I visited the ABCNews.com website this morning and skimmed the headlines, and found this one staring at me:
"Baby Drowns in Bucket of Mom's Vomit".
I suppose I should be numb to it by now, but since I don't watch broadcast TV news any more, I guess I'm out of touch with how bad it's gotten. I jotted a quick e-mail to the ABC News editorial desk to let them know how underwhelmed I was at their journalistic standards.
I visited the ABCNews.com website this morning and skimmed the headlines, and found this one staring at me:
"Baby Drowns in Bucket of Mom's Vomit"
Can you explain to me why this grotesque, random incident is "US News" that is worthy of widespread dissemination by your network? Is this really one of the most noteworthy news items of the day? Will knowledge of this incident enlighten or improve our society, or the community it took place in?
To me, the choice of ABC News to run this item demonstrates its eagerness to publish sensational, lurid stories that will shock and scandalize. It demonstrates the level to which ABC takes seriously the responsibility it has as a broadcast news outlet... very little.