Andrew Heller

Best. Columnist. Ever.

  • About
  • More Posts …
    • More Posts …
    • Come Heller high water
    • The Heller Poll
    • Steve Jessmore photos
    • Auchtoons
  • Books
 

Here’s how to fix the news

March 7, 2021 by Andrew Heller 2 Comments

Someday soon in the CNN boardroom …  

“Ladies and gentlemen, ratings are through the floor since Trump left office,” the chairman of the board said darkly. “We need to shake things up and find a way to get viewers back! Any ideas?”

“I know,” said one executive. “Let’s add more stuff to the screen – more graphics, more moving headlines, more previews, more mini-screens, more split screens more sidebars. More everything! People love more!”

“Great idea, Johnson. But if we add any more ‘more’ no one will be able to see the anchor. Next idea!”

“How about more breaking news?” another exec chimed in. “In fact, let’s call everything breaking news.”

“We already do that, even for budget hearings. I think people are starting to catch on.”

“Ah, but what if we called it Extremely Breaking News – a whole new level of breaking news.”

“That’s genius, Smith, but not enough. C’mon, people, dig deeper.”

The room came alive with ideas.

“How about more hilarious videos of raccoons with their head stuck in a jar!”

“More heart-warming videos of extreme wedding proposals and gender reveals!”

“More footage of returning soldiers!”

“More royal family stories, including the pets of fourth cousins twice removed!”

“More commercials, especially ones for prescription drugs! People can’t get enough of those.”

 “More panels of people no one knows giving you their opinion about the news?”

“How about instead of covering just three news stories in any 24-hour period, we reduce it just one!”

Finally, an older man who hadn’t spoken yet raised his hand.

“I know this sounds crazy, but what if we just, you know, covered the news. All the news. Real news. Without any spin. And we had, like, one ordinary-looking person sit behind a desk and read it.  You know, so people were actually informed about what’s going on in the world. That should be the goal, right?”

The room fell silent. Finally, the chairman of the board cleared his throat and said, “Sir, are you seriously suggesting we should cover more news and not less?”

“Yes.”

“And that we don’t have panel after panel of so-called experts give their opinion on the news?”

“Yes.”

“And that we limit the definition of news to what’s actually important and newsworthy?”

“Yes.

”And that we don’t report that news with any sort of political bias or spin whatsoever?”

“Yes.”

“And that we get rid of all the graphics and chyrons and split-screens and pretty people?”

The chairman pondered for a moment then roared, “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Get this man out of here! Now, let’s get back to business. We need a blockbuster idea and we need it fast.”

“I’ve got it,” someone cried. “How about if we have celebrities read the news?”

“Hey, now …” the chairman said, stroking his chin.

“And not just celebrities, but celebrities reading the news while wearing elaborate costumes like on ‘The Masked Singer’”?

“Brilliant!” everyone in the room cried.

Look for that starting soon. You heard it here first.

Filed Under: All Columns

Comments

  1. Adam says

    March 8, 2021 at 9:10 pm

    Here’s some objective news from TheHill.com.

    “The Supreme Court on Monday denied a bid by former President Trump to nullify his electoral loss in Wisconsin, rejecting the former president’s final pending appeal over the results of the 2020 election.

    In an unsigned order without noted dissent, the justices declined to take up Trump’s lawsuit alleging Wisconsin election officials violated the Constitution by expanding absentee voting amid the global coronavirus pandemic.”

    That’s over 60 losses in court, including before Trump appointed justices, and including before all three of Trump’s appointed Supreme Court justices, who have lifetime appointments, and risk nothing by backing his side of the case.

    Then there’s the reports of his chosen head of Homeland Security that told him this was the most secure election the country’s ever had. Then there’s his own Attorney General Bill Barr saying that there wasn’t significant fraud in the election. Then there’s the Republican Secretary of State on a recorded line where the President’s told him to “find” the votes to enable him to win, that there wasn’t fraud in the election he lost, and he’s being given bad information by those telling them there was. Then there’s the Republican Governor of Georgia agreeing with his Secretary of State.

    Yep, lots of objective news there.

    Reply
  2. jbcsfl says

    March 13, 2021 at 10:38 am

    I am eagerly awaiting the breaking news that………..
    trump has been afforded every possible avenue in the courts to defend himself against all charges brought against him and the trump organization.
    trump receives severe monetary penalties and jail time for guilty verdicts in courts across our great land.
    I am eagerly awaiting the breaking news that all individuals who aided and abetted trump and the trump organization in the commission of crimes, have been afforded fair trials and that they receive severe monetary penalties and jail time for guilty verdicts handed down by the courts.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Buy My Books!

Show_Cars_Illustrated_300x250-2018

 

Archives

  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016

Categories

  • All Columns
  • Auchtoons
  • Brenda Brissette Mata columns
  • Come Heller high water
  • Flint Columns
  • Guest columnists
  • Guns
  • Humor
  • John Matonich
  • Michigan politics and government
  • National politics
  • Steve Jessmore photos
  • Steve Murch
  • The Heller Poll
  • What do you think?

About The Author

Andrew Heller has been an enduringly popular newspaper columnist in Michigan for a long, long, long time. He wrote his first column for the Escanaba Daily Press way back in 1979. It was about his … Continue Reading

SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

BOOK: Come-Heller-High-Water-by-Andrew-Heller ISBN-13:9780964983212

Come Heller High Water I is the collection readers asked for, and includes columns that they wanted reprints of.

In true Heller style, topics cover everything from the craziness of having kids to tales from his U.P. days.

Buy My Books!

BOOK: Come-Heller-High-Water 2-by-Andrew-Heller ISBN-13:9780964983212

Come Heller High Water II is the smash hit follow-up to Come Heller High Water I. It includes everything from Andy's takes on modern life to conversations with his back home pal Moon Dimple, and much, much more.
 

Buy My Books!

BOOK: Saving the World One Column at a Time Paperback  ISBN-10: 0971495114 ISBN-13: 978-0971495111

Saving the World One Column at a Time is a bitingly funny look at the world through the eyes of this award-winning columnist. In it he takes on corporate crooks, Little League parents, tongue piercers, ketchup sinners and much, much more. A must-have for Heller fans.

Buy My Books!

Copyright © 2024 · Andrew Heller · Best. Columnist. Ever.

Mobile Responsive Website by Media Cafe Online, LLC · Log in