You can turn on a TV right now and find plenty of news networks to watch. You can turn on a TV in 12 hours and find the same options still going, discussing either slightly different topics of news and politics or the same topics as before talked about by the same people.
Cable news networks are monotonous. They stretch out a few hours of news in order to broadcast 24 hours a day. They have different people give different takes and opinions, but most political news networks are known for promoting groupthink and the commentators usually all hold about the same opinion.
MSNBC and Fox News are two networks that are the most guilty of this. They have become centralized “voices” for both political parties. As a result of their bias in the way they present the news, people who watch either network will get a totally different angle of the same story. This is a really big issue, especially in today’s day and age of “fake news.”
An issue with these 24 hour news networks is that in order to fill air time, show hosts heavily present their opinion as a partner to the news. Hosts like Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson give their commentary. While they are technically considered political commentators and their opinion is not outside the scope of what is in their job description, news networks should be providing people only with the news, not the opinions of hosts who have agendas in influencing the general public to hold the same ideals and opinions that they have.
Political news networks need revamped. Instead of trying to influence people’s opinions, it’s time that they present only the facts of the news and allow the viewers to make their own opinion. When we watch news stories on these networks and the story is immediately followed by an opinion, we tend to integrate that opinion into the news. This is a problem especially for people who only watch one news network that fits their political opinion.
News should be about facts. These networks are doing a disservice to the people by trying to influence opinions and push their personal agendas. Until something changes in the way these political news networks present stories, the best thing people can do is just be aware of this issue. We need to ask ourselves if we think that way because we truly agree, or if we think that way because it’s what we believe their opinion is what we are supposed to agree with. News networks should promote independent thinking, not try to influence it.
Mikayla Rochelle is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Tell Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.
