News Health: Back in my Day

Happy Sunday,

“The life of every living thing is in his hand, as well as the breath of all humanity.” 

Job 12:10

How did we get here?
I’ve been researching the history of news (as one does) and pretty quickly realized I don’t need to brush up on mine ol’ English… the biggest changes are mostly within living memory.

Here’s a quick history:

• The first radio news broadcast was ~100 years ago

• The first TV news broadcast was ~80 years ago

• The first 24-hour news channel launched ~40 years ago

• Twitter (now X) launched in 2006

Consider an average American’s access to the news 50 years ago. In most places, there was one newspaper—which was politically middle-of-the-road because it couldn’t afford to offend half its potential readers—and Walter Cronkite would spend 30 minutes telling people “the way it is” every weeknight. (BTW, his show was just 15 minutes long for the first two years before it became the first-ever 30-minute newscast.) 

There’s no generational wisdom on consuming the news, because we’re among the first generations able to overconsume it.

Prior to the invention of telegrams less than 200 years ago, information needed to be physically carried to new places. Information traveled at the speed of foot (occasionally pigeon), and physical distance naturally filtered out unimportant or irrelevant news—when it takes days to send news of something, it has to be worth the time and effort. 

There’s no longer any filter. We get instantaneous updates on wars, earthquakes, and celebrity scandals on other continents. No wonder we’re stressed!

I am 30 years old and don’t remember a time before 24-hour news. If you do, will you share your perspective? What is your memory of how the news used to be? Am I idealizing the 1960s? What about how your parents consumed/discussed the news?

Appreciate your help!
Jason

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P.S. I’ll read all your replies, but will likely not reply to each one. Sorry in advance!

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