During more than half a century in the newspaper industry I grew to believe that the advertising in the media was there to pay the costs of gathering, publishing or broadcasting the news.
Journalists and photographers must be paid, paper and ink bought, transport and delivery organised, all at considerable cost.
So (I believed) we sell advertising space to pay the bills.
In recent times, however, I’m beginning to wonder whether the advertisements may be there mainly to draw readers’ attention away from the horribly depressing contents of the actual news.
You run your eyes over the news stories and think: “Oh dear, three more murders, more taxi violence, polluted lakes, corrupt officials, more load shedding, OH BOY! POST TOASTIES!”
And everything seems a little better. Television news bulletins use different tactics to divert our attention.
After telling us about the war in Afghanistan and the seventh wave of Covid-19 infections the announcers dredge up a hearty little bit of sports news to soften the blow.
“In a nail-biting semifinal the Germiston Jumbos managed to score the winning goal against the Polokwani Porcupines in the National Blow Football Championships in Cradock last night.”
Yay! Another diversionary tactic among TV news readers is to adopt a strange mannerism that draws attention away from what is actually being said (Police Minister Bheki Cele does it with a hat).
One of our glamorous female announcers on e.tv uses outrageously large false eyelashes to do the job. You can almost hear them going “whop, whop,” as they flutter down to her cheeks.
She may be telling viewers about gang violence or a new deadly variant of Coronavirus.
But the viewers’ attention is riveted on those amazing lashes.
Does she apply them before each news bulletin or are they permanently fixed in place?
Does she wear them in bed at night? (What was that about 100 school children being kidnapped? Whop-whop, Never mind.) Maybe all these distractions are not a bad thing.
Sometimes reality needs to be taken in moderation.
Last Laugh
A racketeer was trying to influence a Cabinet minister.
“Sir,” he said, “I would like to give you a brand new Mercedes sports car as a little gift.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said the minister, “you know it’s against the law for me to accept bribes.”
“Well, in that case, could I sell you a Mercedes sports car for R10?”
“Ah that’s different,” said the minister.
“At that price I’ll take two.”
* "Tavern of the Seas" is a column written in the Cape Argus by David Biggs. Biggs can be contacted at [email protected]
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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