The changing pace of news

Image: Stanisic Vladimir / Shutterstock
Image: Stanisic Vladimir / Shutterstock
Gone are the days of just a few channels, one tiny little box that was as deep as it was wide, and the lack of choices for news. Nowadays, there are so many channels to choose from that viewers have a fantastic selection when it comes to finding out what is going on in the world.

Each channel and service will inevitably have its own different style and will select presenters who can best bring across this personality. This increased freedom of choice for viewers means that they are more likely to watch the news coverage that is presented by the newscasters who seem the most relevant and pleasing to them.

This, in turn, leads to a new breed of newscasters and presenters who have forged their career in this modern type of news broadcasting and who are known for their style and personality as much as the news they are presenting.

If this becomes a particularly celebrated aspect of the host and increases the number of viewers who head to that channel specifically to see their favourite presenter, it will only increase their popularity further. It is now quite common to see presenters who garner much acclaim and viewership ending up with their very own show.

This has very much changed the landscape of how the nation gets its news today. Presenters on these channels are chosen as much for their personalities as they are for their effectiveness in presenting the news to a wide audience.

This can diversify the news coverage in many ways, as presenters with varying styles will be sought out by different demographics who wish to see a certain take on current events.

For example, if someone wanted to see the daily news in a more light-hearted, less serious tone, they may well choose to watch the coverage with the presenter who best achieves this.

As this diversification of news leads to the spotlight being increased on certain presenters, it is possible for them to then use such a stage to develop their news broadcasting career into a potentially more engaging path.

One such example of this is Trevor McDonald. After leaving his position as a respected newscaster, McDonald has become known for producing insightful documentaries about topics that would typically receive less news coverage otherwise.

This process of starting as a newsreader and progressing to a spot as a TV personality is a path followed by many revered personalities.

One person who is currently making waves for such a switch is Dermot Murnaghan of SkyNews fame, who now has his own talk show. Such increased attention leads to a rise in those who wish to follow Dermot Murnaghan and take more interest in what he has to offer viewers outside of the newsroom.

This progression in the way viewers can access news is showing no signs of abating, as those watching at home respond encouragingly to the wider array of news sources and debates that they can now access.

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