Cable news channels are cable television networks dedicated to covering global news, with the channel name derived from the many proliferation of these networks in the mid 1980s during the birth of cable television. Today there are hundreds of cable news channels available and a cable news provider can offer a range of content including live streaming news, local news and weather reports, entertainment news, sports highlights, and business news. In some ways cable news has actually evolved into a much needed source of information and the ability to stay informed about world events through the medium of television. But what exactly is cable news? And how has it changed media coverage over time?
Cable news can be described as a hybrid of two distinct forms of reporting: broadcast journalism and traditional newspaper journalism. Broadcast journalism refers to any type of reporting that is delivered over a television set or by other means such as the Internet. The reporting generally takes the form of live reports or audio/video reports and may also include reports on other topics. When compared to print journalism, broadcast journalism is significantly more aggressive and fast-paced with less potential for in-depth reporting and analysis.
Traditional journalism, meanwhile, refers to the reporting of news events through various media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. While traditional journalism has come a long way since its conception, it still leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to providing quality information and is highly dependent on the credibility of the sources being reported on. The lack of fact-checking and verification makes it open to many interpretations, which can lead to inaccurate reporting. This is another reason why traditional journalism is less reliable than cable news.
In terms of content, both types of media play a large role. However, cable news viewers have been shown to prefer current stories and local news events more. This is because local news events have a higher chance of being covered by cable television outlets due to their high viewership rates. Cable television channels also emphasize breaking news content as well as the latest stories that they want their audience to know. They have been known to air entire programs and specials during special programming times, such as holidays and certain important political events. As such, it is possible to follow local television news for any type of event.
On the other hand, Fox News has been known to focus more on investigative reporting and global affairs. They provide their own set of news content, which tends to be far more critical of government actions and agencies then similar programs on television stations. In recent years, however, Fox has started providing more consumer oriented programming and entertainment news content. Their sports division has also proven to be successful, especially in the ratings, and their news department has even set up a website in which they discuss the latest events. Both Fox and CNN offer news content exclusively to their cable television stations, which means that those who would like to view both programs would need to subscribe to multiple cable services.
All in all, both networks provide very similar kinds of content, which tends to be rather exclusive. The difference between the two news organizations may be slightly increased coverage of stories that focus on national interests and government actions. However, cable news organizations often outdo their network morning news counterparts in terms of coverage area. This has been made possible through cooperation with national news organizations, in addition to providing more specific service to their cable television customers. For example, Fox News has begun to air satellite television news programs, while CNN has expanded into internet-only television news content.
