In an attempt to write at a more frequent pace, this blog may veer slightly off course in the coming weeks. Today I'm going to vent a little bit about the "news" here in southern California. I understand that selling advertising space is what motivates both local and national news. It's why The Nightly News is sandwiched between erectile dysfunction ads and cholesterol reducing miracle pills. It's why Pete Carlson is hawking his golf clubs and tennis rackets in between "stories" about homeless kittens and the best booster seats. These were two of the stories on KPSP this morning and neither are what anyone with their eyes open would call news. Think about the headlines they're feeding you before you accept them. There are over 60 million ridiculous feral cats in the US. If you adopt a cat in Palm Springs, you're placating something inside yourself, not helping a national cause, as they would have you believe.
Reading the Himalayan Times is not a respite from advertisers or from self-serving stories. The Times is about making money. I get that. Right now Nepal is trying to negotiate a constitution through two main factions. The Maoists, who toppled a monarchy with eight years of brutal civil war, and the NPC (Nepali Peoples Congress). It's not that we don't have political trouble and huge issues here in the US, it's that we don't care as much. They sedate us with, and pander to, the advertisers who offer the most money.
Think about a country that has no constitution, has electricity for about half the day, is very poor, and boasts around a 50% literacy rate. These are issues that the Nepalese need to know about; there is no advertising necessary.Now think about your homeless kittens. Who wants you to read about the kittens? Somebody paid for the advertising that got that story printed.
The Occupy Wall Street Movement doesn't get any play out here in the desert, and why should it? It probably doesn't have enough advertisers behind it. Maybe if we got some sponsors for the occupiers. We could get Wonder Bread, Mac and Cheese, and Spam to sponsor all the people without jobs. Then maybe somebody out here would pay attention. Because in America, unless you have advertising dollars behind you, you have nothing. But hey, go get a kitten, it will make you feel better about gettingrailroaded marketed to in every medium possible.
(as I finish this entry, MSNBC is focusing on why Michael Jackson died) brought to you byAlazopram and "who gives a shit"
Reading the Himalayan Times is not a respite from advertisers or from self-serving stories. The Times is about making money. I get that. Right now Nepal is trying to negotiate a constitution through two main factions. The Maoists, who toppled a monarchy with eight years of brutal civil war, and the NPC (Nepali Peoples Congress). It's not that we don't have political trouble and huge issues here in the US, it's that we don't care as much. They sedate us with, and pander to, the advertisers who offer the most money.
Think about a country that has no constitution, has electricity for about half the day, is very poor, and boasts around a 50% literacy rate. These are issues that the Nepalese need to know about; there is no advertising necessary.Now think about your homeless kittens. Who wants you to read about the kittens? Somebody paid for the advertising that got that story printed.
The Occupy Wall Street Movement doesn't get any play out here in the desert, and why should it? It probably doesn't have enough advertisers behind it. Maybe if we got some sponsors for the occupiers. We could get Wonder Bread, Mac and Cheese, and Spam to sponsor all the people without jobs. Then maybe somebody out here would pay attention. Because in America, unless you have advertising dollars behind you, you have nothing. But hey, go get a kitten, it will make you feel better about getting
(as I finish this entry, MSNBC is focusing on why Michael Jackson died) brought to you by
No comments:
Post a Comment