The News Media and Non-News

It seems to me that increasingly of late the majority of news media, be they radio, television or newspapers are not reporting news. Much of the 'news' content is now speculation concerning things that may happen rather than actually reporting events that have actually taken place.

Just consider the following: in recent days media providers have been commenting on the cuts that may be made by HM government in order to assuage the current national financial deficit. To date no details of cuts have been announced (bar one 'accidentally' leaked several days ago) and none will be made public until the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the next few weeks. From this, therefore, it is obvious that whatever is reported as to where cuts will be made is purely specualtion and that in itself is not news.

One UK Chief Constable is widely reported with his belief that there could cuts enforced upon the police service in the region of 25% overall. He speculates that there could be an increase in crime, there could be a breakdown of civil order, that Britain could turn into a dark, dangerous place.

An influential trade union leader has said that as a result of cuts there cold be civil disobedience, large scale strikes and a descent into chaos. Others are pursuing a similar theme, none of which is fact, just supposition, speculation, scare-mongering and just not actual news.

This manner of presenting so called news could have a somewhat negative effect on the general population at large in that compounds existing concerns and fears as to both the immediate and long term future for individuals, families, business, the economy and the country's international position. Possibly the only certainty is that a negative effect is created.

News reporting by itself is naturally to some degree is bad news encompassing travel disasters, economic gloom, unemployment, assorted ongoing conflicts and politics. Seldom is good news actually newsworthy except in a few instances. Even just reading, watching or listening to the news could be depressing and might lead to even deeper personal and national despair. Unfortunately this could lead to a downward reiterative cycle which might become an actual self-fulfilling prophecy.

Let's have an end to all this 'might be', 'could do', and 'possibly will' culture, it could be depressing and might be very damaging. Let's have real news returned to the media as a whole which could possibly engender some positive feelings for a change.