For the past few days, we have been assaulted by endless reporting on the death of Michael Jackson. Thursday afternoon, I attempted to watch cable news to learn about the situation in Iran, our war effort in Afghanistan and health care reform. CNN, MSNBC, Fox News were all putting forth their best efforts to imitate the National Enquirer. It was Michael Jackson, over and over and over. While I feel some sadness about this event, I do not understand why the death of a musician overwhelms the serious news of any given day.
To those who do not understand why many of us mourn the economic challenges faced by print journalism, look back to Thursday afternoon. Watching serious journalists chase down ambulances and interview distraught fans was a true wake-up call.
Go out and buy a newspaper. It may be your last link to reality.
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