I question the “service” the news media offers our society.

Reading any, if most newspapers, save for the serious ones, FT, etc, I find most of them relish in negative news, focusing on detrimental stories and so-called reporting instead showing a better society with the positives articles. Upon reading the newspaper this morning, it confirmed again that we get 95% bad news in the form of crimes, horror stories and 3% brainless sensational stories about some pop made-up icon, 1% positive news and of course my favorite, and by far the only and best thing to read, the comics.

It just makes you wonder, why does the newsmedia focus on such negative aspects of our society? Sure, there are some disturbing events and real psychos out there but there are also a lot of people making positive impact on our society. Why focus on the adverse?

I’m one to talk. This blog has been covering the negative press in real estate. Frankly said, there aren’t a lot of positive news in that field. I’ve considered dropping the post to one a day, with only one real estate related news every other day. Or maybe, I will focus on a positive note at the end of every bad ones.

It’s sad to see corporate America with its claws dug in so deep into the fabric of our society trying to control our every emotion. I was looking at how many companies now own newspapers and other forms of media. There aren’t a lot of independent companies and most are under two or three big umbrellas now, mostly heavily politically involved. I was reading about Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and how he felt BORED with the local auto industry and how it gave way to hot rodding and customizing. What has changed today? Modern cars are still utterly boring, save for the higher end market, which most people cannot afford but to drool upon.

There are positive news out there. Take Positive News. It focuses on positive news. Hum, but doesn’t attract a great following. There have been attempt at positive news channels and papers but the public shunned it. Maybe this is where we can make more of an effort to surround ourselves with the good things others do and that can move us in turn to do good things. Maybe by watching more inspiring good news, it might even turn on a whole new generation to positive actions instead of big ego attitude. It’s a thought but it requires all of us to turn our attention to the good and stop looking at the bad.

Things are changing and the newsmedia has already lost many people. Blogs abound, for good and or for bad. Newspaper readership has been dropping thanks to poor covering and lack of quality material. Maybe now we can turn our attention to those that do something concrete to further the advance of our society.

Hum, off to a philosophical day today…