by David Brown

Created on: September 16, 2007

News media outlets, no matter who they are, favor the news when it means something to the public. This means that if a particular news story is worthy of going beyond a 30 second clip, then it is newsworthy and will probably continue to go on and on until we, as citizens of the United States gets tired of the news. A couple of for instances are stories such as the Michael Vick Illegal Dogfighting case and the "death" or mysterious disappearance of Natalie Holloway. Each and every day now, all I hear is what is going on with Michael Vick and the continuing saga of who killed Natalie Holloway.

News outlets strive and survive on bad news. This is unfortunate, but without it, there would almost be nothing to report on. Living in the suburbs of metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, I hear bad news each and every day. Stories of critical and fatal car accidents continue to make big news. Principals and teachers of schools who are arrested overnight for child molestation are stories making big news in the state. The War in Iraq is big news to us Georgians because many of the large Army units are from bases right here in Georgia, i.e., Fort Stewart. What I do find interesting about news outlets, whether television, radio or print media, they all strive for the same goal: ratings. Whoever had the most controversial, the most meaningful stories (mostly the bad ones)and can report on them first, makes the grade in the ratings war.

The old saying is, "All the news that is fit to print," should be changed to: "All the news that is bad makes great ratings!"

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