News Priorities

What's the news across the nation?
We have got the information
That we hope
Will serve to amuse
Youse.
Ladies and gents, Laugh-In looks at the news.

   There's a major problem within the news media, in that they must choose every day which stories to run and where to put them in the limited space or time available. The standard proportion in newspapers is 60 percent ads and 40 percent news text, so the amount of news space available is fixed by the amount of advertising on any particular day.
   In  broadcasting, a half-hour network news program has about 20 minutes in which to pack all the important news of the day from around the world. That allows ten minutes for an introduction, commercial time, promotions for other programs, as well as closing announcements. And for a local station, which adds sports and weather to the mix, the amount of time for hard news is even less.
   Now consider the pace of speech. If a news anchor speaks at the rate of 100 words per minute, and uses no video to illustrate the story, that totals perhaps 2,000 words in which to mention every news item. That comes to about 40 column inches in a daily newspaper -- perhaps half a page.
   
   There's also the reality that many if not most reporters go for the easy stories first, especially if they're juicy and gossipy. (There's a thin line between news and gossip.) There's also the reality that news media play to their audience, whether regional or political. A North Carolina story may get big play there, but get less space and time in Pennsylvania or California. Likewise, a New Jersey story about the Republican Party, under a long-standing restraining order, possibly violating that order re: voter suppression will get big play in New Jersey newspapers, but less at other newspapers. But if it's of national interest, and one that could affect presidential election campaigning and ballot monitoring, it will get more exposure.

   In short, there are always choices, and many are hard ones to make. Reality check: Some are easy, depending on the editor's regional and journalistic views. Major metropolitan and national newspapers can spend a lot resources on investigative journalism, while other newspapers may not, partly because they don't have the resources -- financial and editorial. 
   Nonetheless, the stuff is out there, maybe not to the extent many voters would like, but it is out there. Similarly, advocates for one political party will complain that a story is overplayed and is not important, while an opposition party will object that the same story is underplayed or even ignored.
   Conclusion: When reporters are criticized by both sides, that's a good sign they're doing their jobs right.
   Let's hear it for a free press and the First Amendment.