Australian News Media

NEWS LITE - Light on Substance, Light on Value
Are Television News Bulletins a Shallow Reflection of the Real World?

Commercial interests dominate 21st century news agendas (ABA 2001, Hartigan 2001). To remain viable, news bulletins must attract audiences and advertisers; and they cannot do this, without delivering consumer-tailored news. The average commercial news bulletin offers between 14 and 15 minutes of news - that is without commercials, sport and weather. Within this mere quarter of an hour, the stations must squeeze in what they perceive to be the day’s most important and valuable events. This essay attempts to prove that television news bulletins are indeed a shallow and unrepresentative reflection of the real world. When comparing the content of evening news bulletins with that of daily newspapers, the substance gap between television and print becomes obvious. The commercial channel’s treatment of the war on Iraq is also indicative of the detrimental effects that ...