Media Hype.

I am not someone who really pays a whole lot of attention to the news, media or my wider world in general. I keep up to date via following news channels on twitter, my daily ritual of watching sunrise as I get ready for work (my mother would be proud), the radio for the short time I am ever driving and the ninemsn page that is the home page on my internet, which is only there mainly because I am to lazy to change it. If i actually find anything that takes my interest from these sources then I will generally seek out further information on the story from there.

I made a decision some time ago to really stop investing my time in following most things media due to an event that happened when I was in my teens. My boyfriend and I at the time were the first people at the scene of a car accident where a young man who was similar in age to myself died at the scene. What turned me off about this was that the news crews arrived before the rescue services and continued to film throughout the rescue efforts. Of course this happens on a daily basis, but when you witness it.. the disgust is intensified. From then, for the most part I just got sick of the hype (mostly false) that media creates around everything it draws attention too. So I just stopped bothering.. except for my enjoyment of buying goss magazines and then not reading them until they are out of date because I like to laugh at the articles that were bullshit. To a point this makes me slightly less aware and maybe even a little narrow minded about the world, but when I feel a story is justified I do make the effort.

This week every time I have turned on the television, turned on the computer or scanned a magazine it is all about Delta and Brian the split.. who cares. How is it possible this is even major news. Then this afternoon I sit down at the computer, open my internet browswer and see the heading 'she endangered her baby' staring at me on ninemsn. I probably wouldn't have even clicked on it had I not of been looking for something to entertain me for the remainder of the afternoon, but I did. The basics of the article was that Jackie O fed her baby as she crossed the road (feel free to have a read if you have not already had the pleasure http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/8232101/jackie-o-endangered-her-baby-minister) and due to this was compared to Michael Jackson dangling his child from a window and then it even made reference to her choice to return to work a short time after giving birth. Seriously? Dramatisation much. I'm not sure if Pru Goward became the NSW families minister but hoping she doesn't get the seat again. What a turd. It was nice to see some positive comments in the article as well, but my main gripe is why is it even an article. The woman crossed the road holding her baby and a bottle, she didnt run, spin the baby around by its foot or even do the alternative option and let it scream it's lungs out in hunger.

The media needs something better to do with it's time. Imagine what could be achieved if the media foccused on useful and necesarry 'news' for the most part. Imagine even what I would have achieved if I had not sat here for 30 minutes giving the article more unecessary attention. grrrr. the end.