In the search for actual news items even the commercial programs and current affairs shows have a hard time doing actual news reporting. One such sheep to the slaughter is a program aptly titled, "A Current Affair."
Long since forgoing any real investigative and innovative journalism the producers have taken aboard more and more ideas from the general public. Though this may sound like an idiotic idea at first it isn't a new one. It's been happening all over the world, especially noticeable on the changeover in editors in the print media. Ever read the line, "tell us what you think"?
In any event, when the doors are open for the general public to do the work of the paid executives there is the faction out there looking for the publicity that comes with a "feature cover story."
The latest one to mind comes from a troupe of government funded youths who are out there on the streets promoting the MTV series, Jackass. All that the Australian teenagers do amount to very lacklustre and pathetic attempts to experience the self-inflicted harm as seen on MTV.
They have hooked the producers of ACA once already into doing a story on them, and they have done it again. Are these 'hooligans' out for publicity? Damn straight they are. And what better way to get it than to send in a tape or two to a network which will broadcast the tape for many thousands of armchair bandits to enjoy? Not only that but they then have the audacity to question their antics and the stupidity behind it all.
Publicity is a machine that must be fed but only if the hunger of sensationalism has been quashed before hand. Beware the news, it doesn't know.
Written on Friday, 27 December 2002