148 News, news

News, news, and more news

Real news, constant news, breaking news--there is a never-ending barrage of news alerts, minute by minute, hour by hour, everywhere and anywhere.

Cell phones ding as the latest alerts are posted. The term breaking news is almost humorous as news is always breaking--24 hours a day.

I have to admit I have been a news hound all my life—I woke up to the sounds of the Today Show with Dave Garroway from the early age of 6. Our family bought a TV when I was in the first grade. From then on, the morning and evening news were staples in our house. The morning was the national news and the evening the local that came from nearby cities. 

Plus the afternoon local paper and the morning state paper were delivered and read daily from cover to cover. We never relied on just one source.

In between, my dad was the reporter of the local news for the family before the afternoon edition was delivered. He would head to work each morning and circle through town to see what had happened that night. If it was something that couldn’t wait, he would come back by the house to report to my mom who would spread the word through her telephone circle. Events such as fires, break-ins, accidents, vandalism would make the cut.

I really don’t know how he got the scoop that quickly but he did. Remember that was well before cell phones and the Internet. So from this background, a true news junkie was born.

Now more than six decades later, it is a totally different world with multi-faceted sources as well as social media constantly providing up-to-date notices. Newspapers especially struggle to stay afloat because of around-the-clock access to breaking news. Some huge print news outlets such as the Washington Post and New York Times have mastered the constant news alerts but follow up with more details in the paper editions. 

For my generation who still want to hold a paper in hand every morning (afternoon editions are a thing of the past), the print edition still satisfies that tactile desire. For many of us, the digital version suffices and gives us a more portable way to have the news with us. 

Small town papers have a really difficult task as they try to compete with online outlets, sort of like Amazon with brick and mortar stores.

The owners have to have deep pockets and a steady revenue stream not reliant on subscriptions and advertising. The trend is for large companies to purchase these small papers and keep them afloat even though the founders couldn’t do it. What a tremendous mission these owners have to accomplish--saving the newspaper industry.

When network TV news shows try to keep up, it is a struggle. Rarely is there anything new on the evening news shows. The only thing they can do is try a different perspective or reveal some obscure fact that pertains but is not pertinent. The face-to-face interviews are very effective of controversial or epic events. Morning shows have a little advantage since the news of the day is just beginning but it is so competitive as the public has usually been alerted during the night.

We all must do our part if we value news of the highest order. Maintain subscriptions on the local, state, and national levels--print or digital. Digital is a little cheaper so try to at least handle two subscriptions. Share stories that are important to all levels so others are informed with the latest and best coverage.

Support TV news by signing up for alerts and social media postings. Also, share these articles when they are relevant and striking. Try social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and share what is important. More than one source is the best way to go.

I cannot imagine what the next 50-some years will bring, but I am sure it will be exciting. Hopefully, some young news hounds will develop through this intricate maze of alerts delivered in so many unique ways.

               Newsy Fran