I tend to be skeptical of the media. I don’t think it is far from the truth to state that current media more resembles scandal sheet such as National Enquirer and The Star then it does the serious media of fifty years ago. Can you possibly imagine Walter Cronkite obsessing with Andrew Weiner’s sexual exploits?

What current media tries to do is latch onto a story, no matter how minor, that they believe they can so blow up that the public becomes interested in it enough for the media to milk it for days on end in hopes of attracting curious viewers anxious to see how the story plays out. I am not sure their agenda is actually valid considering how both readership and viewing of news are way down in numbers. Perhaps it is time for the media to reconsider trying to attract the majority of people with spurious stories instead of aiming for quality and in-depth newscasting which attract loyal niche followers.

Which brings us to Hurricane Irene. Obviously that has dominated all the news this past week, so much so that tv stations have pre-empted other programming in order to show Mike Bloomberg and Chris Christie conducting long, boring news conferences which could have ended in 5 minutes, but instead stretched into 45 minutes of repetition and, at least in Christie’s case, repeated posturing for the national news media who have become so enamored with his foul-mouthed, bullying form of politics.

Everything you see or read would have us convinced that (a) Irene is the second coming of Katrina, and (b) the next few days will rival the World War II aerial bombing of London for its damaging effects. If I could trust the media, I would have no doubt all of us Northeasterners are in big trouble. And, in fact, I have made preparations for high winds, extensive rain, and possible power outages.

But a part of me keeps wondering how much of this news coverage is wishful thinking on the part of the media, in hopes they can continue their SPECIAL EXTENDED COVERAGE another week while we all dig out of the rubble.