Early Days of Television (03:00)

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Early on, television was a visual companion to newspapers. The assassination of President Kennedy changed television news broadcasting into a primary source of public information.

Television News: Entertainment for Profit (03:48)

Television news broadcasting today abdicates its responsibility to provide the public with important information. Instead, news programs are designed primarily to generate ratings and profits.

Changes in Television News Presentation (03:01)

News broadcasts dominated evening television coverage on a limited number of channels. When independent stations began to compete for market share, news broadcasting had to change.

Cable Television and Deregulation (03:58)

Cable television offers viewers up to 30 or more channels. In 1980, CNN provides news 24 hours a day. Networks lose news monopolies. Deregulation means big profits for corporate owners.

Commercial Value of Television (03:38)

Television today has one vision: commerce. In the 1980s, networks learn that news programming is cheaper to produce than entertainment shows. Broadcasting profits are tremendous.

Television Coverage of Crime (03:13)

Local news coverage of police and fire events may lead people to believe that crime is a worse problem than it is. "If it bleeds, it leads" is a common credo among network broadcasters.

Technology and News Coverage (03:07)

Today, news coverage of major events is almost instantaneous. Technology brings the entire world together 24 hours a day. Rapid coverage causes reported to bypass journalistic standards.

Misinformed America (02:08)

Good reporting and research takes time and is not always cost effective. Critics argue that America is a misinformed society. Broadcast news is not the solution, as it contributes to the problem.