On Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:54:17 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 2/23/2012 7:33 AM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
...

The kid isn't the issue. The fact that the news media thought it was a good
idea dreadful, though not unexpected.
...

If there's 24/7 of air time to fill, _something_ has to fill it. Drivel
is as good a filler as anything else (and probably better than some that
wouldn't be as far as ratings are concerned).

Factually incorrect "fill" doesn't do anyone any good. The problem is that
the reporters don't know the difference. They're scientifically illiterate.

Commentators/interviewers aren't being paid to think; they're there
simply as actors to read the script/follow the interview outline to have
something to put out over the air so the advertisers can be billed for
their air time.

....and that's a good thing?

Whether there's any content, factual or not, is totally immaterial and
secondary (or tertiary or even lower yet in ranking) to not having dead air.

....and that's...