Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

On my mind

At last the truth is out. I am not the father of Anna Nicole Smiths baby!

I find it amazing how fast news travels nowadays. I find it equally amazing how the 24-hour news networks have come to define news.

It is tragic that Anna Nicole Smith died of an apparent overdose. Even more tragic is the fact that she had a small child who is unable to speak for herself and is being fought over by two grown men.

After a court battle that I thought would never end, it has been determined that Smiths boyfriend, Howard K. Stern, is not the father. To tell you the truth, I dont care.

But apparently someone out there does care. I just havent been able to find anyone that does. However, since the major networks continue to discuss the topic, Im sure someone cares.

What makes this all news? I dont know. I think about the definition of news given in various journalism class I have taken, and I seem to remember that something is news if it is of significant public interest.

The 24 hour new networks have changed all of this. They are now making thing be of significant public interest. They have to fill all of that time with something. Why not make it something that they can follow for a long period of time.

I personally think there are more important things out there that the national and world-wide networks need to focus on.

What are these things?

Im glad you asked.

First of all, we have thousands of troops in a war zone with men and women dying each and every day. That is news.

Companies are announcing their closures every day, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs to countries overseas. That is news.

Our countrys debt is more than $7 trillion. Thats right. Trillion. With a t.

Now, sure, these things do get mentioned from time to time. But it seems like to me that mentioning these major events is all that happens. Forget all of the important things. The major networks are focused on the things that they think will drive their ratings. Celebrities sell. Thats the bottom line.

Forget about the masses who actually care about what goes on around the world. Forget that the troops are on the front line without the necessary gear. We must make sure that we have a live shot set up when the prospective fathers come out of the courtroom to see who won.

So, my ramblings this week lead me to one final thought. Im glad I do not work for a major television news network.

Thats just whats on my mind.