sides said, then go read the bill for myself, and draw my own conclusion. It's amazing to me how many times I've read a story and thought, "what's the big deal?" but then gone and read a bill and then seen all the things buried in it not reported in the media.
So local news = sunshine and lolipops. World News = world is ending.
Pretty much
i watch wral when i feel like i need sunshine and kittens....
if i want to know whats really going on I check the web and various sources in an effort to find an unbiased opinion..
sigh...I remember when they JUST READ THE NEWS...nothing enfuriates me more than to turn on CNN, FOX, MSNBC and see the little boxes of "experts" and analysts shouting over each other while the anchor sits in the middle looking dumb...
Just tell me whats going on, not what YOU think about it...
The WRAL 11 o'clock news last night lead with a story about a forest fire in Sampson County (I wonder how many Triangle Residents could locate Sampson County on a Map?). That was followed by a story about a theif stealing air conditioner units from storm damaged homes in Fayetteville. Then came a teaser about the hot weather.
It wasn't until 15 minutes into the broadcast, after all the sensational "news" that they made a 20 second mention about the NC Senate passing the new state budget.
Sampson County and Fayetteville both have WRAL in their tier so it IS local news. Just because it is not local or serve us doesn't mean it should be ignored. WRAL serves more that just the Triangle, so they put these stories in for them as well.
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