Re: More future just arrived.

Karl Johanson wrote:
"Keith F. Lynch" <kfl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote
Martha Adams <mhada@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
This morning's Public Radio included a piece about a news program
named "Alex." Alex is a complete computer TV newscaster whose
speech is a little off yet but the basics are all there.
I've never understood the point of "talking heads," human or
artificial. TV news is better than print news in only one way: It
can show what events *look* like, rather than just describing them.
Some news events, such as 9/11, are intensely visual. Most, however,
aren't. And whether they are or aren't, what's the point in watching
someone reading the news, when you can simply read it yourself?

Among the many traits of humans is that we're social creatures. Some people prefer to see news from people on a screen, rather than read it themselves, as it feels more like social interaction. Some who are alone but don't like being alone, feel less alone if there's a news show on. As well, if the news reader strikes the viewer as 'an authority figure', they may be more likely to watch them, thinking the news from them has more truthiness. Also, a great deal of news is heavily editorialized. I realize that this is true of text news as well as visual news, but many like to be told how to interpret the news, or to at least see how others are interpreting it, and visual news includes vocal stress, gestoral and expression clues as to how the broadcaster is reacting to the news..



It's also easier to listen to tv news, instead of reading it yourself, while doing other things (such as reading email). You may say that for this radio news would be enough - but with tv news, you can look up from what you're doing to watch the footage of something that attracts your attention.


--
Jette Goldie
jette@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re:unwanted E-mail
    ... you are not alone in thinking that some cyclones ... get all the news whilst others seem to get none. ... This drw the ir of someone called Alex: ...
    (sci.geo.meteorology)
  • Re: Larry Kudlow on CNBC
    ... > Alex says: ... > If so, on what charge??? ... It is illegal for the government to pay people to advertise its ... Faux News Is Bad News ...
    (misc.invest.stocks)
  • Re: Kevin, KEVIN!!!
    ... GT Tick wrote: ... From: akfromak@xxxxxxxxx (Alex) ... Even when storms move up from the gulf or from the ... Then I got up and read the news this morning. ...
    (alt.support.mult-sclerosis)
  • Re: Kevin, KEVIN!!!
    ... From: akfromak@xxxxxxxxx (Alex) ... (Since Tick is posting, I'm assuming he's ok, too.) ... Fire danger is once again high and if something doesn't happen by the ... Then I got up and read the news this morning. ...
    (alt.support.mult-sclerosis)
  • Re: Updates needed
    ... I hope it goes better with the SADS soon. ... Great News about Alex - He was able to resume school this week!!!!! ...
    (alt.support.arthritis)