Disadvantages of TV News
- It CAN BE limited by time
- It may rely too heavily on personalities, emotions, opinions…not facts
- It can shortchange complex stories or avoid them altogether.
Here's an example:
In two separate attacks in 2007, approximately two hours apart, Seung-Hui Cho, an imbalanced student, killed 32 people and wounded 25 others before committing suicide. The deadliest peacetime shooting incident by a single gunman in US history, on or off a school campus. Virginia tech graduate student Jamal Albarghouti captured video of the deadly shooting on his cell phone, which launches this story about the reaction, which in some places has been to encourage people to carry guns on campus.
After watching the story, evaluate these sources:
- What conclusions can you draw from this story?
- What else would you need to make a decision, take action or make a judgment?
- Are there any dubious production techniques worth noting?
- How can TV reporting be so sloppy? What about source analysis and evidence?
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