Skip Bad News Media

Have you noticed that most of the current news on TV or in the papers is bad news? Don’t you ever wonder if there is any good stuff happening in the world? Of course there is, but the media typically doesn’t like going to the “happy place”. Good news apparently doesn’t sell newspapers or increase ratings. In Barbara Walters’ memoir, Audition, she says, “Give us a good rape, give us a good murder, and we are guaranteed a successful broadcast.” Fear. Conflict. Blame. Tragedy. That’s what makes the money! Oh sure, sometimes there’s a warm happy ending story that airs the last five minutes of the nightly news, but that’s overshadowed by the preceding 55 minutes of gloom and doom.

So, what can you do about it? Well, like anything in life, you have a choice. If you’re tired of the media force feeding you their version of the news—sensationalism at its best—then choose to change your media habits. Take a break from newspapers or just read the fun sections like “living”, “home & garden”, “food” or “entertainment”. If you’re a TV news addict, watch it once a week instead of every day. Stop focusing on all of what’s “wrong” with the world and think about all the good things going on in your family, neighborhood, state, country and the world. Don’t buy into all the fear based news. Visualize your life as you want it to be…happy and peaceful! Create your own reality.