By: Janice Kopaunik
The Daily Utah Chronicle

Outlets should re-examine their priorities

The local media’s handling of the tragedy of the trapped miners inside the Crandall Canyon Mine was a disaster and highlights a key problem I see with the “news.” It is beginning to seem like the term “news” is used loosely with no connection to the related piece’s newsworthiness.

As the television channels have moved to increase viewership, they have abandoned responsible reporting in exchange for entertainment purposes. The local television news has little meaningful information, and is instead filled with junk. Journalism is reaching new lows and is moving more and more toward tabloid-like reporting.

Following the mine collapse, our thoughts, prayers, and media coverage were intently focused on each inch of progress made — literally. Programming was regularly interrupted to bring updates and the newspapers were saturated with information on the history of the mine and its miners.

We glued ourselves to the television like addicts gleaning the dumpster that is the local news for our fix of any new bit of information. The press, in a very paparazzi-like fashion, sought to feed our addiction. Reporters hounded the families of the miners, often resorting to sleeping in their cars to get a front-row view of the action. We ravenously listened and intently read the stories told by the miners’ loved ones, fueling the media’s abuse of the situation. Even reputable news sources such as CNN and CNBC followed along. It seemed as if the world stopped to mourn with our state.

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