This summer, like most others, I found myself watching a lot of television. Unfortunately, my newfound passion for tv overlapped with Michael Jackson’s death and the obsessive media coverage that followed.

Obviously, the star’s passing wasn’t the most earth-shattering piece of news, but you’d think it was based on the extensive coverage from television news stations across the world.

What happened to journalistic integrity? Or, for that matter, what happened to broadcasting newsbreaking stories instead of the rehashing one big story 24/7?

I don’t think it’s too much to ask for journalists to do their job without furthering their own agenda, or that of their network.

Fox News, for instance, gives major airtime to angry, screaming conservatives. While there is nothing wrong with being a predominantly conservative network, it’s a problem when the Bill O’Reilly’s of the world spew unintelligent and offensive comments on every single issue they examine.

There are more important things to discuss than the supposed “evils” of the opposing viewpoint?

According to CNN, there are better things to talk about. When this 24-hour “news” network isn’t speculating about the latest happenings at the White House, such as Obama’s daughters going to school, they are discussing the latest celebrity gossip.

You may recall Mel Gibson being arrested for driving under the influence and the offensive anti-Semitic rant that went along with it. What you may not remember is the fact CNN featured the episode for the better part of a month. They brought in special analysts and experts to discuss Gibson’s history of alcoholism and his possible history of anti-Semitism.

If I am not mistaken, the US was involved in a war at the time. Shouldn’t that have taken a little more precedence?

While Canadian television may not be as extreme, our media outlets still provide us with some glaring examples of sensationalism.

Basically any episode of CTV’s long-standing investigative journalism program, W-Five, is an exercise in sensationalism. An episode that debuted last year, which “investigated” health problems caused by Port Hope’s nuclear refinery, was the center of a major controversy. It was discovered many of the studies used as evidence were false and many facts were omitted to paint a disturbing, but slanted impression of the area.

Supposed investigative reports such as W-Five are a far cry from the exposés like the Watergate scandal. It seems somewhere along the line, we went from journalists who kept tabs on the government and other institutions, to what exists now.

The unfortunate reality is news media today is solely about entertainment value, instead of actual news.

Bill O’Reilly is on TV because his ranting entertains enough people to increase ratings for FOX. Local news stations all over North America fill their time slot with sappy “human interest” stories.

When journalism gives way to pure entertainment, it does so permanently. Why bother uncovering legitimate news stories when you can beat to death every possible angle of Jon & Kate Gosselin’s break-up? It’s just the easy way out.

Surely I am not alone in wanting to know more about the world than the latest celebrity news and why politicians hate each other. Journalists should strive for excellence in their field, but instead they discuss nonsense that does not affect anyone. And that is probably the saddest news flash of all.