Warning: The views and opinions expressed here might not always make sense and are not the views or opinions of any corporation or public entity. They probably aren't even those of the author. That being said, the author will not be held responsible for any acts committed by the reader, including but not limited to acts of violence, romance, stupidity, Shakespeare, or nuclear war. Don't blame me for daydreaming at work, neglecting your spouse, stealing your children's video games, dropping your cell phone in a puddle or slapping your boss. I will laugh at you. Also, you might not let your kids read this. Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

It's Not News!

Have you Ever?
Have you ever come across something really new and interesting and want to find out more about it? I sure as hell have, and have been disappointed on what I've found. It seems that in this digital age where everyone can share their opinions, research, and dare I say, news, with the click of a button, that plagiarism is on the rise. As both an Android user and avid Google apps subscriber, I see this daily and it seems the digital sharing age makes it that much easier. For example, open up Google News and search for anything. Better yet, search for the release date and reviews of the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus Prime. I'll wait here.

WTF!
I find this every morning when I open my news, the same three or four articles, repeated several times, by several different "authors," from several so called news agencies. And even worse, these stories can be repeated for weeks, sometimes include links back and forth to each other, and occasionally referencing and crediting the original post. (These are from the bloggers and columnists that don't know how to include links.) Not all of these sources could have been there, taken the original notes, taken the original interviews and photos, then concluded the same exact articles! Now I can see how papers on opposite coasts might mirror a story using the Associated Press, but when these same papers repeat an almost identical story a week later, more poorly written, that's cutting corners.

The Solution
Beats the hell outta me. Plain out, I've tried everything. I've tried different reader apps, added custom feeds, searched twitter and even picked up a dead tree with words on it. I'm still reading yesterday's news. The only place I've found original content lately is Craigslist, as long as your not looking at the jobs. If it weren't enough to read two sources with opposing views of the same story, you're guaranteed to read five false updates from each before you see some new information. Am I ranting enough for ya? Good, you chose to read this. If you don't believe it, leave a comment. Or better yet, try it for a week. Go get yourself a shiny new account with any large news provider, and see how many times you read about what's his nuts setting a 73 year old woman on fire in an elevator before you get sick. Or turn on a TV and keep up on a story for a week. I'm going to find a new phone with Google's Majel on it, leave me some beer money.

Update - I woke up this morning to find a new article on Android's Iris app vs iOS's Siri platform. The writer didn't make any real comparisons at all, and since the topic was a month old, I guess it doesn't matter that his facts are wrong. NOT! It pissed me off enough I had to comment and you can read it here before I'm flagged.

1 comment:

  1. I am old enough that I can remember when the news consisted of dignified broadcast journalists and grizzled but honest newspaper people. They were people of moral fiber, composed of character and integrity. I have watched as PR firms, and entertainment divisions dilute the news. One never knows when what is presented as news is actually serving someone's personal, corporate, or political agenda.

    Now we come full circle. Because of the lack of integrity in journalism, everyone feels inclined to be a journalist, a blogger or such. And, the sad thing is, many seem more trustworthy than the pros.

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