Every time someone turns on the television or picks up a newspaper, the news almost always seems to mention something about the situation in Iraq or other situations in the Middle East. While these events are often important “newsworthy” stories, today’s media continues its grand tradition of overcoverage of certain topics at the cost of other stories.

These stories are not the first ones to get this type of overcoverage — the type of overcoverage that causes undue fear and mass hysteria, because people believe if it is on the news, it must be true.

Take, for example, the last couple of years when news hit low periods with nothing “exciting” going on. Most people will remember the massive coverage the shark attacks received. While the actual number of attacks was no worse than previous years, the news agencies jumped all over the stories in order to provide some “shock” news. It was enough to make many people think twice before going into the ocean.

There is also the coverage of several high-profile kidnappings which typically would not have warranted much beyond average, local news coverage. However, the lull in other news got everyone involved in the mix, including big news channels like CNN and MSNBC.

What exactly has led to the increase in news coverage for events which, at one time, would have warranted only local television or newspaper recognition? It has to do with the overcrowded television market. The sole purpose of several channels is to provide news 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

There was a time — within our lifetimes — when there was not a wide selection of cable news channels to choose from. As a matter of fact, many people may remember when the only day-long channel covering the news was CNN. Before CNN, most people got their news from local news syndicates.

The competition among these networks to bring “breaking” news and to out-cover other stations in the highly competitive television media has resulted in much of this overcoverage. In our profit-driven society, it is imperative for them to keep viewership high to ensure the station can continue to make the money it needs to survive.

Television is not the only medium in which overcoverage occurs. Many of the same companies involved in the mass coverage on television are also spilling into the newest media, the Internet. No longer do they have to keep up with each other over television, but now they must compete to keep news up-to-date in cyberspace as well.

With the combined coverage of both the Internet and television, newspapers have to work hard to put out the most recent news in order to keep pace with the rest of the industry. Therefore, papers use the same overcoverage tactics as the Internet and teleivision in order to keep pace.

With today’s technology driving the news industry, the death of the newspaper may be a tragedy waiting to happen. While the 24/7 news channels and the Internet make it possible for people to get world and sports news almost instantaneously, newspapers are becoming obsolete.

The current system — overrun with technology — is too ingrained into our modern society and therefore, will stay around until some new and improved system comes along.

The only way the newspaper will be saved from extinction is if people realize they need more than quick and constant news — they need quality news. The ending of most, if not all 24/7 news channels, would be a large step in this direction and would save the jobs of countless journalists and columnists.

Joey Maresca is a junior in electrical and computer engineering. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].