A plane carrying 239 people has been missing for 44 days. If one were to only watch CNN, one would believe that was the only worldwide event to occur during the past 44 days. 

Of course, the world is waiting to find out how this tragedy happened. We feel for the families of those on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 who have been presumably lost. We too would like them to have closure. But until the plane is found, the 24-hour updates on what could possibly have taken place need to stop.

Barbara Walters questioned CNN anchor Don Lemon Monday on The View about the network’s almost -obsessive coverage. He stood behind the network, claiming watchdog journalism.

Advertisement

“The families are relying on the media to get information,” he said. “Malaysia doesn’t have an open media and they’re not used to people challenging them.”

Lemon said there is an audience interest in the case, but Walters disagreed, saying CNN would not continually cover the case if it weren’t for the ratings.

He countered her argument, saying, “I think it is a mystery and anytime you have something as big as a giant triple seven disappear in this day and age with so much technology where everything is tracked, and have no trace of it for five weeks, it’s crazy.”

The network now brings in analysts daily with holograms of maps under reporters’ feet, model airplanes — in case you didn’t know what a plane looked like — and cockpit simulations that speculate what went wrong. These presumptions are seemingly aimed to make Americans feel better about our airlines.

It’s an all-you-need-to-know guide about the intangible.

When anchors run out of things to talk about, they have audibly read viewer tweets, among other nonsensical mumblings, to analysts with questions about the plane, including if it was lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

Then the analyst typically replies with his or her theory of what could have happened, how it could have been avoided and how many more days it will take to find the plane.

Advertisement*

In the meantime, the network sends breaking news updates sporadically stating something may have been found, until … wait for it … viewers discover it is only a false alarm: “We’ll let you know in another five hours when we almost don’t find something.”

But we have to give it to the network; they are making a killing off of this tragic event. CNN President Jeff Zucker announced April 10 that ratings have turned around since the 24-hour coverage began.

“Last month, CNN was the fastest-growing network in all of television — not just news, not just cable, all of television. The same remains true in April,” Zucker said at an event to reveal new CNN Worldwide programming.

He actually said a news source should compete with entertainment channels. But, that’s what the 24-hour television news cycle has become: entertainment. And it’s hurting us all.

The millennial generation CNN is trying to nab with the black-hole airplane mystery was raised in the age of constant boredom. If something doesn’t constantly entertain us, we turn the channel, pick up our smart phones or write a status about how bored we are.

If CNN doesn’t amuse the audience with video-game-style animations, viewers turn the channel and don’t know how many drones were sent into the Indian Ocean that day.

This time, the media outlet is to blame for the nation’s stupidity.

Sarah Schneider can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @sarahschnimedia or 536-3311 ext 252.