We live in an age of infinite content and zero attention spans, where the news cycle spins faster than a politician's excuses. KVUE, your friendly neighborhood ABC affiliate, has apparently decided to embrace the chaos by simply... listing links. It's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off. Are we living in the end-times? Is this what McLuhan warned us about? Is this news? Is it journalism? Or is it just a way to keep us doomscrolling until the heat death of the universe?
Consider this your permission slip to question everything.
The Big Picture
KVUE posted a list of links "mentioned during our newscast." No context, no commentary, just a raw data dump of URLs for your clicking pleasure. It's the digital equivalent of throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, except the spaghetti is news and the wall is your dwindling sanity. And you're paying for the spaghetti, indirectly, through your cable bill.
By the Numbers
What Changed
The internet happened. Attention spans evaporated. The economic model for local news collapsed. KVUE, like every other media outlet, is desperately trying to stay afloat in a sea of misinformation and cat videos. The rise of social media, the decline of print, and the relentless pursuit of clicks have all contributed to this race to the bottom. Expect to see more of this “content” in the future.
Why It Matters
Because the erosion of local news is a threat to democracy. When news becomes nothing more than a list of links, it's harder to hold power accountable, harder to stay informed, and easier to fall prey to misinformation. This isn't just about KVUE; it's about the future of journalism, the role of media in society, and the very fabric of our reality. If we don't support quality journalism, we'll be left with nothing but clickbait and conspiracy theories. Also, if you click the links, you're part of the problem. Sorry, not sorry.