Non-fiction storytelling – Documentary – is about exploring reality, current issues and other subjects with the purpose of informing and possibly bringing candid insights to the viewer. Hopefully, giving the viewer choices regarding how they end up feeling about the subject. Documentaries are very different than the news or “Reality” programming in that documentaries are about conveying information in a narrative form. Some documentaries are both informative and entertaining.
Television in the United States is an entertainment medium. We watch television to be entertained. American Television, both broadcast and cable, has turned “News” into entertainment because that’s how they get ratings and advertisers. Not only is the news presented as entertainment it’s exploited by individuals, corporate interests, political groups and others; so we end up with entertaining propaganda.
J R Martin
Nightly News on Cable Channels CNN, MSNBC and FOX report varying versions of the news. MSNBC at this prime time hour features Chris Mathews who is a commentator and opinionated. CNN and Fox purport to be reporting the News at this hour but tend to "spin," "frame," sensationalize or distort the facts.
