TV vs the Internet as a source of news?

Andrew Green

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Although I guess this should more accurately be a long the lines of social news sites like reddit, slashdot, digg, and even forums like this one, vs TV.

This sort of arrose on another site, and I figured I'd bring it over here. I guess the idea is that social news sites can better educate people then traditional media (Which as of late seems overly focused on celebrity gossip).

The reason is not that the stories neccessarily have more credibility. Often it can even be the same sources, or even the same story. One person watches a story on CNN, another reads the same story from CNN, but through a social news site, they get two different experiences.

Watching it on TV, they present there piece, it ends. That's it.

On a social news site the story is presented in often the same way, but the story is not always the interesting piece. The story is there to feed the discussion about the story, it doesn't end when you reach the end of the article, thats where the interesting part starts.

The discussion that follows allows differing view points, critical thinking, argument, etc. Where the TV as a medium cannot provide this.

Of course the downside is that social news sites commentors often seem as biased, if not more so, then the more traditional news sources they are working at replacing.

So whats everyone elses thoughts here?
 

Carol

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Although I guess this should more accurately be a long the lines of social news sites like reddit, slashdot, digg, and even forums like this one, vs TV.

This sort of arrose on another site, and I figured I'd bring it over here. I guess the idea is that social news sites can better educate people then traditional media (Which as of late seems overly focused on celebrity gossip).

The reason is not that the stories neccessarily have more credibility. Often it can even be the same sources, or even the same story. One person watches a story on CNN, another reads the same story from CNN, but through a social news site, they get two different experiences.

Watching it on TV, they present there piece, it ends. That's it.

On a social news site the story is presented in often the same way, but the story is not always the interesting piece. The story is there to feed the discussion about the story, it doesn't end when you reach the end of the article, thats where the interesting part starts.

The discussion that follows allows differing view points, critical thinking, argument, etc. Where the TV as a medium cannot provide this.

Of course the downside is that social news sites commentors often seem as biased, if not more so, then the more traditional news sources they are working at replacing.

So whats everyone elses thoughts here?

I much prefer the internet. It's possible to get hard news or a softer commentary, and IMO all have value. I listen to talk radio and read political blogs. Maybe I agree with the point of view, maybe I don't...but I usually learn a lot more about an issue by hearing not just about the story but a discussion of its impact. As long as the discussion encompasses more than name-calling or one note Sambas, I can dig it. ;)
 

Rich Parsons

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Although I guess this should more accurately be a long the lines of social news sites like reddit, slashdot, digg, and even forums like this one, vs TV.

This sort of arrose on another site, and I figured I'd bring it over here. I guess the idea is that social news sites can better educate people then traditional media (Which as of late seems overly focused on celebrity gossip).

The reason is not that the stories neccessarily have more credibility. Often it can even be the same sources, or even the same story. One person watches a story on CNN, another reads the same story from CNN, but through a social news site, they get two different experiences.

Watching it on TV, they present there piece, it ends. That's it.

On a social news site the story is presented in often the same way, but the story is not always the interesting piece. The story is there to feed the discussion about the story, it doesn't end when you reach the end of the article, thats where the interesting part starts.

The discussion that follows allows differing view points, critical thinking, argument, etc. Where the TV as a medium cannot provide this.

Of course the downside is that social news sites commentors often seem as biased, if not more so, then the more traditional news sources they are working at replacing.

So whats everyone elses thoughts here?


I read Yahoo headlines and sometimes MSN headlines. If I like the headline then I "click to Learn More". I also check weather sites for weather and do not listen or watch the news at all.

But then I never said I was normal nor average. ;)
 

Skip Cooper

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I watch the news on TV every morning...long enough to get the traffic and weather report before going to work.

If I want to plug into what is going on in the world, I will read it on the internet. Too much sensationalism and fluff for me on network news and the cable news is slanted one way or the other. I used to listen to talk radio, but all of the opinion became weary...plus, you can't even dance to it!
 

Rich Parsons

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I watch the news on TV every morning...long enough to get the traffic and weather report before going to work.

If I want to plug into what is going on in the world, I will read it on the internet. Too much sensationalism and fluff for me on network news and the cable news is slanted one way or the other. I used to listen to talk radio, but all of the opinion became weary...plus, you can't even dance to it!

I get my Traffic from XM 216 Local Detroit Road conditions and delay times. They also list the weather. i.e. Traffic then Weather then Trafic then Weather, ..., .
 

Steel Tiger

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This is a difficult subject. Here in Australia, traditional media is pretty much dominated by a few people (you may have heard of one, Rupert Murdoch) so news tends to have been through the owner's personal sanitisor before anyone hears, sees, or reads it. There seems to be no avoiding it.

The internet appears to offer a much broader collection of opinions and points of view which allows for a better appraisal of situations. Of course, a lot of what appears on the internet has to be taken with a grain of salt, but its still a different perspective.

Just as an example, recently 190 people were killed in Iraq. Newsworthy you might think. No necessarily. No Australians were involved so it was hardly reported in the traditional news media (not at all in Queensland, but they are just mean). I find out about such things from the internet.
 

RandomPhantom700

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Aside from the variety of news sources provided via internet as compared to traditional television, consider the format. News shows have 30 to 60 minutes, including commercials, to deliver the top stories, which are all too often soundbites with far too short a time each to present the real story. Internet websites move at the viewers pace...you find a headline, and you choose how much of it you want to read. Plus it's easier to compare sources when you can just minimize each site, go back to one, etc. Not that I actually do that, but for those studious enough, it's available. 8-D
 

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