By Kennedy Werner

After a long workday, the average American throws their briefcase down, approaches their
oversized refrigerator, grabs a fulfilling snack, and sits down in the front of the TV. Naturally,
they tune into the news – CNN, Local 4, or Fox 2 – anything, just for an update on current
happenings. What they often find is that when they take time out of their day to enjoy and watch
television, clicking to any news channel only offers awful, depressing current events, leaving one
with feelings of gloom and sorrow, so why even watch the news?

Currently, if you log onto http://www.CNN.com, you’ll read many titles of new stories in big
font on the left side of the page: “Bomb found on train; 600 evacuated” or “3 killed before
storms fizzle out”. Then, if you click on http://www.clickondetroit.com, you will read in HUGE
print, “11-year-old Detroit girl reported missing” and just below a headline, “Grandma who
killed grandson wants short sentence”… Can one truly find positive news stories anywhere? This
is only news’ websites; imagine the graphic images these types of stories allow on for television.

So what’s the point? Why turn on the news when all you hear is negative, heartbreaking stories?
It is nothing but unlikely to find a person who actually feels accomplished after sitting down
to watch an hour segment of sad, sickening, and 100% realistic events. To be specific, by
merely typing into http://google.com, “why watch the news”, a solid chunk of articles appear all
discussing the negativity of news programs. In fact, these types of articles carry on for countless
pages and people are outspoken on the Internet about their opinions AGAINST the news. As one
can clearly see, people all over the U.S. disagree with the news and most watch it very little.

Parents, who make up 64% of the U.S. population according to the 2012 Census, when asked
to offer their opinion of the news, most commonly refuse to let the stream of gruesome events
reach their homes via television. Think about it, who would want their little 11-year-old asking,
“Mommy, what’s a murder”?

At some point, many more people will view the news the same way and realize the truth behind
it. They will feel the emptiness it brings the moment they click off on their remote and get ready
for bed. Honestly, what is the point of watching an hour of real-life depression? Call it selfish,
call it cowardly, but one day people will look at the news and perceive it this exact, negative
way. So instead of “tuning into Local 4 at 7”, isn’t it be time to tune the news out?