This morning, for some reason, I had the CBS Early Show on. I wasn't watching it per se, until I started noticing a somewhat disturbing trend. I'd picked up on it during my local news broadcasts as well, but this was the first national news program I'd seen it on (no I don't watch Katie Couric or Brian Williams, that's what the internets are for). Every single story or topic they covered involved some mention of the bad economy and the recession. It started with a segment about singles finding love. Harmless enough. "In these tough economic times, is it possible to find love without spending a lot of money?" "Oh yes" blah blah blah. That went on for way too long talking about budget dating and how you can't judge a person for being unemployed and it's about their heart not their wallet. Okay, fair enough. But then we lead to the next segment. Cooking with Chef Boy-R-Dee or whatever and it's how to make meatballs on a budget. Because in these tough economic times who can possibly afford meat and pasta sauce?
My god it's relentless. The Dow may be dropping but temperatures outside are on the rise. With so many people unemployed, what kind of opening weekend numbers can Watchmen expect? Can they justify a smaller return by saying it's the economy? It's even hit commercials. How to buy a car during the recession. Feeling sad, then pick up a Happy Meal. When does it end? We know there's a recession out there. We don't need the constant reminders. It's just depressing. There's a war going on, too. Why don't we filter every single freaking news story through that subject?
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-07-2009 @ 5:39PM
sid said...
you write for a tv blog and you've only just picked up on that all they've been talking about for the past 6 months is the bad economy?
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 5:57PM
mj said...
I agree that it is getting silly. Everyone knows times are tough. No, don't show me expensive things, like $4,000 shoes, but give me a break, okay? Don't keep rubbing it in. Especially since the people doing the talking have way more than I do.
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 7:19PM
Modwild said...
This is the first time you've realized that the news' sole purpose is to try to scare the living shite out of America? They will take any topic to the nth degree....bird flu, global warming, west nile virus; at least the recession actually has a possibility of effecting many of the viewers.
News is a joke. The programming will slowly go the way of newspapers. Thank God.
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 7:19PM
Cray said...
Truth of matter is our economy is likely going to get worse before it gets any better, avoiding the obvious is no way to fix it. I'm perfectly content with the entertainment news reminding us of these economic hard times because I AM living through it.
Can you imagine someone who lost there job, and can't pay their mortgage and is a single parent. Turn on the news and listen to talking heads avoid the subject of our economy woes. I'd be like "Hello, reality....you there?"
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 9:38PM
brahmabull said...
This is why I don't watch the national news. I watch my late local news and when they start in on the economy stories I switch to Seinfeld. Don't get me wrong, I feel for those who have lost their jobs or homes but I just don't relate to any of that. I work in and industry that is in no danger of collapse, I bought a home I could actually afford, I still make my credit card payments on time, my family still goes out to eat once a week and we're going to Disney World this summer on vacation. No I don't make 6 figures, mid 5 figures is more like it, very middle class. Yeah things are bad for alot of people, but do we have to have it shoved down our throats everywhere we turn.
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 9:38AM
Donna said...
It's sad that hearing about those in need is something you don't want "shoved down your throat."
That aside, if you are absolutely, 100% sure that you are immune to the economy, then you are in a fantastic position to help those less fortunate than you are. You have more disposable income to help the poor and give to food banks or other charities which are in great need during this recession.
3-08-2009 @ 5:34AM
Mike said...
brahmabull@
What do you do that the economy leaves your job safe?
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 9:25AM
Donna said...
I can top that. My dad, born in the early 20's, grew up during the Great Depression and World War II, so his whole mindset was based on things like conserving food, rations, etc. So all MY life, I grew up hearing about how people got by during the Great Depression. Although, I admit, nowadays, I sort of wish I'd listened to my dad a big more, since a lot of what I'm going through now sounds a lot like his stories of his teens and 20s.
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 10:23AM
jrm said...
This is the greatest tragedy of the demise of the US print media--the death of investigative journalism. Broadcast news depends on visual images, and as such ends up showing and overplaying an endless stream of B-roll of what has happened. We see hour after hour of coverage of the snowstorm that anyone could have seen by stepping outside, but minimal coverage of the day-to-day events of two overseas wars that are almost wholly out of reach for nearly all Americans. While investigative television reporting is not unheard of, it is rare, just as sensationalized as most other TV news reporting, and, more often than not, driven by a desire for ratings rather than a drive to find the story.
We need look only as far as The Daily Show's montage this week of clips from MSNBC. Putting aside Jim Cramer's poor prognostication, we have the picture of a network that did a fine job reporting what happened yesterday, but that had no interest in looking into either i. why it happened or ii. what would happen tomorrow.
The rise of small-scale, internet- and blog-based reporting will probably only make up for the loss of major newspapers in a small way. There are many blogs dedicated to getting the facts behind the CNN bottom-of-the-screen news ticker, but none have the mass appeal of a newspaper or TV channel, as they are most likely to be read by those who have a strong interest in the subject to begin with. Moreover, those blogs and sites are few and far between, drowned out in a sea of others dedicated solely to repeating the soundbites and talking points off the evening (or morning, midday, afternoon or whenever) news programs.
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 11:31AM
rndmnme said...
What recession?
There's clearly nothing the average person can do about it, except, if they still have a job to keep making their car/house payments and going to work.
It may sound naive and ignorant, but what good is worrying going to do? Give me an ulcer? Make my medical bills go up?
If people stopped acting like it was the end of the world it would alleviate quite a bit of our problems. Not everything, not by a long shot. But damn if it wouldn't help.
Reply
3-08-2009 @ 3:58PM
Laura said...
Absolutely!! The hysteria underlying every newscast/story is completely unnecessary!
What the economy needs is for people who do have expendable income to spend it...these people don't need to have the living daylights scared out of them by talking about the demise of the US as we know it - the last thing we as a country need is for people to just sit on their money. I'm not saying go out and spend your savings - but just live your life normally.
We need to create jobs - not lose them...if we choose to stuff our money in the mattress that's exactly what will happen - business don't have the income to stay open.
It isn't sad to me that brahmabull doesn't want to hear about awfulness all day long - no one should want to.
I lost my house - but thank god I still have my job. I live the awfulness every day - and yet, I don't want it shoved down my throat in the media either.
Going on vacation and eating out is precisely what should be happening - it'll keep people in jobs.
3-09-2009 @ 7:42PM
Jennifer said...
HEAR, HEAR. I totally agree. I can't watch any news- and I'm talking a 30-second ad for News 10 during a commercial- without getting immediately suicidal with OMG SO DEPRESSING NEWS. If you want any sanity at all you have to stick your head in the sand (or watch TV online). Sitting there worrying does nothing, I can't help the problem except for spending money when I still can. Stop the fearmongering!
3-08-2009 @ 4:33PM
GL said...
I start every sentence with "In this tough economic climate..."
Reply