“I used to have the news on the TV every morning for an hour or so as I got the children ready for school and completed my household tasks,” he said. “Now it has literally been switched off and unplugged. I can’t cope with it any more. It’s just too much and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Though he dips into his favourite news apps occasionally in the evening, he now strictly limits his news consumption. He’s not alone. The Guardian has been contacted by a series of one-time news junkies who are now seeking to restrict their news intake after suffering from disturbed sleep or a downturn in their mood.
When I grew up, my parents watched a 15-minute news show in the evening (Tagesschau).
It’s deliciously German, delivered with extremely neutral tone of voice and facial expressions.
(So much so that it’s become a meme.)
It’s also designed by committee to be neutral in point of view.
And that was enough to stay generally informed.
Watching an entire hour of America’s sensationalist and excited TV news sounds like the shittiest possible start to a day.
Wait till you find out that a lot of people keep Fox “News[sic]” running all day, including in public places like waiting rooms where people have no choice but to be exposed to the propaganda. (And it’s always Fox, BTW, because the business owners are choosing the channel.)
It’s absolutely disgusting how people become addicted to Fox News. It’s like misinformation crack.
You really never hear of a person who just watches 15 minutes of Fox News. It’s either someone that doesn’t watch Fox News intentionally - or it’s running 24/7 at their house.
That’s why I’m never in a waiting room without air pods and a book