Blurring the Line Between News, Media & Gossip
The Internet has brought around-the-clock news coverage into our homes along with twenty-four hour coverage of less crucial, more tantalizing fare in this information age. These days, the line between news and gossip is becoming increasingly blurred, particularly by the media. What constitutes news and what is gossip? The definitions don't really make it clear, after all what is "news" to one person may seem like mere idle gossip to the next. Take a look at these definitions decide for yourself:
News: New information about specific and timely events relevant to the general public, or a program devoted to conveying such news to the public.
Gossip: Casual or idle talk about others, usually without foundation and negative in nature. In today's world, gossip is often broadcast via the media to the general public.
There is plenty of news that is "negative in nature," but that doesn't automatically make it gossip. Of course, the news does have to be properly substantiated. But the media these days is making it more and more difficult to differentiate between what is news and what is gossip. In fact, the media itself is an entity that seems to answer to no one and can report either news or gossip as it sees fit:
Media: Forms of mass communication that carry or store information. In this instance, mass communication forms such as television, newspaper and Internet that convey news or information to the public.
