And newspapers wonder why an increasing number of readers (and former readers) view them with incredulity.
Eleven of the top 12 stories in the online version of my local paper are eclipse related, the astronomical event that area media has been hyping for months. Everything from improving your eclipse glasses to a list of where to find the best eclipse-related food.
A complete solar eclipse is impressive, but this seems over the top. One might even get the impression that not much else was going on elsewhere in the state, nation or world. Kind of how ancient people used to react when they thought an eclipse presaged the world’s end, but with a more mindless twist.
Actually, there are a few other things of note taking place around the globe. Such as:
- President Trump will address the country tonight and outline a new strategy for Afghanistan, the longest war in US history;
- The death toll from last week’s militant Islamist attack in Spain, which appear to be striking Europe with startling regularity, is now at 15; and
- Aggrieved demonstrators, while not done training their sites on all things Confederate, converged on a bust of Christopher Columbus in Detroit and demanded the monument come down as they protest against white supremacy and the nation continues to be roiled by racial tension.
But here, local ink-stained wretches gleefully slap story after story about the eclipse on page 1 and the Internet, eager first and foremost to sell as many papers as possible. Informing readers is somewhere further down the line of priorities.
The Roman poet Juvenal knew of what he wrote more than 2,000 years ago:
“… Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions – everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses.”
(Top: Image showing online front page of local daily newspaper, showing 11 of top 12 news headlines devoted to today’s eclipse.)
The Cotton Boll Conspiracy 
Cotton Boll,
Having just witnessed the greatest non-event of the century, I can tell you that in Savannah it was overcast and raining at the height of the eclipse. We supposedly had 97% coverage, but you had to be in over the clouds to see it. The sky got a little darker around 2:45 p.m., then it lightened up again, and the rain stopped.
Yawn. But human events aren’t very interesting, either.
Katharine, I must say, despite all the hype, I saw the eclipse and it was pretty darn cool. However, unless you were in an area where the eclipse was total, it would not have been that impressive. I was amazed at how, even when just a sliver of the sun shown through, the area around me lit right back up. It was only when the eclipse was complete that it got dark.
In my Western N.C. cove, the event would not have attracted any notice at all had we not been aware of the eclipse. It did get a little bit darker but not as dark as usually precedes a heavy rain. I expect it was dramatic in other places.
It was very dramatic in Columbia, SC, I can tell you from my own experience. Now, as to what the local media will have to drone on about going forward, I don’t know. However, it was an impressive event.