"I just saw Elvis at the shopping market, but I refused to call police

[ChairmanAgnostic]

even though I know that the police are still searching for him. If he wants to perform again, it is his choice."
Gawdalmighty. Just what qualifies as news?

Bush's bullshit today? His inability to pronounce the names of his two very dear friends he invited over for a summit? his anger at the Dems for cutting his recess appointments off at the knees?
None of the above.
The falling market? or the bad jobs facts compared to allegedly rosy (fed-based) employment figures? The crashing housing market? or the (fed-based) low inflation rate, minus fuel and food?

No, it is a local crime story involving a young (very young) woman married to a cop almost 3 times her age. Wifie #4. #3 died under questionable circumstances. a relative helped the cop remove a body sized sealed heavy plastic drum.

OK, as local color goes, yes, there is interest here in Illinois, especially when he was just granted full pension benefits. But as national stories go, this is yet another missing blond bimbo story from Aruba. Oh wait, more news on that front, too!

How do we get the news media to start reporting the news? The problem is that absent cspan (at times) the other choices are even worse.

[DaveJ]

1. Well, I have one theory...

Fodder like that gives TV watchers time to take a break, make lunch, or whatever then come back in 10-20 minutes for a semi-serious story that might surface. Serious news outlets suffer the problem of becoming too dry and boring and lose viewers as a result of that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Nah fodder like that is used to cover UP the real stories

that actually affect your and my life

Granted, that is the kind of fodder us writers of all stripes used to look for IN THE LOCAL NEWS to add color to novels

[DemBones DemBones]

2. In fairness, I think it's the very first "missing fourth wife of a cop whose

third wife was drowned in her bathtub that had no water in it" story we've ever had.

:evilgrin:

I admit I'm curious to know if they can get him for killing wife #3, or #4, if they ever find her, but it's not going to affect my life, doesn't need national coverage. If you think CNN is bad, you ought to see Atlanta's local news; "If it bleeds, it leads" is their motto.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. menstruation news policies? I see.

it is enough to make one to do - - - - something.