The sad truth is that while some of us are naturally curious about what we don’t know, an increasing number of readers and viewers want only reinforcement of what they already know. While it’s not the job of media to force-feed news to an uninterested audience, the system worked better when some news and information just happened to rub off.
Personally, I’ve always relied upon great editors and great broadcasters to tell me what they think is important each day. I’m determined to form my own opinions, but I’m not so audacious as to think I know what’s important without professional help.
One of my favorite news slogans is one used for decades by the Scripps newspaper chain: “Give light and the people will find their own way.” Yet in modern communications we seem to give off more heat than light, leaving too many information-loaded consumers stumbling around in the dark.