Daily coverage of war, terrorism, energy crisis and global warming is turning newspapers and broadcast news into collectors of tragedies. The socially-conscious citizen of today requires a strong dose of courage and a good stomach to watch the news or read the paper in the morning and still be able to enjoy breakfast.
Some people justify their ignorance on current world events by saying they simply don’t want to get depressed. However, if they have access to the Internet, they’re out of excuses. Just by typing “good news” on Google, media consumers can have a break from crime and hit-and-run stories and get interesting and useful information on scientific and medical discoveries and social, environmental and political activism.
Good News Network and more than 20 other online good-news outlets dare to break the paradigm of mainstream media newsworthiness and offer a more hopeful perspective of politics, society, culture, science and the environment. GNN founder Geri Weis-Corbley wrote on the network’s Web site, “I want to be the first person to really prove that good news sells.”
With the motto “News to enthuse,” GNN mission is presenting positive news that can inspire readers and contribute to their well-being and prosperity. Weis-Corbley wrote that she thinks bad-news is still relevant, but audiences need a “well-balanced media diet.”
The Global Country of World Peace, an organization founded by spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, gives a daily update on peace accomplishments world-wide through Global Good News. This Web site also publishes negative news under the category of “Flops.” Global Good News combines information with the teachings of Maharishi on humanity and world cohesiveness.
World Economy modus operandi, competitive media and even human nature can become major obstacles for these well-intentioned news outlets. A study of news impact in U.S. and European macroeconomics by the University of Helsinki shows bad news increases market volatility more than good news. The study also shows “bad news increases volatility more in good times than in bad times, while there is no difference between the volatility effects of good news in bad and good times.” Another study by the Media Effects Research Laboratory in Penn State University shows that even when physiological arousal increases when watching both good and bad news, memory levels increase for bad news and decrease for good news. Whether the reason is economic impact or our bad memory for good news, in the end, media directors and advertisers will choose news that assure them more sales and rating levels. Sadly, that’s what the mass communications business is all about.
It’s still inspiring to see the large number of good-news Web sites. If their number and popularity increase, mainstream media producers might think twice before leaving good news out of their agendas. A quote by Maharishi on the left sidebar of Global Good news Web site reads: “Time is fast approaching for the world press to inform the people that all the negative things that they have been reporting, with great speed they are becoming less and less and less.”
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