Larry D. Lauer

Today’s TV news organizations inadvertently produce confusion on important topics and issues. Here’s how:

1. TV news can’t resist the temptation to seize opportunities to increase profits.

2. They add lots of commercials… and even shorten them to cram more into more frequent breaks.

3. They promise new information on previously reported stories… but only change words and pictures.

4. Anchors and reporters talk faster and louder to add drama, cutting stories short, with no context.

5. Anchors are selected with star-potential and are groomed into fashion-conscious celebrities.

6. They point out that the entire story is on their website… but know few viewers will actually go there.

7. Mainstream stations invite opposing experts or politicians to argue… resulting in more confusion.

8. Also opinion-driven stations find commercial success by serving only viewers that agree with them.

To serve the broader public interest, mainstream TV news programs must slow their pace, report complete stories, and provide much more context. In other words, “Lester Holt, the anchor for America” should end.