Can News Be Depressing?

Some people don't watch or care about news because some people feel terrible just hearing about all the sad nuances of the world. My brother sometimes asks me why the news starts off with sad news before going into happier news. I sometimes only watch the news just to see the weather and sports. Does it mean that I couldn't care less about any of the other important topics? No, it just means that news just seems so depressing that [especially] sports news is a welcome blessing (unless my favorite athletes and teams) from the more dismal news. Weather can only be dismal news if some terrible weather is happening now or in the forthcoming future. So let me ask you... can news (regardless of TV and newspaper) be depressing?

--- Can Reading/Watching News Be Depressing? ---

Some people just can't stand following the news constantly because it seems like the same old dismal news is what only comes out. Only people I really know whom have said that they don't check out the news often are my former American History (before 1877) teacher and my brother.


News Addictions?
It sometimes feel like we always need to be in the know for news. That's perfectly fine. It's okay to always know what's going on in your city and outside of your city. Even if you don't like following the news all the time, at least you know the importance of knowing what all is going on in the world. Thing is, can we feel too much like our lives depend on knowing what all is going on in the world, even if that news is entirely bad? It can be a bit of an addiction to follow the news.


A Positive Approach?
The CW 39 here in Houston does things a little differently, especially in the 5:00 PM hour. The first segment begins with a slight look at some of the top news stories, then goes into entertainment news. It's a different approach to somewhat get you into some happier moods before the news that REALLY matters comes along. I think that's a different approach to the news so that you feel a bit more happier. CW 39 Entertainment reporter, Hailey Frances, usually is out and about on the road to certain fun places and Happy Hour places to offer some diversion from any of the rough news of the day.

Now does this come at the expense of wanting to know about important news issues right away? Sure. However, at least this is a better approach so that watching the news doesn't seem absolutely depressing. It's still the news, but at least you won't have to be fixated entirely on all the negative news right away.

One time on CW 39 here in Houston, I can remember one Friday night when anchor Mia Gradney was dishing the dismal news here in the Houston area from that day. I think there were lots of news like poor weather and a few deaths and killings here in Houston that day. Reporter/anchor, Katishia Cosley, had a segment on how to have a wedding without having to pay a whole lot for a wedding. It was a pleasant diversion from some of the sad news from the day. At least something like this is a step in the right direction so that all news doesn't seem so depressing. Then too, Katisihia Cosley is someone who often tries to find positives in some of the most depressing stories. She often smiles sweetly and thinks positively. I even remember when she was a reporter for KTRH ABC 13 here in Houston when she covered Hurricane Ike on ABC 13 and even some time after Ike. There's just a real passion of covering news and finding positives from various stories with Katishia. That's why I enjoy seeing her on TV covering the news because of that positivity and passion she brings to newscasts.

I admit I've been watching more of CW 39 for news these days mostly for their approach to the news. This is now a CW testimonial; it's just that I wanted to provide a good example relevant to this blog entry. I usually watch KTRH ABC 13 here in Houston and the CW 39. I sometimes look at KRIV FOX 26 news (Houston's FOX affiliate), but usually for morning news at times. They still talk about all the serious issues going on, but the presentation is just in a way that you don't immediately feel immediately sad or depressed over any of the same sad topics. I guess it's just that too much of the news is more on saddening news items rather than on lots of positives.


Depressing News, or Just Not Enough Positives to Report?
News issues are usually in the order of most important news followed by least important. News on things like political matters, weather, and critical arrests are usually ahead in the news queue than sports scores and movie news. Then too, if you just look at positive news, you neglect that there are serious issues besides the lighthearted news. But when a lot of the news seems to be about some of the same depressing topics like a broken record, you begin to feel like the news can be absolutely monotonous.

Now that I think about it, a good diversion from the news is the wildly popular Onion News Network. You can see what the Onion is all about by visiting their YouTube Channel (TheOnion).





So what do you think? Can reading and watching the news can be depressing? Should there be a different approach to make the news more interesting and less depressing (if you don't see reading/watching news as depressing)? Read and comment!