Anyone else NOT watch the news?

[aaronc879]

I don't watch the news since I don't have any way to watch TV. I do following news stories on multiple platforms in text form and maybe a brief video occasionally but never watch any full news programs.

 

[Golden Mean]

I can see not watching every little thing in the news, but ignoring it completely and sticking your head in the sand is NOT a good thing.

Now is the time in our nation's history to be INFORMED about the truth.

Watching the news for information is like watching commercials to select products. I don't think looking for the 'truth' from someone trying to make money from you, is a good idea.

 

[Jerry1]

Now is the time in our nation's history to be INFORMED about the truth.

I am informed, but I have to admit, I don’t see how me being informed changes anything. I vote in every election but I don’t see that it makes any difference. The things I see that make a difference are the local volunteer efforts that impact people’s lives.

Watching the news for information is like watching commercials to select products.

Good analogy.

 

[Bigdawg]

I find it interesting that retired folks care about traffic and weather. Weather: I have three weather apps on my phone. They are all contradictory and rarely are any of them accurate. I use all three as general guidance for planning my day/week.

Traffic: Waze is an awesome app. Pop in my destination and it gives me all kinds of great information. Most of the places I go on a regular basis are known. I know when those routes will be busy, etc...

 

[Music Lover]

For better or worse, the internet seriously disrupted journalism. It caused so much talent to shift away from newspapers and TV news. The now-much-slimmer local newspaper is bereft with poorly-researched topics written in only a mostly-grammatical fashion, and then edited sloppily.

For better because the internet exposed how truly corrupt most of the media really is. I say corrupt because they openly lie.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

For better because the internet exposed how truly corrupt most of the media really is. I say corrupt because they openly lie.

As opposed to the blatant disinformation, deep Fakes and all other cr@p that is on the internet, FB TikTok and all the other rubbish outlets.

At least on the news on the TV you get what you get. OK it is biased, but not as bad as the plethora of disinformation on the web.

 

[GenXguy]

Watching the news for information is like watching commercials to select products. I don't think looking for the 'truth' from someone trying to make money from you, is a good idea.

This just seems like something someone could use as an excuse not to keep up on the news. If someone is making money from you, they should have incentive to be accurate, or you could just get your news somewhere else. One of the major networks fired a new anchor some time back for making up stories.

I find it interesting that retired folks care about traffic and weather. Weather: I have three weather apps on my phone. They are all contradictory and rarely are any of them accurate. I use all three as general guidance for planning my day/week.

The fact I'm retired makes me even more interested in the weather, because I have more flexibility to be outside rather than at a desk.

I primarily use two weather apps, sometimes a third, and even see weather forecast on TV, and they are fairly close and accurate the majority of the time.

 

[Music Lover]

As opposed to the blatant disinformation, deep Fakes and all other cr@p that is on the internet, FB TikTok and all the other rubbish outlets.

At least on the news on the TV you get what you get. OK it is biased, but not as bad as the plethora of disinformation on the web.

It's gone beyond bias, as I stated, they now openly lie. So you can ignore the internet because some sites are wrong but that only leaves you with the regular media.

 

[Aerides]

It's gone beyond bias, as I stated, they now openly lie. So you can ignore the internet because some sites are wrong but that only leaves you with the regular media.

Let's move on from sweeping dismissal of the news media as a whole, it's tiresome and will lead to thread closure.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

No. Is there a benefit to watch it other than maybe for entertainment?

 

[scaubie]

I was a ‘normal’ news viewer until Covid hit and then I became obsessed with it. Eventually I addressed by addiction and I stopped watching all news entirely. It’s been 3-4 yrs and my life is so much better. Certainly my iPhone gets news flashes and I still hear friends talk about current events but I no longer waste my time and energy watching the mostly bad things and mostly ‘opinion’ news. Try it!

 

[meleana]

I promise to not get political, and will be intentionally non-specific. I used to be somewhat of a news hound, being knowledgeable of most current affairs. Maybe it's my age, but for quite a while I would get internally worked up if I watch or read the news, in depth. So, for all intents and purposes I stopped doing so.
I do get a daily email feed with basically just headlines, and if I really want to get more info I can then do more research; I rarely do so, however. And as a lifelong insomniac, I never check the news in the evening. I sure don't need another thing that might keep me awake. Maybe it's a variation of blissful ignorance, but I am happier. Am I alone?

We just watch our little goofy local station for a half hour in the evening. The rest we see here and there on social media

occasionally I pick up a couple of free local papers.

 

[ychuck46]

Don't watch news programs anymore, outside of some CNBC for stock news and what little they comment on regarding current affairs that might get included. I prefer to get my news from a variety of online sources rather than the obviously slanted way all the networks, regardless of where they are on the political spectrum, portray their news broadcasts. In many ways they have ruined the whole news network experience for many.

 

[GenXguy]

I prefer to get my news from a variety of online sources rather than the obviously slanted way all the networks

It's a good thing the online news is never biased.

 

[catii]

Am I alone?

Here's a slightly different approach. Welcome to Reference, Facts, News - Free and Family-friendly Resources - Refdesk.com which is tremendously useful as a knowledge aggregator.
On the upper-right, you'll see Auto News Feed, which gives you news sources from dozens of feeds. One quick review of my choices, & I have all the info I want, when I want it.

 

[almost there]

Nope, its just divide and conquer. Once you figure that out, it just becomes a huge scam.
And you are left feeling like an idiot. If folks actually came together, it would be game over.
And who wants that?

 

[WWDog]

I immediately had to respond after reading the first post. Ignore what is going on and you risk not only your rights and future but the future of your loved ones. From what I see, our country and the world is in need of some good old common sense. If you don't care what happens to your decedents and the rest of the world then don't watch the news and don't express your views of where the world is moving toward. We have in this country the most freedom ever GIVEN to decide where we go. Personally, I don't like to watch the news. There are so many things going on that upset me, but I would rather I get upset than my decedents loose their right to decide for themselves where they want the world to go in the future.

 

[oscar1]

Allsides.com media biased chart to see where your sources are currently aligned:

AllSides Media Bias Chart

The AllSides Media Bias Chart is an easy way for you to identify political bias in the news so you can be better equipped to navigate our increasingly polarized media landscape.

www.allsides.com

And another media bias chart, albeit takes a bit more work to filter/zoom in on your sources:

Interactive Media Bias Chart | Ad Fontes Media

The Interactive Media Bias Chart offers the ability to search from among the thousands of rated web/print, TV and podcast sources.

adfontesmedia.com

 

[almost there]

Yep, like 2 high school teams competing. You can keep up on things without watching the news, Watching the news is not keeping up with things. Its keeping things the same. Right where they want you. Mad at the other side.

 

[Music Lover]

Let's move on from sweeping dismissal of the news media as a whole, it's tiresome and will lead to thread closure.

I don't want to shut the thread down but why can't the media be criticized?

 

[RobLJ]

As a poly-sci (and English) major, I would feel negligent not to access the news, but I use Google News feed, the NYTimes and about a half hour on Sirius radio each day.
We use streaming TV and don't even have cable news, I prefer to read. I don't judge, but I've always disliked TV news, except for Walter Cronkite. Still remember the daily scroll of the Vietnam casualties at the end of the broadcast, so I understand the sentiment. Reading is more efficient (I feel) but I understand the attraction to video.

 

[MichaelB]

I don't want to shut the thread down but why can't the media be criticized?

That’s not what Aerides wrote. Criticism is fine, especially when it is expressed in a thoughtful way that is relevant and adds to the discussion.

Repeating generic, broad brush and all encompassing denunciations is pointless and somewhat trollish. It’s a sign people are talking past each other and the thread is no longer useful.

 

[Gumby]

As I recall, the topic of this thread was "Does anyone else not watch the news?" NOT "Is the news biased?" We have drifted into the territory of the unasked question and proceeding further down that path will likely cause trouble.