Have you noticed that television newscasters more and more often say “Look at this” as some piece of footage plays out on the screen? They know that viewers are second-screening, looking at their phones while listening, or semi-listening, to what’s on the big screen.
Attention, always an endangered resource.
[I noticed “Look at this” at the 0:32 mark in the NBC story I linked to in the previous post.]
Monday, March 2, 2026
“Look at this”
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comments: 6
I would rather she had said, "here's something (for you)' as an invitation. Because as it stands, she is editorializing and putting herself into the story.
In defence of the current occupant, at least he didn't say, "The troops will be home for Christmas."
I don’t understand what you mean about editorializing. She was calling attention to what was on the screen. I take it as Hey, look up from your phone.
You are probably right.
To me it's Okay for non journalist newsboy to cry, "Read all about it!" To me it's distasteful for a journalist to say, "Forget the article on X, forget what you're doing, read all about Y!" I would rather scan the page and choose where to look for myself, as when a reporter, to refrain from editorializing, shows two sides to an issue without taking sides so that I can decide on my own.
If you look at that news clip, you'll see what I was trying to describe. The newscaster tells the audience to look at what's on the screen, which to my mind suggests that they know people are not always watching the screen.
I did indeed see the clip, that's partly, among other things, why I say you are probably right. Well, you are right. For my part, if I had a futuristic newscaster, I would opt out of such help.
I guess that the only way to opt out is to turn off the TV :)
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