Right Side Up Is Upside Down Reality - Time Out #284

Today's installment is therapy for me.

It is also the absolute truth, as I see it.

I usually cringe each time I hear, watch, or read each media hiccup, in my humble opinion.

What is the issue you ask?

Journalism, as I know/knew it, is my short answer.

As my dear father, Col. C.H. Breedlove, instilled in my heart throughout my formative years, right is right, and the truth is the truth.

First, let's review some personal background, readers in Our Town and far beyond.

Before I began my professional health care training in August, 1970, I was formerly an educated, trained, and experienced journalist. My journalism journey began at C.E. Donart (now Stillwater) High School, when I took 2 years of journalism classes during my junior and senior years (1963-65) of high school. I worked long and hard on both the All-School News newspaper, and the Pioneer yearbook. I was also frequently a "stringer" (free-lance correspondent) for the Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City Times, Tulsa World, Tulsa Tribune, and Stillwater NewsPress. I loved the jobs, and wrote all types of stories, hard news, human interest, sports, etc. My undergraduate major at Oklahoma State University was in news-editorial journalism in the College of Arts and Sciences. I received my bachelor of science degree after 4 years of college in May, 1969. While a student at OSU, I worked on the Daily O'Collegian newspaper, and the Redskin yearbooks. I maintained my "stringer" status for all previously mentioned newspapers, while attending university classes, too. In addition, I had a live, evening radio segment/show on the campus radio station station. The radio station was also located in the journalism building's top floor. Dr. Harry E. Heath, Jr., was the head of the OSU School of Journalism during my entire educational experience at OSU. He was my mentor, advisor, and close friend. We had a great relationship. When I told him I planned on attending medical school after being graduated from OSU, he encouraged me, and was always a huge influence in my young and older life. For several months after I was awarded my OSU degree, I worked full-time for the NewsPress, continuing, once again, to be assigned to cover all types of stories in Our Town and beyond. Again, I continued as a "string" reporter for all four of our state's large newspapers, writing about a vast assortment of assigned topics. While I was a professional student studying at OU Medical school, I was the editor OU Medical Center yearbook. As a practicing physician for over 4 decades, I have continued to write articles for various publications because I sincerely LOVE writing! Writing helps me keep in touch with my "roots", and has always been very gratifying for my soul.

I believe relating my personal "backstory" is extremely important in establishing my creditability, and relating the remainder of this week's installment content to you.

In my humble opinion, practically ALL media--video/audio, audio, print---has turned completely upside down during my lifetime. What I was formally taught in school, learned extensively on-the-job, and heard in-the-journalism field years ago, is almost totally gone. Just about everything I see, hear or read via the media has some directional slant on its delivery to "Jane or Joe Public". Back in the day, these individual comments were only offered in a "editorial-type" setting, or designed format. Individual journalism opinions, nowadays, are commonplace, certainly not the exception. And, it's not just in the content of the message; usually it's also heard in the inflection in the broadcaster's voice or tone. They give "extra emphasis" to various words or phrases, so their overall message is one of utter sensationalism! I probably tell my bride, Ms. Debbie, at least every other day, "Is that newsworthy?" when I hear some ridiculous topic given 3 minutes of coverage on a network! I relate the beginning of all this craziness back to 1980, when Ted Turner began his 24-hour network news station. The Issue then, and still is today, a feeble attempt (?) to fill every airtime minute of every day with "newsworthy content": a haphazard, potpourri, assortment of items, hoping to attract a larger audience. More viewers means higher advertising rates, and the ultimate real result is total media chaos. All the separate media sources are vying for that almighty advertising dollar $, and the parent companies are owned by zillionaires $$$, Fast forward to the last 20 years, and the development of the personal electronic devices, scattered everywhere over Planet Earth. Now, the advertising audience is glued/addicted to their personal devices, and the big advertisers absolutely know it!

So, it appears today, it doesn't really matter if a story has been authenticated/sources established/fact checked, as I was correctly well-taught years ago. The only importance now seems to be huge sensationalism, either in subject content or method of delivery/voice inflection, or both. The hype certainly seems over-the-top, and limitless. It is truly a constant, 3-ring circus, absent of any intermission time.

And, of course, Covid-19 has kept us "hunkered down" to watch/listen/read all this background confusion, 24/7.

Oh, by the way, let me say again, this installment is NOT a news story; it is merely my educated opinion; therefore, please, no blurred lines,

Thank you.