Big media and Michael Jackson

Since becoming a full-time stay at home mom about a month ago, I've tried to write a blog post once a day. I find that writing helps me to keep sane and in touch with the outside world. Some days I'm successful and other days not so much. Today I thought about writing how darling daughter let us (and I say us because I get up when she does as she is my little alarm clock) sleep in until 8:45 a.m. This is the first time she'd slept in that long. I'm not complaining as I do enjoy sleep.

I was thinking about posting another baby food post. More and more, I am relying on commercial baby food these days. Last week I made carrots which was a big disaster as darling daughter wailed, and I mean WAILED, when I turned on the blender. Argh, not only did I have to comfort my hysterical daughter, but clean up the huge mess in my kitchen. Have I ever mentioned that I hate making baby food?

I was also thinking about writing about how much my life has changed in the last year since darling daughter's arrival. This time last year I was hunkering down, getting ready the big day. And I do mean hunkering as I would turn on our house alarm after dear husband left for the day and I wouldn't leave the house unless I had a doctor's appointment. Yep, it was a bit crazy, but sometimes you can get crazy when you are pregnant.

But since today is Michael Jackson's memorial in Los Angeles, I think my post should address the 24 hour news channels feeding frenzy in relation to the King of Pop's death. I'll say this: I was never a huge Michael Jackson fan, however, I did enjoy listening to his music. But since news of his death broke almost two weeks ago, it is hard not to be bombarded with excessive stories relating to Jackson's death and life.

In my humble opinion, I think the 24 hour news channels have lost credibility with the public as they have gone into overdrive covering his death. As soldiers die in Afghanistan, the stock markets fall, people riot in the streets in China and Iranians protest, legitimate journalists are interviewing people who may have had vague connections with Jackson, asking their reaction to the King of Pop's death. In some instances, the only coverage actual news gets is a brief mention on the moving ticker at the bottom of the television screen. Just a few moments ago, CBC reporters were discussing if Jackson's body was actually in the casket at his memorial at the Staples Centre. Citing celebrity gossip website, TMZ.com, one of the reporters told viewers that the website was reporting his body is in the casket. Good lord, has it come down to this that we are discussing if his body is in the casket? Does it even matter? The poor man is dead. Can't we let him rest in peace? Apparently, not. I'm not disputing that Michael Jackson's death is news, but the way it has been covered has been overblown to say the least.

Once the hoopla dies down and the 24 hour news channel return to their regular programming of covering actual news events, we can all sigh a breath of relief until the next big overblown news story comes along. When I was a news reporter, I always thought the news media got a bum rap the way they cover news. However, I can see now that criticism is valid in some instances.