Has anyone else turned off or limited "the News"

[dageshi]

Yes, probably about 8 years ago, I decided there's too much of it and most of it is misery and anxiety inducing for no real beneficial effect on myself. I also noticed especially in politics once you've seen a couple of election cycles worth it basically just becomes the same set of stories repeated ad infinitum but with different people involved.

[HDGSN]

I avoid the Murdoch and Sinclair portfolio like the plague. Other than that, no, I like to stay informed of current affairs. 

[JohnnyO]

 I stopped watching it in the 80's on the advice of a university professor. I follow up on Cuba news but  50% is just excessive talk. Sports, weather when a hurricane is on its way. Old TV shows, old movies. Dont think I ever got through one episode of Seinfeld or Friends, never mind the garbage they are putting out today. Hey, you damn kids, get off my lawn! John 

[helix]

Easy to get sucked in listening to the talking heads. Best limited.

[NicPac]

I’ve been off the junk for 6 months now. It’s been a tough road to recovery but I’m feeling good about it. My friends and family have been really supportive and are really proud of my new way of life. 

[chris12381]

I deleted my Facebook account a month before the election.  I had some upset friends and relatives but, whatever.  It's one of the best things I've done for my privacy and mental health.  

As far as news from more traditional sources I turned off the TV, which had cable news on in the evening for a few hours.  Now I just put it on when I feel like I want to get a particular individual's editorial take on an issue...and then turn it off.  As long as one recognizes that cable news is peppered with editorial commentary, particularly into the evening hours, I don't see any issue with watching some of it.  Opinion isn't inherently bad.  But if that's all one is watching... they're not consuming a healthy or balanced diet. 

[mprach024]

I catch Headline News now and then to see what’s happening in the world.  As a rule, I refuse to listen to any news broadcast where they are “throwing it to So-And-So for a deeper look” at a story.  That’s just all propaganda I won’t listen to, and don’t care what channel or affiliation they have.  I choose my news feeds on my Apple iPhone carefully to get auto headlines sent to me, and if a story’s headline that seems significant I’ll do some digging on it.  

More often than not if I’m doing a deeper digging on a story, it’s around whether Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is getting sacked, the Glazers are finally selling United, or if they are finally selling the virus that is Paul Pogba.  All of which would be welcomed news.
 

[Cairo]

 

My grandmother lived to be 106 years old, and never had a major health issue during all that time.

She told me her secret:   "Never believe anything you see on TV."

I have followed her lead--so far, so good!

 

[BellevilleMXZ]

YES! Very limited.....and feel much better for it

[ReelMan]

I read, twice daily, the Reuters news feed on the internet.  That is all.  Why only that one?  It is about as unbiased a feed as there is, as it focuses mainly on worldwide geopolitical and business news specifics.  It is impossible for me to watch the "mainstream" news as it is too biased, on one side of the aisle or the other.  TV?  No way.  Cable?  Same.

I am an Independent and, as such, see benefits of both major parties offerings.  In my 70 years of life, I have seen only one piece of significant legislation that did not infringe on someone's (regardless of party) rights or violate Universal Law; The Civil Rights Act.  Everything else has been some variation on a theme of samo-samo.

74 million voted for a con man and TV host; 78 million voted for a man that has never had a job other than politics; we deserve exactly what we choose.

[Ken Gargett]

pbs newshour. even though american and hence less relevant to us, they are competent, thorough and attempt to be as unbiased as they can be - in that they have all sides on. their rules for journalism, which i posted a while back, should be the first thing any journalism student is shown. on day one. 

other than that, i will flick through a couple of other publications from either side of the divide to see if anything major happening (not just politics). 

of course, sport is not to be included as that is clearly far more important than mere 'news' and is to be followed diligently.

and every so often, if i need a bump up, i'll get on to a selected source and find an article ('selected' in that i know they'll have exactly the sort of article i am looking for) and read the bleating and whinging of the idiotic - whether that be those bitter tears of deludedly entitled or those who cannot accept reality. an example would be the fun had reading the moaning and whinging of unhappy blues supporters convinced that the rules should be changed for them, so as to allow a penalty try, when it was clearly not. it does make me smile. and if i really need cheering up, a couple of comments to wind them up, never hurt. 

[Nino]

10 hours ago, ReelMan said:

74 million voted for a con man and TV host; 78 million voted for a man that has never had a job other than politics; we deserve exactly what we choose.

Wise words.

[cigaraholic]

Just waiting for an eviction 

[Diabolicalpherpher]

The Onion is the only news I trust.  Their headlines are way ahead of the game.

[helix]

I actually unchecked CNN and Fox from my channels list . 

[vhampl03]

I look at WSJ but that’s about it nowadays...appreciate the time back in my life!

[Rhinoww]

My wife says she has stopped watching the news. Only home improvement shows and House Hunters. I did walk into the kitchen the other day and she was yelling at the tv to “buy the big house in the country, there’s a pandemic coming”?. Turning off the news might not be enough. 

[Meklown]

I still follow but take everything with a pinch of salt. Reuters and BBC mainly for me, the local paper to stay up to date with ongoing regulations. Any article regarding politics or foreign policy will mainly be just opinion articles to me. 

[NSXCIGAR]

On 11/20/2020 at 10:36 AM, Diabolicalpherpher said:

The Onion is the only news I trust.  Their headlines are way ahead of the game.

It's so funny--the first time I heard the term "fake news" I thought isn't that what The Onion does? 

On 11/19/2020 at 1:43 AM, nino said:

I have switched off CNN

Come on, Don Lemon is my man. Flight 370 should be emerging from that black hole any time now.

[Akela3rd]

@NSXCIGAR "It's so funny--the first time I heard the term "fake news" I thought isn't that what The Onion does? "

 

It was, this is was what Fake News was. Generally humorous, usually subtle and intelligent. The phrase Fake News was taken and used to mean 'anyone that disagrees with my version of reality'. The original use of the phrase was steamrollered into oblivion pretty much by one person not getting the jokes and not understanding it.

 

Sent by spooky action at a distance

 

 

 

 

 

[Nino]

2 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Come on, Don Lemon is my man. Flight 370 should be emerging from that black hole any time now.

Sorry but I have no clue who Don Lemon is - other than 370 should be the missing Malay Triple 7... ??

PS : OK found it, Wikipedia is your friend. Don't think I need to watch that crap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Lemon

@NSXCIGAR

[dobbs]

haven't paid serious attention to "regular" media for decades. there's no real mystery to the origins/development of television and the business of news, nothing particularly new, history is there for the reading...

daily world financial news is all of my news intake, with a tiny bit of focused, supplementary reading. this diet has kept me unsurprised regarding most world and local events.

yes, i am usually behind the curve on the "did you hear?" category of events and couldn't care less. oh, and friendster didn't make sense, not sure how the succeeding iterations got it better, but screw that.

-dobbs

[Cairo]

11 hours ago, Meklown said:

opinion articles to me

I have no problem with folks giving their opinion--but I will _always_ read at least one source that totally disagrees with them.

Sometimes that just leaves me confused as to _what_ is going on--and there is nothing wrong with that.  ?