A week or so ago I had CNN on my TV for approximately two hours. Within a two hour span there were at least a half dozen breaking stories related to the Boston Marathon Bombing. The odd part was that there was almost no news in the stories...or at least nothing that I would consider "news". here are some of the breaking news stories that they were first to report on.
(1) The surviving bomber was moved from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to a prison hospital.
(2) The bomber's mother had a press conference in which she said she thought her sons were innocent.
(3) A Congressman said that giving the suspect his Miranda Rights was bad decision
(4) One of the victims decided to have her leg amputated.
I am sure I am forgetting some of the breaking "news" stories. It was two hours of continuous coverage of the Boston Marathon Bombing situation. Perhaps I am being a bit too demanding here, and I am sure I am not the first to mention this, but was any of this "news"? Let's look at the first "news" story as an example.
(1) The surviving bomber was moved from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to a prison hospital.
What is the impact of this story on me, or anyone I know, or to the world in
general if he was moved? And what would be the implications if he was
not moved? The reporter is disseminating a piece of information but the information doesn't have any obvious implications. Maybe for the doctors and police officers involved there was
some implication - but for no one else. Is this really "news" then? I think of "news" as new information that has some impact on me, or people who I know, or the world in general. Let's see how Merriam-Webster defines news
Definition of NEWS
1 a : a report of recent events
1 b : previously unknown information <I've got news for you>
1 c : something having a specified influence or effect <the rain was good news for lawns and gardens — Garrison Keillor> <the virus was bad news>
2 a : material reported in a newspaper or news periodical or on a newscast
2 b : matter that is newsworthy
3 : newscast
Definition 3 just equates news to a newscast. That definition does not help define what is "news" for us. Likewise definition 2a defines news as any material reported from a news source. By that definition if CNN had decided to report on what I had for lunch that would be news as well. I don't think of what I had for lunch as "news". Definitions 1a and 1b have the same problem. If CNN told you what I had for lunch today that would be a report of recent events and it would be information which was previously unknown to you - but you probably don't care either. That is not "news" in the sense that I am looking for. Definition 1c is a different usage of the word "news" . That leaves definition 2b. 2b equates news to a matter that is newsworthy. So lets check the definition of newsworthy.
: interesting enough to the general public to warrant reporting
So by this definition if the public is interested in the matter then it is news. So maybe I am wrong. If the public is interested in what kind of shoes Lindsey Lohan wore last night or a two headed cow or even what I had for lunch today then that would be news. Still I go back to my definition of what is news "news = new information that has some impact on me, or people who I know, or the world in general. " And by this definition I did not see much "news" in the CNN breaking news reports.
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