Death and destruction happen everyday all over the world and entertaining celebrity debacles happen on a regular basis. It is the media’s responsibility to report the news regardless of the significance and it is up to the reader to choose what they read and what they believe is going to benefit them.
There are an abundance of news sites that include a variety of subjects like music, art, international news, celebrity gossip and even video games.
Choosing what to read is a lot like choosing what to eat. Sometimes, the public would rather indulge in their favorite guilty pleasure rather than pick something that is going to be beneficial for them.
News sites rely heavily on the number of views they can receive on their site; views equal money. The media realize that the public enjoys indulging in entertaining celebrity gossip.
As a result, it is likely that news sites will post trivial news on the front page to attract their audience.
For example, in August 2013 pop sensation Miley Cyrus made top news after her scandalous performance at the MTV Video Music Awards even in the midst of devastation in Syria.
According to a report by USA Today, Outbrain conducted a survey that shows Americans were 12 times more willing to read about Miley’s antics than Syria.
While the media do not wish to increase the popularity of celebrities, these stories bring views to websites.
After indulging in trivial stories, readers may then choose to read hard news.
The media do their best to report all aspects of news. Unfortunately, celebrity gossip tends to triumph over all.
As a result, news outlets tend to promote entertainment stories more often.
While it’s up to the reader to decide what is more important, just remember to stay informed with what really matters.