I had CNN on in the background while eating breakfast on Sunday, and with no discernible volume I could only use what I could read on the screen to divine what it was they were talking about. Taken out of context, the headline on the bottom of the screen read “CRISIS IN THE EAST” which didn’t mean much by itself, but was made hilarious with the sub-headline “World Media Descends on Japan”. A crisis indeed.
A few minutes later, the new sub-headline read “Internet played a leading role.” I’m assuming they’re referring to people using Skype and email to contact their families, and not so much the Internet being the leading cause of the crisis in the first place. Context is everything. That headline had me a bit perplexed, though. I didn’t know what the talking head on the screen was babbling about at that moment, but I couldn’t help but wonder why the Internet itself was worthy of not only pointing out but blathering about ad nauseam. First we hear about how some loon in Egypt named his kid “Facebook” after Mubarak resigned, then we get the analytic timeline of which parts of Libya went dark, and now it’s news that we’re getting news from Japan via the tubes and pipes.
Maybe ten years ago that would have still been noteworthy, but I thought this kind of thing had become normalized. We’re graduating kids from high school who have never known a world without an online presence. To me, it’s as ridiculous as would be reporting that journalists are phoning in reports with their cell phones, that planes can deliver relief supplies, and that your television can bring you live video of what’s going on.
Is the role of the Internet in a crisis still newsworthy, or is this “news” just fluff and filler while the reporters wait for something interesting to happen?
Until we get the next bit thing, teh interwebz is where its at.
every time i hear the phrase "the next big thing" all i can think of is the tv show Brisco County, Jr. (with bruce campbell) i looked for a clip.. but didn't really find anything other than 1/3 of an episode at a time..
All I can think of is the Billy Ray Cyrus interview where he self proclaims to be the next big thing, "the new Elvis".
I still want to slap him upside the back of his head. With a bat.
yeah… me too… especially since i think he was referring to a dynasty… that is doing WAY too well in terms of his daughter…. "IT'S MILEY" good god. I will go back to my thoughts of THE CHIN and the man behind it… as well as watching every movie/tv show he is in. please don't bring up the BRC again? maybe you need to watch the full collection of brisco county and jack of all trades again…
i forgive you.
I had the misfortune to live in Flatwoods, KY, the hometown of Billy Ray in 1992 at the height of "Achy Breaky Heart" popularity. I lived there for 3 months while I worked a co-op job and never did get a clear shot at him.
good god… i am sorry. though i lived in middle NE at the time (that's a state abbreviation, not the area of the country)… it was on every station except NPR… unless they were doing interviews……. which they did… it was bad.
Man, I loved that show so hard. Good stuff.
I have it all on DVD now… it's good… as is "jack of all trades" (but i'm also a huge fan of Bruce)– we (brothers and i) watched BCjr with my grandfather ((WWII vet) and huge fan of quality westerns) when it was new… and he saw it as the last of the quality Western type TV shows… even though it's kinda crap… i'll always love it because of that connection (and because of bruce campbell).
I watched with my folks when it aired on Friday night. It was a decent enough Western, and I am fairly surprised that it is, in fact one of last Western teevee shows (not going to count Deadwood, because Deadwood was the best. show. ever.) I suppose there is more interest in crime scene investigations than there is protecting the range.
I agree with you on the Deadwood statement. Sadly… there's almost nothing else in that segment… though there is so much opportunity for classic good-guy/bad-guy drama…… I do watch some of the CSI and L&O shows…. but not because they're quality television that keeps me enthralled… but because i find them funny(*removes sunglasses*, i do, however, like "criminal minds" YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH– actually i like mandy patinkin and every show he's ever been in… they tend to go downhill (in my opinion) once he leaves the cast)
also, "my name is iniego montoya, you killed my father… prepare to die"
[youtube Hf8Wk2uIW14 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf8Wk2uIW14 youtube]
Priceless.
When I first heard of Justified, I thought it would be an awesome Western show, staring Sheriff Bullock. I was shocked when it wasn't, but I watched it anyway, and found it to be the best show currently on teevee. If you have some spare time, I suggest checkin' it out.
i will certainly look in to that… also– burn notice… crap show… but bruce playing the alcohol-motivated "spy" informant… only watch it for him…
Agreed. It is hokey enough to not take seriously, and it has Bruce.
The "internet playing a big role" in getting the "world media" to "descend on Japan" is HUGE news. It means Google Maps finally gave correct directions!
Or someone finally finished kayaking across the Pacific ocean.
I think it's mostly that the people who hold the senior posts in most news rooms are astonished by The Internets, because they're all Oldfuckers who should have been retired years ago. "Wait, you mean people can TALK to each other through them computer things? Sonofabitch, that's amazing. It's like TV, but it goes in both directions!"
It's so Dick Tracy!
THEM'S BE LAZORS!
I've stopped watching the news for the following reasons:
1) The false, insipid tones of today's news anchors. At least people like Dan Rather began their careers as actual journalists and were able to deliver bad news with at least a hint of gravitas. Today we get, "eighty-thousand people killed in India bus crash. Gee Susan it sure is cold out there, isn't it? Ahahahaha. Yes Karen, it sure is. I'm wearing my earmuffs."
2) How many tickers can we fit on one screen? I have a seizure when I look at MSNBC.
3) Disaster theme music. There appears to be a whole industry built around the marketing of disasters. I'm just waiting for Danny Elfman to begin scoring famine or Johnny Greenwood to write the music for a horse and carriage crash in Central Park.
4) By the fake boobs of Alyssa Milano, how many social media accounts can news channels utilize for filler? I don't care that Jennifer from Peoria thinks tsunamis are naughty and should be heavily fined.
"OMG WHY DONT THEY JUST MAKE SUNAMMIS ILLEAGLE!?!?!? – Daphne from Newark, NJ"
Thank you so much for that insightful commentary.
Sunammi Wrestling is an ancient part of Japanese culture.
You're not just an ignorant slut, you're insensitive as well.
Who you callin' a slut?
A "Make Love Not Sunammi" window sticker is one thing.
The thong triggered my defense mechanisms.
Shit, was my thong showing again? Sorry about that, my bad.
[youtube 46bBWBG9r2o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46bBWBG9r2o youtube]
I think that part of the astonishment is that the events of this last winter have, more than any other event in history, been driven by the capabilities of the internets. If it weren't for Skype, email, Twitter, Facebook, etc., Mubarak would probably still be in power. It was the hyperconnectedness of the Internet and social networking that has allowed people disaffected with their situation to realize there are others like them, particularly in countries where talking about such things means a one way trip to prison.
In that regard, the internet helping people find their loved ones faster after the Christchurch and Sendai quakes, and helping revolutionaries in Egypt and Tunisia coordinate their activities has been quite revolutionary.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that while the specific activities (going on Twitter or Facebook) aren't uncommon at all, it's the way that those activities have contributed to recent world events that has non-techies surprised.
You're exactly right… but nobody's surprised when things happen as a result of cellphones, and at least for myself, the Internets have been around much longer than cellphones. I've been online since about 1993 or 1992, but cellphones have only been commonplace since '95 or '96.
I think that's why Techie and I find these sorts of things so frustrating. "So, wait, you're saying that when people are able to talk to each other, things can happen as a result? NO WAY!" Does it matter if it's being done in person, over the phone, on billboards, on bulletins posted to telephone poles, or through the Book of Faces? I don't think so, personally, but the news falls all over it as if it's astonishing. "PEOPLE TALKED AND THINGS HAPPENED!"
I think the traditional news media are having a hard time accepting their diminished importance.
I think you are exactly right. And so they try just yelling louder about it, and using more phrases like, "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!1!1!"
Clearly, the major networks are more concerned about filling the 24-hour news cycle. I mean, there is only so much havoc Charlie Sheen can cause.
I still find it kind of amazing that on the ENTIRE PLANET they can't seem to find 24 hours worth of news. Hell, they repeat the same news pretty much every hour on the hour, so for an entire planet they can't find enough news to fill one hour, 24 times. And they keep saying our planet is so big!
Totally. I cannot watch CNN or the like. It is not a 24-hour news cycle, its a 24 1-hour news cycle.
There's a conspiracy theory in there somewhere.
And I agree with muthalovin; to me, the worst part of airport delays is the increased exposure to CNN on full shrill.
Mine too, actually. Particularly in a crowded theatre.