by Denise Harvey

Created on: April 18, 2009

Yes, the mainstream media outlets favor bad news over good news. Bad news is all over the place. It's on the TV, radio, Internet, magazines, and of course the movies. Maybe bad news sells better than good news. The way the world is today, people live on bad news. When something bad happens and the media hears about it, they are on the air, sometimes without all the facts. They know that hearing a little bit will keep you coming back for more. Whether it's a bad family, community, church, state, country or world situation, you won't miss it, because it's all over the place.

People love to talk and gossip. They probably feel they can find more to say about something bad. When it's bad news, it's easy to sit back and voice your opinion and judge others. We love to say what we would or would not have done in a given situation. The media think they know what the people want. Maybe they have taken polls and they showed that people want to hear bad news. It's good to be informed about things that concern our well being. It's good to be warned of any danger that may be coming our way.

People are dying, being murdered, committing suicide, falling apart, losing their minds, stealing, cheating, lying, and whatever else bad we can think of, everyday, but what affect does the media want this to have on those who listen? Will hearing bad news cause us to be any better? Will it cause us to take a closer look at ourselves and maybe stay out of certain situations? It should, because it might be us on the next day news, with our bad business all over the TV screen and front page in the newspapers.

The mainstream media outlets go overboard most of the time. As we watch the news each night, we should start keeping records of the number of good stories and the number of bad stories. Then we will know for sure, which one is favored more. Good news warms our heart for awhile and then it's gone. Good news isn't barber shop or beautician shop talk. How often do you hear or read about faithful marriages, well behave children, loving parents, becoming successful in honest ways, honest people who are kind and unselfish and just the goodness of others, with no strings attached? Not to often. And if we do, it's a quick one or two minute clip at the end of the news cast, radio broadcast and in the middle of the newspaper.

You have to look hard to find good refreshing news stories, that will warm your heart and cause you to reach out in love. But if you want to hear bad news, cut your TV, or radio on. Go out and buy any newspaper, magazines and even those gossip papers, and you will see bad news all on the front page and cover. Why, because it will sell. Mainstream media reports what sells. For those of us who don't like that, we have choices. We must not let the media control our way of thinking. There are some good people out there doing great things. If you know someone who is doing great things, let your local news know.

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