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One of the criticisms of the news media that many people make is that journalists emphasize "bad news" rather than "good news." What do you think people mean by that? Do you agree? Do the news values listed in this chapter mean that journalists are more likely to look for "bad news" than "good news"?

I am aware that I personally avoid watching the news on television because I feel as if most of the stories are "bad news", and I do not spend much time watching television so I think I would rather watch The Soup or The Office and laugh instead of constantly being paranoid about being the victim of a rape, murder, or identity theft. In my Theories of Communication class in Fall 2008, I learned that "heavy" television viewers (those who watch 5 or more hours per day) view the world as a less safe place than those who view less television. This phenomenon has been called "Mean World Syndrome". I strive to not be a victim of this syndrome and live somewhat in blissful ignorance. I know it sounds selfish, but if something does not affect me, I will not think much about it. The world is not always a nice place, but do we constantly need to be reminded of that fact? "Bad news" tends to attract the attention of more people than "good news". By "bad news", I mean stories of unfortunate events that are fatal or scarring (emotionally or otherwise). Many people like to be scared and are fascinated by tragedy, and the media humors them. Hearing a heartwarming story about a kitten being rescued from a high tree branch by firefighters is less engrossing than hearing a story about...something I don't even want to imagine. Even to me, the eternal optimist who chooses to hide from the big, bad news stories, the tragedies are more engrossing. It is easier to be compelled to Google more about a tragic event than a heartwarming story. I believe that the bizarre and unusual are news values that play a significant role in the selection of "bad news" by journalists.