Doom and Gloom News

Doom and Gloom News

Dear Editor:

I just finished watching network news and received my daily dose of doom and gloom. Eggs might be contaminated with salmonella! Hot-dogs might give you listeria! Sports utility vehicles might roll over; etc., etc., ad nauseam.

Anchormen solemnly intone these warnings as though they were the final word of authority. They remind me of those warped old men who enjoy scaring kids with stories of bogeymen and ghosts. Tomorrow there will be a new scare story. Next month we will hear that today's information was exaggerated and unproven.

I think we need someone to warn the public of the extreme dangers of watching television. Did you know that numerous house fires are started by TV sets? Kids who spend too much time before TV sets grow sedentary and overweight. That can lead to juvenile diabetes and early death. Every year several children are crushed, some even killed, by TV sets that topple over on them. Some adults spends so much time before TV, watching sports and soap operas, that they suffer circulatory problems and die before their time.

Some kids watch violence on TV and then act out what they have seen. This is clearly a case of industry irresponsibility. Some enterprising lawyer should go after the networks just as they have gone after the auto, aviation, tobacco, and firearms industries. Their products have done harm; therefore the claims of product liability should be invoked.

Wouldn't it be fun to watch Tom, Dan and Peter (network anchors) handle such news?

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