Cable news networks have seen viewership surge more than 50% since the beginning of the year, according to an analysis by television measurement company Alphonso. Broadcast newscasts are also seeing ratings bumps, with some networks adding news coverage to replace reality TV and entertainment content. In what is normally a scattered and decentralized media and entertainment landscape, the nation’s interest is now concentrated around the same information and the same developments in the news. Having the same shared priorities allows news to be shared much wider than in normal times.
Normally, I don’t watch much TV news at all. Since the coronavirus, I’ve been reaching for my remote a little more often than normal, but still probably far less than most.
Here’s my scattered brain approach to watching TV news.
While I’m trying to scarf down some food at 5am before heading to work I might land on Fox 29 Good Day Philadelphia, and will definitely find something else to do before it gets corny with Mike Jarrick and crew at 7am if I’m off. If I’m hanging with mom, she’s locked into CBS, but I can only tolerate the CBS Evening News where I might get a peek at Jericka Duncan. On cable I might spend a few minutes surfing between CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. BBC America is cool. If I’m streaming, I like Reuters, then Al Jazeera, then RT.
My go-to news source is Newsy. Most cable systems carry them. I love their tag line – ‘We inform, not influence.’ That’s exactly what they do. I love their simple approach to delivering quality content.
Black Covid-19 