Over the past few years I have been noticing a real shift in the way that mainstream news is reported and how impartial reporting has slowly been eroded and replaced with a more analytical and opinionated news-machine.

I’m certain that a lot of this has been driven by changes in consumer profiles and the way in which we interact with information of all sorts from iPhone & smartphone applications through to 24 hour a day news channels on the television.

It’s just not impartial anymore; sport is the most blatant. John Terry lost his England captaincy following an affair but Wayne Rooney was protected on the lead up to a game. The press speculation was that ‘Poor Wayne’ looked miserable in training and they hoped that he could hold it together for the match. When he actually scored in this game, the relief was clear – From the media as well as Mr Rooney. All very salacious but not my idea of ‘news’.

Not only this but is cricket really more important than a national disaster for Pakistan? If the same air time was given to the devastation that the people of Pakistan are suffering under rather than spot-fixing allegations, surely there would be better awareness and more aid. Again, it would appear that the media have decided what is more worthy and cricket wins.

Coverage is another bugbear of mine, according to journalisted.com, what is considered newsworthy is well out of equilibrium. With 500 articles from selected sources about Tony Blair’s autobiography, the same sources show only 2 articles about the deportation of Iraqi refugees. Is it a case of palate over pertinence or is it ‘out of sight out of mind’?

The good news is that with the online community and channels, you can get to the news that you find interesting or want to know about. If you don’t want to watch or read about some watered down celebrity-centric world, you don’t have to. If you don’t want to know about the suffering and pain in the world, you can close it out. The choice is yours and that’s the best part.

When I want to hear someone’s opinion on a news article, the place I go is the social media sphere – This is where I do want to hear real opinion, real debate and different perspectives from people. So come on, give me your opinion – Should I just stop watching the news and turn to my laptop or do I have a point? I’d also like to hear about where you get your news from and any recommended sites that host a good variety in a decent format.

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