*I did not know how to name it until a commentary I read helped me frame it: News telecasting is now a cost (or profit) center! It’s no wonder now why you hear news anchors say ‘You heard it here first’ or ‘You’ll only see it here on this news station.’ They’re selling ‘exclusivity’ as if they’re selling tickets to a popular sporting event.
As the fires continue to rage here in California, as tragic and devastating as it is, newscasters make it a point to reserve segments for entertainment events. Where are our priorities?
If people would concern themselves more about our environment and best practices as much as they do entertainment, then maybe a lot of catastrophes could be avoided. Instead of coaching kids to be the next celebrity sensation, how about teaching them conservation – after all, they will inherit what we leave behind? What is it going to be?
I once wrote about the 2007 Minnesota bridge collapse where 111 people lost their lives titled “Water Under a Troubled Bridge” in which I stated:
[In the aftermath of the tragic Minnesota I-35 bridge collapse; lawmakers, engineers, and inspection agencies; reportedly knew for years that the 1-35W bridge was in trouble. But the old adage “water under the bridge” seems to be where most discussions ended up.
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Folks could not or would not see beyond the bridge of their own noses. Minnesotans were more interested in building a $400 million baseball stadium. Was anyone seriously pushing to have the 1-35 bridge repaired? It was rated “minimally tolerable” in the early 1990’s, and “structurally deficient” as recently as 2005.
America has become a nation reactive rather than proactive towards things that in hindsight were perhaps avoidable. The government has approved $5 million for removal and clean-up and another $250 million to have the 1-35 bridge rebuilt (just over half the cost to build the baseball stadium).] For the better part of 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 lockdown, the buzz was that people were realizing what’s important and what’s not. Sporting and other entertainment events were canceled, and we were all instructed to stay at home, if possible, to help prevent the spread of the virus. In doing so, people were reporting that they were enjoying fun family things they had never, or had seldom done before.
Then, when things started loosening up, and sports venues started re-opening, people were chomping at the bit to get out and root for their favorite teams and resume the tailgate parties. They could not wait to get out and do the over-the-top things they were doing before the pandemic! The lesson we thought we’d learned – all things in moderation – flew right out the window.
There’s nothing wrong with wholesome entertainment as long as it’s kept in perspective. Christianity teaches that idolatry is the worship of someone or something other than God. The first of the Ten Commandments says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Celebrity and being entertained has its place, but let’s not get carried away with it. Let’s prioritize the things that really matter.
Larry Buford is a contributing writer. Author of “Things Are Gettin’ Outta Hand” and “Book To The Future” (Amazon). Email: [email protected]
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