Tabloid Trash Disguised

Tabloid: A newspaper of small format giving the news in condensed form, usually with illustrated, often sensational material. In summary form; condensed. Lurid or sensational. (From tabloid journalism, from Tabloid, trademark for a drug or chemical in condensed form.)

Is it just me or do you also feel that virtually everything that appears in the local newspapers is tabloid journalism disguised as something newsworthy? Almost everyday there is some kind of scandal or another in the newspapers. Sure sex, scandals, lies etc sells but for it to be sensationalized in supposed leading national newspapers? It really leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth.

Even if you are going to sensationalize something, please do so with some journalistic integrity. As far as I can remember, isn’t journalism supposed to be all about the truth – or at least the quest for it? The standard of reporting today, to put it bluntly, sucks.

Is this the fault of the journalist who can’t really string ideas and sentences together or perhaps it’s the fault of the editors who insist on a certain kind of “writing” style. Or maybe, just maybe it’s the people who own these newspapers or at least have shares in it that dictate what should and shouldn’t be printed.

What’s the big deal behind all these scandal reports? Is it because they concern leaders? I don’t think so – because to be a leader, one has to be able to lead and I don’t see any leadership skills being showcased do you?

Frankly speaking, the repeated stories are getting old and boring and to hear the same rubbish over and over again is doing nothing to salvage whatever that’s left the subject’s reputation. All supposed leaders of the nation open your eyes and ears to the fact you are just being used as fodder for news and gossip. Do you like it? Does it bring you some kind of enjoyment?

And it’s quite disgusting that those who are in the position to change the face of Malaysian journalism aren’t doing a thing because they are too lazy to resurrect honest to goodness investigative journalism and resort instead to scandalous stories to sell their papers.

Instead of focusing on these people in so-called leadership positions, why not instead focus on those who need to be heard like the children, the poor, the weak, the raped, and the abused among others? You should ask yourself what more can you do to highlight this problem and bring about change. Of course it can be done. You’re just too damn lazy to do something about it because you’ve gotten comfortable and complacent.

What you trying to prove by giving attention to those who don’t need it? You would rather cover another ministry press conference then pick up a press release about some good news and good work being done. Even when you do pick it up, you give it a measly two paragraphs hidden in some obscure corner of the newspaper.

Give attention instead to the faceless – now this is something worthwhile. These people are real and there are no lies, no scandals. It’s time that you started focusing on what’s real and forget all the other rubbish that we really don’t need to hear about.