This has been a particularly publicized election. I have followed the news a lot more closely since the beginning of my JRN 200 class. Current events are emphasized in the class, but now I seem to just follow them because I'm interested. It seems like every day there is a new piece of news about it. However, I've noticed a particular amount of reaching. Journalists are trying just about anything to find a story. Even if it isn't actual news.
Who cares if Barack Obama's middle name is Hussein? Or his last name rhymes with "Osama". This is a fact that only seems interesting to the media and to extreme right-wingers. Should I, as a voter, find this newsworthy? Should this fact affect my decision-making? I sincerely hope not.
Or this gem from today, which made CNN:
Elizabeth Taylor supports Clinton
Apparently Elizabeth Taylor is backing Clinton. Again, is this news? Should America care who Elizabeth Taylor supports? Even if I were a huge Elizabeth Taylor fan, I wouldn't think this to be newsworthy enough to make CNN.
Everyone makes such a big deal about constantly finding stories, something that no one else has. The truth of the matter is, this just creates a lot of news that, well...isn't. I honestly hope Americans don't base their votes on what celebrities think. I realize Elizabeth Taylor was great in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", but that doesn't make her opinion more important than anyone else's. I just think it's unfortunate we are more concerned with little stories involving things that are unusual than the big issues.
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