TRIVIAL FIXATION
When I dropped by the
Penny Arcade comic today, I came across this:
It seemed ridiculous but I figured that they were parodying some kind of truth, so I googled "Obama Zune" and came across actual news stories
[and stories about those stories] about Obama using a Microsoft Zune instead of an iPod.
Wow,
really?
According to
United Press International, the popularity of the
original story caused the newspaper's webiste to crash. Apparently this is a big deal because
Obama has
previously described himself as an iPod user, or everybody just expects that everybody is using an iPod these days for music-listening purposes.
This is pretty similar to the media speculating what kind of dog the Obama family should get. Frankly, I was bewildered and didn't care. This Zune/iPod story is mildly interesting at first glance, but after that I start to wonder,
who cares [other than obscure Zune fans]?
Newsworthiness, as I've learned in my journalism classes, is comprised of:
1. Proximity
2. Impact
3. Timeliness
4. Famous people
5. Conflict/controversy
6. Importance
I guess dogs and Zunes fall under the famous people category, but it also almost becomes a morbid curiosity typically reserved for those who read tabloids religiously
[I would know, I used to be one of them]. Anyhow, I am bewildered by the attention that the president-elect's choice of music player is receiving. Let's get back to more important things, people.
Comments (3)
thanks haha.
and i agree with you. priorities are jacked up nowadays.
i wish i had your writing skills lol. i have a 10 page final paper due wednesday.... chyea.
so hows everything going lately?
im going with some friends on the 20th and coming back the 21st =]
you planning to go this winter?
you speak of mp3 players with a detached, agnostic air, as though you weren't a member of the apple cult