THE SCHOOL OF LIFE: Why We Love Disaster News

Hurricane Harvey 2017

Why are we so captivated and fascinated by news stories about disasters? Is it ghoulish and voyeuristic? Not at all...

Polarizing social issues involving family, sexuality, patriotism and God engender the highest levels of attention. On a national scale changes in coverage tend to mold public interest rather than vice versa.

If so, journalists must be especially cognizant of their influence on not only opinions about the news, but also on what is considered news. Watch the video...