INFOtainment

 Engagement and Relevance

 

Don’t think of a red truck, ready? Go! Thought of a red truck didn’t you? It’s difficult not to in a situation like that, much like it’s difficult to not want to know a secret when someone tells you they have one but then teases you by saying they aren’t going to tell you what it is. Well surprise surprise, the news industry has discovered that people like to be in on the secrets. The concept called “infotainment” has taken entertainment and made it news, as a way to reveal the “secrets” to its viewers and readers.

As presented in class the idea of infotainment had a negative connotation associated with it because of the way news was portrayed by it and how it might be difficult to gain credibility after having worked in infotainment. But to me, the idea of presenting news in an entertaining and catchy way seems like the right way for the industry to lean. Now that news is everywhere constantly talking to us through TVs, the internet, portable devices, everything…industries have to come up with unique ways to catch the reader’s attention. If it’s secrets they want, give them secrets.

 Infotainment was defined as “playing to the strengths of other media and not your own.” But I the news industry can play to the strengths of other media while also producing a good story, now that would be infotainment to its best! I like the way Wikipedia defines infotainment more, they said that it was, "information-based media content or programming that also includes entertainment content in an effort to enhance popularity with audiences and consumers."  Changing the way we view the news doesn’t have to be bad, the world is changing so why don’t we go with it instead of being left behind.