Episode 190

full
Published on:

18th Apr 2023

Why is the news always bad news?

In the movie Broadcast News, the protagonist Jane Craig (Holly Hunter) has a routine every morning. At an appointed time, she sits and weeps profusely for a minute. When the minute’s done, she wipes her face and goes about her day without showing outward signs of sadness.

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Some news consumers have surrendered to the phenomenon and find themselves hooked on “doomscrolling,” in journalist Karen Ho’s memorable term, proceeding between articles asking if the war in Ukraine could be World War III, or whether another world-destabilizing pandemic could be on the way, or if we’ve already passed key climate tipping points. At least some news consumers aren’t too happy about the situation. An international survey from Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism last year found that in almost every country surveyed, trust in media is falling, and more people are saying they’re avoiding news. Why? Because, respondents say, it “has a negative effect on their mood.”

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So … why are we like this? Are journalists just a miserable lot who insist on spreading their neuroses to the rest of the world? Are readers, despite their protestations to the contrary, likelier to click on news that’s negative or dire?

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It’s, of course, both, and the supply- and demand-side reasons might come from the same source. Humans, it turns out, have what social psychologists call a “negativity bias”: We tend to pay more attention to bad-seeming information than good-seeming information. That could be a root factor for why the news is so goddamned depressing. That’s what we’re looking for.

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This is our topic for todays episode. Please share your views on our Twitter page @ https://twitter.com/MadSoapbox

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Join us here each weekday morning (NYC time) from Monday to Friday for a quick bit of laughs and chaos. Just a little something to KICK START your day FOR FREE which can be found on your favorite podcast source. Looking forward to starting each morning with you with a little SOAPBOX DAILY.

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Music By - STREAMBEATS - https://www.streambeats.com

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About the Podcast

Soapbox Daily
Our Daily Soapbox Variety Show with Host Mad Morgan
Your Daily Short Format of our Original Flagship show called 'Get Off My Soapbox'. The Average Soapbox Daily episode is 3 to 10 minutes. We have now over 100 Episodes for you to binge and enjoy! This is a new way to enjoy information on a variety of topics and more projects planned down the road. Check us out for more details @ http://TheMadMorgan.com
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About your host

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Mad Morgan

Mad Morgan has worked behind the scenes with many content Creators and Influencers over the years. As the world appears to be very 'judgy' on social media on visual factors, they have decided to still stay 'behind the scenes' and not reveal anymore then a silhouette. Where their voice may be portrayed as one gender...who knows with technology which gender it belongs.

With that they can tell you this - their life has been well rounded from failed and successful relationships, raising of children, multiple successful careers and failed ones. Been 'up and down and in-between' in many many areas of life. Spent their life people watching and helping as many as they can with sound advice (whether it is taken and used is another thing). At the end of the day this Podcast is about helping others make sense of this crazy world and life. Their words are their tools and with that they dont want to be judged on anything else in vanity or otherwise.

Here to help others and any help you can provide to help them with their mission is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.