There are five principal reasons why people prefer concise political news: saving time, a sense that it’s more objective, a dislike of “fluff,” a preference for straightforward language, and easier-to-understand content.
According to the American Press Institute, concise news coverage is extremely important for Americans, with some 80% of people polled reporting that it’s an important factor for them when it comes to political news. In comparison, only about 55% reported that it matters for lifestyle news.
This article will cover these five main reasons and how they factor into people’s general preference for concise political news.
Time is precious
As the adage goes, “time is money.” Many people prefer political news that gets to the point for the simple reason that it takes less time. When something strays more into political commentary/opinion it will tend to result in a more long-winded piece of news coverage.
And really, it’s no surprise that people would prefer coverage that doesn’t waste their time.
Objectivity matters
This also affects the reader or viewer’s sense of objectivity. When a piece of political news is short and sweet, we naturally sense that it’s more likely an objective style of reporting—think pieces by the Associated Press or Reuters.
When “news” becomes more opinion-based political commentary—think of the talking heads on cable news—the language tends more toward rhetorical flourish and persuasive rhetoric, typically the opposite of concise language.
Anti-fluff
On a similar note, we tend to dislike political news—and really, content in general—that’s full of fluff, that is, content that doesn’t provide value and is often redundant. The best political news coverage, according to many people’s preferences, contains zero fluff and just gets right to the point.
Give it to me straight
The opposite of fluffy, florid language is straightforward language. By replacing vague, unnecessary, and “fifty-cent” words, concise language appeals more to the average person. This is especially important when it comes to political news, as people hate feeling confused by unclear, unnecessarily academic or technical language.
Concision leads to clarity
Ultimately, clarity is king and, as argued just above, results from more straightforward language as opposed to fluffy, unnecessarily flowery speech.
George Orwell, the author of the well-known dystopia 1984, developed a writing style guide in his essay “Politics and the English Language” precisely with the aim of countering the type of language found in fascist propaganda (he lived through World War II and Nazism).
Orwell understood that language is a powerful political tool, and so to help writers achieve clear and truthful writing, he advocated for concision above all. You can read more about his six main rules for writing here.
Wrapping up
When you factor in the above rules, it’s clear why people prefer concise political news coverage. It feels more truthful, doesn’t waste our time, and ultimately leads to more easily digestible content.
Unfortunately, so much of our political news coverage in America today is deeply polarized and opinion based. If more of it adhered to Orwell’s style rules, we would probably all be in better shape.