To want to read the news

Thanks for that Maw - so apt! I wonder if that was part of TWTWTW?

I remember this from DECADES ago.
Says it all!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVlfvdH7qwY

I do agree about despising all the advertising of forthcoming programmes being erroneously presented on TV as news item We pay for this "service". I wish the beeb would get on with doing what we pay them for!

I agree, Esspee When you hear it said once, with visual expression and verbal intonation, you get from it what you are meant to believe. With the printed word, you can go back for another look to see what was REALLY being said and pick out the weak logic.

Yes visual information has more impact. I agree with Imperfect there is all sorts of rubbish masquerading as news now.

Ooooh, that's a conversation starter OP!

Unreasonable? No. Good observation.

BBC news has becoming many things other than news:
self- advertising for programmes such as panorama, journalism on the cheap - regurgitating 'bits' of items that we also see on e.g. 'The One Show / Watchdog , promoting 'viral' videos / You-Tube clips ...

Journalism is evidently done ' on the cheap' these days and I very much suspect that internet forums such as Gransnet are trawled and topical items then picked up as subject matter to generate interest and pad out daily news / local radio programmes.

Is it because we are bringing up a generation of non-readers - well no, not BECAUSE, but I think it is symptomatic of the general dumbing down for an audience that the beeb perceives to have less time or will to focus on extended coverage ... a 'soundbite' generation.