Are the media servants to scandal?

Bill Maher let loose on the media during Friday’s “New Rules,” accusing American media of serving scandal instead of information.

“Oh yes, it is easy to make fun of the media, and there’s a good reason for that- they suck,” he told listeners.

“I watched three network news broadcasts Monday night, and here is what they covered: the weather, which isn’t news, and can be better covered by the local news which tells you how deep that is….then they did a story about World Peace; not the issue, the basketball player. And then, I shit you not, a story about how highway traffic in California was delayed because a family of ducks was trying to cross the road. You stay classy, San Diego.”

He continued by lambasting the national media for their over-coverage and alarmist stories about the ‘Secret Service prostitute scandal.’

“The only politics we understand is scandal, and the only scandal we understand is sex,” Maher said.

You can watch the full segment here:

Despite what you think of Maher- smug, entitled, elitist, misogynist, hyper-liberal- he has a valid point. The media has become a servant to scandal, but it isn’t entirely their fault.

He points out that Newt Gingrich had committed “every crime except grave-robbing” but was only ousted (metaphorically) by his party when sex scandals popped up. An extra-marital blow job is what got President Clinton impeached. Everyone knows the sordid details of John Edwards impregnating his campaign worker while his wife fought, and eventually succumbed to, cancer. I have clearly defined opinions about John Edwards’ morality, but do I need to hear about Rielle and John’s wedding? Do I need to learn about his love child?

Public interest dictates news content in the world of the 24-hour news cycle and business-model journalism. For many news orgs, who operate as a business, page views and ad-clicks are the essential elements to success- not a thought-provoking column on teacher tenure policy. But a teacher who has sex with her student? That is the news of today.

How can we change this cycle, or can it even be changed?

Part of it has to be the will of the consumers. You can read Perez Hilton and Gawker, but you have to check with Roll Call and New York Times after. Treat the newspapers who provide policy analysis like a gem to be treasured, because they are few and far between and could quickly disappear beneath stacks of Fox News, NBC, and CNN conglomerates.

Inane articles can build up ad subsidies when an organization is starting out, but if they consistently rely on that type of content to grow the organization the audience will begin to go elsewhere. Strange, interesting, fun news is a lesser evil in journalism: it attracts readers, which organizations need to stay alive. But perhaps organizations can use these filler-stories to attract page views for other stories, the kind that benefit the community and promote discussion. 

It’s a tough problem, which is why it still exists. 

Does scandal have a(n important) role in today's news? 

How can news organizations create better content, analytical content, while still attracting valuable eyeballs to their site?