75ZT Community

Still having sciatica problems, I'm reduced to watching daytime television at times owing to enforced idleness. However, I'm at a loss to work out what constitutes news on TV.

OK, my own view, and not one shared by all, but the mind-numbingly boring junk available on the usual channels makes me head straight for the so-called "News" channels, ie. BBC News and Sky News. Only to find that both channels are broadcasting the tearful protestations of that odiously arrogant second rate actor.

How can this be news? I thought news channels were meant to be dynamic and thought provoking and keeping up to date with world and local affairs, not South African soap opera?

Is this some spat between the BBC and Sky whereby viewers are not sufficiently important to be given a choice?

OK Paul. Take a deep breath

Well, I did post this some days ago:

oscar-pistorius-dominating-the-news-t7969.html

and yes, the trial is more important than the inquest into the Hillsborough tragedy -after all only 96 British subjects died compared with one South African! But perhaps it is because the trial includes some very strong televised interrogation so makes better TV.

I wonder if coming soon will be news, complete with video, of public executions in Iran and, for a weekend treat, multiple executions - and the newspapers can catch on with centre page pull outs of the events although I must admit that the trial does not command the same coverage in printed media coverage.