Amusing Ourselves to Death, Chapter 7 "'Now...This'"
Summary/Outline
I. Phrases
1. Serves as a compact metaphor
2. A conjunction that separates everything in it
3. “Now…this”
A. Forces attention to be switched to another fragment abruptly
B. Created by telegraphy and photography
C. It creates entertainment
II. Appearance
1. Choosing people to be on a news show
A. Eliminate “ugly” people, those over age 50, bald, overweight, and those with physical abnormalities
B. Pick people who are likeable and credible
C. If viewers do not enjoy looking at the performer, they appear less credible
2. Credibility
A. Refers to the impression of sincerity, authenticity, vulnerability or attractiveness
B. Ultimate test of truth
III. Music
1. Incorporated somewhere in almost all television programs
2. Used to create mood and provide a leitmotif
A. Typically happy
B. Keeps the viewer calm
3. No music creates an alarmed, panicked feeling
A. News Flashes
IV. Time
1. Interest is lost after a minute of information
A. News stories are about 45 sec.
B. Thinking is attempted to be avoided
2. Distractions don’t occur often
A. Film stories keep attention
3. Visual documentation captures attention
4. Short amounts of time don’t allow for emotion to take over
V. News/Television World
1. A world of discontinuities
A. Contradiction is useless because it ceases to exist
2. A world of fragments
A. Assumptions vanish
VI. Entertainment
1. Entertainment is news
A. Television
B. Radio
a. Little content, but it is presented quickly and accompanied by music capturing attention
2. Value of News
A. Provided by the number of laughs it provides
a. Dependent on the amount of time in which the laughs are measured
Major Concepts and Vocabulary
“Now…this”- Commonly used by a newscaster or radio host to transition form one subject to another. However media today uses “Now…this” to merge not only similar ideas, but completely contrasting ones as well. Now only fragments of good news are given and then suddenly a bad story comes on and again it will quickly go back to good news without missing a beat.
Credibility/Acceptability- Not based on past anymore but instead based on presentation and appearance today. Entertainment is about acceptable or credible if a beautiful person or medium form presenting the message isn’t used. The news and entertainment must not only be truthful and “credible” in then traditional sense but also credible in the new sense.
Vaudeville and Entertainment- The analogy between Entertainment and the news and Vaudeville is variety. Vaudeville is a type of theater in which each act has no relation to the next like a talent show or circus. As Neil Postman quotes in his book Robert MacNeil “bite size is the best” meaning that audiences are now only entertained in small “bit size” stories. Like a Vaudeville they must have variety.
Disinformation- Neil Postman defines the term as misleading information that creates knowledge that in turn leads you away from the actual information. Postman argues that news today is not intended to be disinformation but because entertainment is thrown in with it becomes disinformation. Leading us away from the truth.
Televisions Power- Television today has reached the point the printing press reached earlier in history. Where news was not news with out it. Television spreads, manipulates, and plows though news like nothing else can. American is dependent on Television for news. But not simply news it must be entertaining.
Visuals
In this clip from New York City’s Channel 9 news, the news clip immediately begins with a transition saying, “Speaking of laughing or things you listen to, now hear this…” The quick transition from one subject to the next directly relates to Postman’s theory of “Now…this”. In chapter 7 Postman discusses how in one monotonous sentence a newscaster will go from murder to sports. Similarly, the news presents the issue of cranked up ear buds as if it were a very big issue in American Society. In Amusing Ourselves to Death Postman says, “It is simply not possible to convey a sense of seriousness about any event if its implications are exhausted in less than one minute’s time” (Postman 103). Even if the issue of listening to music too loud was a major issue, the viewer could not comprehend the background information and scientific reasons for that issue in a minute. During the 48 second clip there are headlines at the bottom of the screen that read, “SHARK; SATURDAY STORM; PHOTO FUNDRAISER”. Not only is the issue discussed for less than a minute, but other news is being reported at the same time. At the end of the clip the newscasters transition into the fact that the mayor has also gotten rid of large sugary drinks and trans fats. The constant “Now…This” theory does not allow the viewer to stop and think because the news is always transitioning from one thing to the next. It becomes apparently clear through the news every day that Postman’s idea that the news has become merely a form of entertainment has become true.
1. What does "Now...This" mean exactly - how does it have to do with today's society?
2. How does the appearance of the newscaster impact the influence of the news?
3. If you were a producer of a news show, would you be more concerned to contain multiple viewers or would you rather provide accurate, quality news?
4.. What is the relationship between "understanding" and television?
5. How does television impact other mediums of communication such as newspapers, radio, etc.?
6. Is it really helpful to contain "apps" that instantly provide top news?
7. Would you agree that you haven't ever really been effected by the news - in other words has it changed how you go about your day?
8. Is it common to immediately have an opinion after watching a news cast? Is this opinion valuable?
9. Would you agree that "television is the paradigm of our conception of public information"?
10. Nowadays, what are the major resources for news? How do they compare to television?
Research
Chapter 7 of Neil Postman's 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death exposes the "now ... this" style of Television news. Though this book is nearly 30 years old its arguments apply to contemporary society better than the world Postman wrote it in. The number of news sources has exploded with the introduction of the internet and internet news, and inevitably, the filter on news dissipated and may never return. The news ticker became a fixture of the news after the events of September 11. It has evolved from a way to help people handle disasters to a method of news constantly pumping out more. As "The Tick, Tick, Tick of the Times", a Time article by James Poniewozik, tells, "... a sense of crisis is good business for TV news..." (Par. 6) As potent as this quote may be, the irony is inescapable that this article was found on Time's website, personally saturated with 20 Top Headlines and Breaking News Stories, Ads to the right, video news, and Time's own advertisements for apps on all devices so we can get just the latest 20 headline making news anywhere and everywhere. Yay! Another development of the 21st Century is the news block: local news, national news, and then local news again, but with a little national news this time too, just in case you might have missed. This is only exacerbated by the fact that all news programs start out with a five minute block of all the news you want to know, but that you don't want to know well enough to invest a half hour. To maintain competition and viewership news media has allowed quantity to defeat quality in their ongoing battle, and this has resulted in any sense of credibility and importance completely degrading. Contrary to what modern news outlets would like you to believe, not all news holds the same importance. "The Tick, Tick, Tick of the Times", a Time article by James Poniewozik, defends Postman's argument in Amusing Ourselves to Death, with a modern twist. By exposing the origin and mutation of the news ticker as a fixture of modern media, Poniewozik supports Postman's argument that where TV tries to be important it is most dangerous. The ticker evokes a constant sense of urgency because of its origins, even if it is simply informing you of a sale on puppies. As Poniewozik argues, "the ticker never sleeps,"(Par. 7) and it "[refuses] to filter"(Par. 8). Everything is equally important to know and know quickly.
References
"NYC Officials: Your Music Is Too Loud." 9NEWS at 4 P.m. NBC. Denver, Colorado, 07 Mar. 2013. Television.
Amusing Ourselves to Death, Chapter 7 "'Now...This'"
Summary/Outline
Major Concepts and Vocabulary
“Now…this”- Commonly used by a newscaster or radio host to transition form one subject to another. However media today uses “Now…this” to merge not only similar ideas, but completely contrasting ones as well. Now only fragments of good news are given and then suddenly a bad story comes on and again it will quickly go back to good news without missing a beat.
Credibility/Acceptability- Not based on past anymore but instead based on presentation and appearance today. Entertainment is about acceptable or credible if a beautiful person or medium form presenting the message isn’t used. The news and entertainment must not only be truthful and “credible” in then traditional sense but also credible in the new sense.
Vaudeville and Entertainment- The analogy between Entertainment and the news and Vaudeville is variety. Vaudeville is a type of theater in which each act has no relation to the next like a talent show or circus. As Neil Postman quotes in his book Robert MacNeil “bite size is the best” meaning that audiences are now only entertained in small “bit size” stories. Like a Vaudeville they must have variety.
Disinformation- Neil Postman defines the term as misleading information that creates knowledge that in turn leads you away from the actual information. Postman argues that news today is not intended to be disinformation but because entertainment is thrown in with it becomes disinformation. Leading us away from the truth.
Televisions Power- Television today has reached the point the printing press reached earlier in history. Where news was not news with out it. Television spreads, manipulates, and plows though news like nothing else can. American is dependent on Television for news. But not simply news it must be entertaining.
Visuals
In this clip from New York City’s Channel 9 news, the news clip immediately begins with a transition saying, “Speaking of laughing or things you listen to, now hear this…” The quick transition from one subject to the next directly relates to Postman’s theory of “Now…this”. In chapter 7 Postman discusses how in one monotonous sentence a newscaster will go from murder to sports. Similarly, the news presents the issue of cranked up ear buds as if it were a very big issue in American Society. In Amusing Ourselves to Death Postman says, “It is simply not possible to convey a sense of seriousness about any event if its implications are exhausted in less than one minute’s time” (Postman 103). Even if the issue of listening to music too loud was a major issue, the viewer could not comprehend the background information and scientific reasons for that issue in a minute. During the 48 second clip there are headlines at the bottom of the screen that read, “SHARK; SATURDAY STORM; PHOTO FUNDRAISER”. Not only is the issue discussed for less than a minute, but other news is being reported at the same time. At the end of the clip the newscasters transition into the fact that the mayor has also gotten rid of large sugary drinks and trans fats. The constant “Now…This” theory does not allow the viewer to stop and think because the news is always transitioning from one thing to the next. It becomes apparently clear through the news every day that Postman’s idea that the news has become merely a form of entertainment has become true.newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|featured
Discussion Questions
1. What does "Now...This" mean exactly - how does it have to do with today's society?
2. How does the appearance of the newscaster impact the influence of the news?
3. If you were a producer of a news show, would you be more concerned to contain multiple viewers or would you rather provide accurate, quality news?
4.. What is the relationship between "understanding" and television?
5. How does television impact other mediums of communication such as newspapers, radio, etc.?
6. Is it really helpful to contain "apps" that instantly provide top news?
7. Would you agree that you haven't ever really been effected by the news - in other words has it changed how you go about your day?
8. Is it common to immediately have an opinion after watching a news cast? Is this opinion valuable?
9. Would you agree that "television is the paradigm of our conception of public information"?
10. Nowadays, what are the major resources for news? How do they compare to television?
Research
Chapter 7 of Neil Postman's 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death exposes the "now ... this" style of Television news. Though this book is nearly 30 years old its arguments apply to contemporary society better than the world Postman wrote it in. The number of news sources has exploded with the introduction of the internet and internet news, and inevitably, the filter on news dissipated and may never return. The news ticker became a fixture of the news after the events of September 11. It has evolved from a way to help people handle disasters to a method of news constantly pumping out more. As "The Tick, Tick, Tick of the Times", a Time article by James Poniewozik, tells, "... a sense of crisis is good business for TV news..." (Par. 6) As potent as this quote may be, the irony is inescapable that this article was found on Time's website, personally saturated with 20 Top Headlines and Breaking News Stories, Ads to the right, video news, and Time's own advertisements for apps on all devices so we can get just the latest 20 headline making news anywhere and everywhere. Yay! Another development of the 21st Century is the news block: local news, national news, and then local news again, but with a little national news this time too, just in case you might have missed. This is only exacerbated by the fact that all news programs start out with a five minute block of all the news you want to know, but that you don't want to know well enough to invest a half hour. To maintain competition and viewership news media has allowed quantity to defeat quality in their ongoing battle, and this has resulted in any sense of credibility and importance completely degrading. Contrary to what modern news outlets would like you to believe, not all news holds the same importance."The Tick, Tick, Tick of the Times", a Time article by James Poniewozik, defends Postman's argument in Amusing Ourselves to Death, with a modern twist. By exposing the origin and mutation of the news ticker as a fixture of modern media, Poniewozik supports Postman's argument that where TV tries to be important it is most dangerous. The ticker evokes a constant sense of urgency because of its origins, even if it is simply informing you of a sale on puppies. As Poniewozik argues, "the ticker never sleeps,"(Par. 7) and it "[refuses] to filter"(Par. 8). Everything is equally important to know and know quickly.
References
"NYC Officials: Your Music Is Too Loud." 9NEWS at 4 P.m. NBC. Denver, Colorado, 07 Mar. 2013. Television.
Poniewozik, James. “The Tick, Tick, Tick of the Times. After 9/11, the shock wore off. But the news ticker
kept the cable’s pulse pounding.” Time. 6 Dec. 2010.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2032304_2032745_2032850,00.html
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