G-20 x 5

The G-20 summit is nigh, and apparently, so is the apocalypse. While summit leaders will discuss how to stabilize the global economy in Pittsburgh, protesters and rioters are already lining the streets to wreak havoc on the assembly. According to CBS News, some businesses are already boarding up their windows.

I found five different news outlets reporting on this. In addition to NPR and CBS, local affiliate WRAL and the London Times have reported on the story. Oh, and don't forget Reuters. Everyone seems to be focusing on the actual on-goings of the summit, except for CBS, who is reporting pretty much solely on the violence expected at the summit. Ah, sensationalism at its finest.

I found that the radio report on the summit seemed very even-handed and optimistic, whereas the CBS television report was more focused on the dramatic imagery of the violent protest from the last G-20 in Chicago. The text reports all seemed to be very even-handed as well. I suppose the radio report allowed for interviews and such, and the television report was focused on the violence because they could get a visceral reaction from the viewer that way. All of them seemed to use fairly standard journalist language, and since this is reporting on an event, most of them didn't use a lot of quotes or interviews. The TV report actually had the most interviews with Pittsburgh police and security officials, whereas the rest of the reports seemed to be "fluff".

I don't mean "fluff" as in the typical use of "Oh! Look! Some Grandma Downtown just made the world's largest bowl of chili!" Quite frankly, fluff stories to me are ones that don't drum up any talk, thought, or controversy and just plainly report on happenings. I know, I know: how conventional, right? But to me, this summit happening doesn't interest me... but the result of it will. I found these stories to be fairly redundant and packed with the same details over and over. *Yawn* WHERE'S MY VIOLENCE AND SEX, DAMMIT?