Students captivated by TV war reports
TV shows like “American Idol” and “Survivor” have captivated the attention of viewers for years, but a new form of reality television is providing some serious competition — 24-hour news networks.
Since the first bombs fell on Baghdad, nationwide viewership for news networks such as CNN, FoxNews and MSNBC has skyrocketed. With CNN’s monopoly from the first Gulf War broken, the three competing networks have turned 24-hour news into 72-hour news, said Bob Thompson, director of Syracuse University’s Center for the Study of Popular Television.
“Just like you can turn on your tap and water comes out, you can turn on the TV and war coverage comes out,” Thompson said. “It’s coming out of three taps and you can never be sure whether it’s going to be hot or cold.”
SU students are tuning in longer and more often than usual. Freshman broadcast journalism major Ian Grubman spent two to four hours watching the news daily when the war began. Although he doesn’t allow it to interfere with his school work, Grubman finds it necessary to spend that time in front of the tube.
“I watch because what’s going on over there is important for our country and all over the world,” Grubman said. “People need to know about what our country’s military is doing.”
For other students, the images hit closer to home. Colby Hartburg, a freshman broadcast journalism major and constant viewer of CNN, was shocked when she caught a glimpse of one of her friends in the military on TV leading up to the war. Hartburg has several other friends currently serving in Iraq, and though she hasn’t received any news directly from them since the conflict began, she has heard from other friends that all are alive and well.
Hartburg’s fascination with the news extends beyond the welfare of her friends. As a broadcast journalism major with an interest in international affairs, she views the war coverage as a laboratory where she can learn more about her interests and future career path.
“Watching is important because this is history in the making. There’s a certain level of fascination,” Hartburg said. “Sometimes, though, it can get to be too much.”
The impact of 24-hour news is up for debate among experts and members of the media, but many agree that a steady diet of war coverage may do more harm than good.
“It’s harmful for students to watch anything 24 hours a day,” said Hubert Brown, a professor in the broadcast journalism department.
The damage is amplified for viewers with loved ones serving in Iraq, he said.
“It’s emotionally wrenching to watch,” Brown said, adding that the availability of 24-hour news is a “steady drip of water torture that has to be terrible for the family.”
Viewers also risk losing touch with reality. Time spent watching the war not only leaves less time for other activities but puts viewers out of touch with the rest of the world, Thompson said.
“It’s like waking from a long dream,” Thompson said.
Students felt the coverage did have some benefits and weighed them against its negative impact when deciding whether to watch.
“I like being informed, which is obviously beneficial,” Grubman said. “On the other hand, when you see some of those shots of bombs exploding in Baghdad, it does create some emotional fear.”
Tom Herlihy, a freshman environmental design major and avid news watcher, said that while the coverage may cause grief for soldiers’ families, they should be left with the choice of watching.
“It’s their choice and if they want to watch and find out their child died, then be my guest,” said Herlihy, who doesn’t know anyone directly involved in the war. “It should be left up to them.”
Hartburg has made her choice. She continues to leave the television on in the background at all times in case news breaks, then tunes into programs like Fox’s “The O’Reilly Factor” for a recap of the day’s events.
“I do get sick of it sometimes,” Hartburg said, adding that she changes the channel to sitcoms or MTV when she needs a break. “There is always a possibility of getting too wrapped up in it.”
For all television viewers, Brown recommends a balance of media sources and time to create a healthy viewing experience. Reading newspapers or watching international news stations may help balance one-dimensional news coverage, he said. “It’s important to achieve a balance and not watch 24 hours a day. Find a designated time (to watch) and then go away from it.”
