Re:Ask HN: Does anyone find it strange that sport is part of...
by WarOnPrivacy on Tuesday February 16, 2021 @11:56AM
(#26155952)
If I read the consensus here correctly: Sportball-viewing is the largest US hobby -> something -> ergo news.
I have a couple of thoughts. First, can someone clarify what "something" is? Comments seem balanced between "you must not like sportball" and offering other information-ish things as evidence of, well, something. If the point is to qualify sportball as news, I'm unclear how those accomplish that.
Second, I expect comments to proceed to "Well, what is news anyway?" and here's what I have for that.
The extra-constitutional protections given to the press by the 1A imply a duty by news orgs to act as an adversary to Govs and other powerful interests - to unearth their misdeeds and other effects of public interest.
Reporting that honors press' 1A protections seems to unambiguously qualify as news. Reporting outside the scope of that may better qualify as information and/or entertainment.
No one is saying that information and entertainment shouldn't be published. However, universally cheap publishing provides endless sport/celeb/infotainment options to us. It is unclear how news orgs best serve us by redirecting resources away from 1A implied duties - just to provide the bazillionth option to hear about sport/celebs.
I have a couple of thoughts. First, can someone clarify what "something" is? Comments seem balanced between "you must not like sportball" and offering other information-ish things as evidence of, well, something. If the point is to qualify sportball as news, I'm unclear how those accomplish that.
Second, I expect comments to proceed to "Well, what is news anyway?" and here's what I have for that.
The extra-constitutional protections given to the press by the 1A imply a duty by news orgs to act as an adversary to Govs and other powerful interests - to unearth their misdeeds and other effects of public interest.
Reporting that honors press' 1A protections seems to unambiguously qualify as news. Reporting outside the scope of that may better qualify as information and/or entertainment.
No one is saying that information and entertainment shouldn't be published. However, universally cheap publishing provides endless sport/celeb/infotainment options to us. It is unclear how news orgs best serve us by redirecting resources away from 1A implied duties - just to provide the bazillionth option to hear about sport/celebs.