The News: an excellent way for us to hear what is going on in our city and around the world for a few minutes a day. This is what I like, the facts, let me know what is going on , in a matter of fact way: "A man shot three people on this street and that ave, and then the suspect fled on foot, and the police are currently searching for him."
What I absolutely hate: "A man who could be part of a gang shot three other men in a possible hate crime assault, the attack happened on this street and that ave and the suspect fled on foot, and the police are currently searching for him."
When the media speculates for us we don't get to form our own opinion, and worse than that, we now have an incorrect idea of what has precisely happened, and people don't hear the words"Could Be" or "Possible" .
Now you have people retelling the story of a gang member shooting three other people because of their ethnicity. Which is not what has happened at all. The comments made by the news casters was pure speculation on their behalf, and what is known without a doubt is that a man shot three people, ran away and hasn't been caught.
This happens in our news because the reporters want to make the story interesting so that the listener pays more attention, and their ratings go up. If you have ever listened to a news report from the USA they really embellish make up completely false statements all the time, in order to draw the viewers, attention.
Do you know what speculative news is? There is a word for it, Gossip. There is enough gossip in this world that I have absolutely no need for, I only want the facts and not some speculative opinion that turns into useless Gossip News.
Scott Goerz
