News habits--oh, how they change

As a journalism student, I find myself constantly overwhelmed by the amount of information that bombards my life. With today's technology, it's hard to get away from in-your-face celebrity news and ads. Fortunately though, TV's only turn on when you push the "power" button, and the internet and newspapers are available at your convenience. Seems like I've got
plenty of choices.

Friday, September 21
12:15 p.m.

I've got a couple of minutes before class starts, so I figure I'll skim the Daily Beacon and see what's up. I end up skipping the front page article about senior honors program students--I'm not one, so it doesn't apply. I'm vaguely interested in an article on a quack photographer that has claimed several photos taken by other individuals as his own. Al Sharpton...blah, blah. Then I skip back a page to read about a big Tennesee drug bust. I think its pretty cool since my dad is the head of the Drug Enforcement in Tennessee and part of Georgia. He'd been on the been on the news a day earlier.

2:00 p.m.

I'm in a hurry, so I decide to make it quick. I get online and check out Nealz Nuze on boortz.com. From skimming quickly, I notice a link to Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan, followed shortly by an entire section on global warming. I'm not a fan of either, but I think it's interesting because elections are coming up. I check the link briefly and read the global warming news, but unfortunately, I have to miss out on the rest because I'm going to be late for my final fitting for my wedding dress.

Just from looking at a day's worth of news habits, I see that they have changed some since I was in high school. Before I came to college, I relied more on the newspaper and TV for news. I never really considered the internet. Now, however, I find the internet more convenient, and I have more options and variety. When I actually take the time, or when I'm waiting for class to start, I can check several different sites at once, from the Wall Street Journal to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

As I get older, I can't imagine that I'll give up checking news on the internet. However, I do see myself having more time to read the paper or catch the news after work. Right now, with a class schedule that changes every other day, whatever is quickest works. I just have to remember
all the news sources at my fingertips and read as many different ones as possible so I can have a more balanced perspective on events.