What’s in the News!
GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS: Found recently in a local newspaper-buried deep on
page 7 or thereabouts-in an article that highlighted bad economic news was a report that The National Association of Realtors reported a 2.4 percent increase in existing house sales during the previous month! That’s GREAT news for builders, developers, homeowners, homebuyers, homesellers, bankers and … well, that’s GREAT news for the whole country!
So why was it hidden on page 7? Perhaps that is best answered in an editorial.
A few years ago, it seemed the press was full of bad news-home prices were rising, pushing home ownership out of reach for many. Finding a home was difficult, and bidding wars might cause you to pay too much.
Today, the press is full of bad news-home prices are (supposedly) falling, sellers are (allegedly) desperate and willing to make a deal-any deal.
How can both be bad? Do you suspect that the press can make any news look bad if they try hard enough?
The solution lies in understanding the press. Contrary to what they might have you believe, their job is NOT about news. Their job is about making money. In order to make money-selling ads-they need to capture market share (have the most viewers, listeners, or readers). In our illogical world, bad news sells better than good news. Since the press needs you to read, listen or watch what they print, say or show, they must have bad news. Whether they find bad news, or make good news look bad, doesn’t seem to matter. It seems that perhaps their job is to take what news there is and look for the worst in it. If there isn’t any bad news, then they simply create some (known as investigative reporting).
The solution: Turn off the TV, get off the Internet, and put down the newspapers. Can’t stand to do that? Then, before you take to heart anything they say, remember their mission. Their mission is to make money-and bad news sells. Remind yourself that good news seldom makes the front page. Take everything they say with a grain of salt and a dose of objective reality. Then read page 7-you’ll feel better by morning!
