Editorial: June 28, 2024: Entertainment and engagement at a cost

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE’LL SEE YOU AT FOUR. THIS IS A WCVB CHANNEL 5 EDITORIAL. SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD. WCVB PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER KYLE GRIMES. THERE’S A TIME AND PLACE FOR ENTERTAINMENT TODAY. THE PLACE HAS BECOME HERE. AND THE TIME IS ALWAYS. EVERY IDLE MOMENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENTERTAINED, AND EVERY ELEMENT OF OUR SOCIETY HAS BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO GENERATE ENGAGEMENT. THE 21ST CENTURY EXPLOSION OF INFORMATION HAS BEEN A FORCE FOR GOOD, A WAY TO CONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES LIKE NEVER BEFORE. BUT OUR SOCIETIES IMPORTANT, FOUNDATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE NOW LEVERAGED FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT INCREASINGLY AND DANGEROUSLY SO. WE’VE SEEN A MURDER TRIAL HERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD TRANSFORM A COURTHOUSE INTO A THREE RING CIRCUS CARNIVAL BARKERS, WHIP UP THE CROWDS AND CASH IN ON THE ENGAGEMENT. US HOUSE HEARINGS DEVOLVE INTO NAME CALLING BETWEEN MEMBERS WORTHY OF A JERRY SPRINGER EPISODE. WHAT DECORUM STILL EXISTS ERODES EVEN FURTHER, AND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES FOCUS ON WHO CAN LAND THE BEST ZINGER A SPORTS BOOK ACCEPTED WAGERS THIS WEEK ON WHICH CANDIDATE WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL HIS OPPONENT TO SHUT UP, AND WHAT OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE GUARDIANS AND PROTECTORS OF THESE INSTITUTIONS? A STATE TROOPER TEXTS, WISECRACKS TO HIS SUPERIORS ABOUT THE FEMALE SUBJECT OF AN ONGOING MURDER INVESTIGATION, PREENING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PRIORITIZE SCORING POLITICAL POINTS OVER THEIR DAY JOBS AND RAISE FUNDS OFF THEIR OUTRAGEOUSNESS AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN OUR INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING OUR ELECTIONS, FURTHER ERODES. YES, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS ARE CULPABLE FOR THIS RACE TO THE BOTTOM. BUT THE ENGAGEMENT THEY SEEK, THAT’S ON ALL OF US. SEND COMMENTS TO EDITORIAL