Panic At Nabisco

The media is very much a "damned if they do - damned if they don't" entity.

If they do cover the all of the news, they risk getting accused of "hype".  If they don't cover certain stories, everyone is screaming, "What's going on with...?(x, y, & z)".

Take the latest controversies over Tom Brady, for example...

It is relevant to report on the fact that Tom Brady - beloved Patriots quarterback who has taken his team to an undefeated season thus far with only the Superbowl left - was wearing a protective boot of some kind.  It's also relevant to report the fact that he was a no-show at practice, no matter if he was just waiting for the media to leave or what the reason!

But as usual, we have countless, implacable people who can't wait to throw their verbal tomatoes at the media; accusing them of so-called "hype".  Even though if nothing was said about Tom Brady, you can bet this same lynch-mob would be screaming "What the hell is going on?  What's the news on Tom Brady?  Is his foot OK or not?"

I really wish the media would conspire to be mum on a highly sought-after story just once - just to witness the outcry upon such an omission.  The hypocrisy would be undeniable.  The media could then collectively turn around and say, "Well, we didn't want to be guilty of HYPE !"

Is "hype" merely reporting on any controversial story?  Because I thought it was sensationalizing, and "amping-up" a controversial story.  I could have sworn that to have "hype", you had to do more than just report the facts; I thought you had to aggrandize the speculation and worry.  ...Dizzying editing, excitable voices, "swooshes"; unreasonable, wild speculations...all the earmarks of "hype". 

Simply saying "Tom Brady is wearing a protective boot.  Will he be OK for the Superbowl?" is not hype--it's journalism.  When someone is wearing a protective boot, of course it's reasonable to speculate on their well-being!  That does not make it hype!

TMZ hyped the story.  They used dizzying editing, excitable voices, fast camera-zooms...all of that...  Well, duh!  If you watch shows like TMZ and any tabloid-type of news program, hopefully you're smart enough to expect hype.  But don't even count them as "media".  It's not fair to the serious news broadcasts.  You cannot compare the Fox 25 News at 5:00 to TMZ; not fairly anyhow.

I want to know that Tom Brady is ready for the Superbowl.  I want to know the updates.  I want to stay informed and kept abreast of the updates.  Those of you who don't; shut off your TV's and give yourself a rectal exam.  But keep your hype to yourself.