For some inexplicable reason, I keep watching the Today Show, despite the fact that it puts my panties in a bunch nearly every day. But I realized this might be the perfect outlet for my daily outrage over the “news” on Today.
Occasionally, I’ll turn on CNN out of frustration, but the last time I did that I was outraged by their anchor’s embarrassing lack of knowledge of climate change. (“Global warming? But we’re having blizzards!” The scientist patiently explained, earning himself sainthood.)
Today, Today ran a segment about fame and celebrities that sent me over the edge. Tabloids have grown while news magazines remained stagnant, they said. High school kids want to be famous more than they want to be smart or strong or pretty, they said. We’re obsessed with celebrities, they said.
What did they tease at the end of this segment? Red carpet fashion you can afford!
Well, I can’t accuse them of moralizing.
JF:
“Today “is also running a segment on “Be A Today Anchor” — the reality show meant to give instant fame to budding hopefuls.
I guess that means that the average Jane can do Today’s anchor job then.
Or can she?
Did I mention that out of the 4 finalists, 2 were camera-ready beauties and 2 were geeky, brainy guys with non-descript looks?… The double standard in TV news is alive and well in the 21st century.
Lovely. I guess it’s NOT a “new day” in the Today neighborhood, even as the show jingle says otherwise!
Thought #1: an insidious thought…perhaps “fame” beats out “beauty,” “wealth” or “strength” because it’s now understood to mean, and is defined by being beautiful, wealth-making and strong, particularly in decision-making strength. Such as: I want to be famous because I’ll become wealthy, everyone will love me and people will want to be me and come to me to ask I what I think about world hunger and fashion. But it’s assumed that to get that you’ll be noted as beautiful – and you go about chiseling yourself into some prefab concept of beauty?
Thought #2: a happier thought…Maybe there is more emphasis on fame for other reasons than beauty, wealthy or power? Like, helping mankind? There’s a lot of manditory volunteering going on in grade schools and high schools than there was 10 years ago!
Even if TODAY is totally shallow and wanton, there’s still hope for humanity?!
There IS hope for humanity … just not television news. The Today Show is just a caffeinated version of its 24-hour counterparts. CNN, MSNBC, etc have one mission — to fill airtime in between their commercials. FOX, at least (and I’m not condoning any part of the right-wing machine here), has a mission to bring down anyone who disagrees with the GOP and religious right.
They’re all noise-makers when all we need is clarity. Thank your higher power (or personal search for enlightenment) that newspapers, NPR and intelligent bloggers still exist.
As Ed Murrow said, broadcast is doomed to become wires in a box if it answers to advertisers. Amen, brother Ed.