Journalism Quote by David Brinkley
““The one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were.””
About This Quote
Source Television Broadcast, 1970s
News often fills empty slots with exaggerated importance, even when nothing substantive occurs.
In simple terms: News can overstate emptiness.
Key Takeaway
Question the significance of empty news.
Themes
media
truth
exaggeration
information
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
commentary
observational
When to use this quote
- watching news
- media literacy
- political discourse
Key Concepts
propaganda
bias
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do audiences accept filler news?
- How can we demand substantive reporting?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis may cause public desensitization.
![“News is unusual things happening— And usual things happening [...] But news is mainly what someone somewhere doesn't want you to put in the paper— Except that sometimes it isn't [...] News, [...] all depends. But you'll know it when you see it.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/73d/terry-pratchett-19_discworld_news-is-unusual-things-happening-and-usu_1123877.jpg)
