How to Watch the News

“Most of the time, you can beat a woman in an argument.”
Tucker Carlson

How to Watch the News

Here at the Profound Bartender, we take a shot every time Donald Trump tweets. Business is good.

There is no doubt that since the day that Donald Trump got elected that the viewing numbers on the News broadcast shows has spiked and continues to ride a wave of interest.

How can we watch the News and get the best out of the experience?

Overview

Know that the News that we get on radio and television is entertainment. Ronald Reagan, in the 1980s, killed the Fairness Doctrine. How can you make money by telling both sides of the story? After this came the rise of Rush Limbaugh.

Also, the news is reported differently in the United States than in other countries like Canada. The Academy award winning documentary Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore discusses the idea of the Climate of Fear in the news.

Put on your Filters.

Knowing that the News is entertainment, that can be our first filter when watching or listening to a program. The intention is to grab you and hold you so that the advertisers get their time with you. The emphasis will be on the sensational, if they don’t have the disaster on video then it might not get covered. The Weather Channel is just as guilty with Super Storm Tracker! Breaking News is rarely breaking or news, it is a loud shout at you to stay tuned.

News programs that have a panel, feel free to change the channel. This is no longer news but opinion. Every major station follows this format; Fox, CNN, MSNBC. If you do watch, filter out the opinion and try to learn the facts on the law.

Filter out conspiracy. It is fun to listen or watch Rush and Hannity as they preach that the Left has a brilliant plan worthy of a chess champion that only you and I are smart enough to see. Because we are so smart from watching their shows, we can see them hiding in all of the bushes everywhere.

Filter out language. Lou Dobbs is a master of this kind of reporting. Folded into his presentation are descriptive words like “disgusting” so you know his opinion. He is trying to tell you how to think about the News. He’s not alone, we’ve stopped taking shots when watching Tucker Carlson, he makes our liver hurt.

If you really want to do your homework, look up your favorite newscasters for nominations and wins of Emmys. Mr. Hannity has never been nominated (it is a Leftist conspiracy).

Variety will help you.

Watch all of the News when it comes to politics. Try to get every angle that you can and then still be skeptical. Dabble in the BBC, it is healthy. Pick up a newspaper, USA Today seems like that they are trying.

There is more to every story than will ever be reported. From wars to disasters to politics, we will never get the full treatment and even our history books might be skewed. From this, we at the Profound Bartender doubt anyone who declares anything to be True or Fact. This can sound like paranoia but it is simply healthy wisdom.

Things change.

Use common sense.