And exactly how are you going to "boycott the news"?

No, it won't help.

First, the media aren't terrorists. It's just that there are a few things going on. First, really, there is a lot of bad news. In real estate, there has been a sub-prime meltdown. Foreclosures are up. Home prices are down. Yes, there's some good news, too: mortgage rates are excellent. But we'll get to why the media like to cover bad news in a moment.

Outside of real estate, there's other news that isn't too great, either. The war in Iraq goes on; 4,000 Americans have now died there. With today's flare-up in fighting, our president sees that as a good sign, and one of the presidential candidates says we should stay there 100 years, if necessary. Oil prices are well over $100 a gallon. We find that we've accidentally shipped parts of nuclear bombs/missles to Korea. Whoops.

Yes, there's always some bad news out there. But there sure seems to be an ample supply of it now. Regardless of whether you're liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat.

As for why the media cover it like they do: There are (at least) two reasons. First, they cover news, which by definition is an unusual or out-of-the-ordinary occurrance. It's not news when people pay their mortgages on time. It IS news when they don't. It's not news if gas prices are steady at $2.00 a gallon. It IS news if gas prices go up 40 cents in a month and threaten to top $4.00. It isn't news if people just go about their ordinary lives. It IS news if a governor who compaigned on cleaning up corruption gets caught so blatantly. So, in brief, you have to recognize the definition of news.

Finally, most members of the news media aren't experts in what they cover. Now, some are. But most report on, say, economics, without knowing the first thing about economics. They report on Gallup and Roper surveys without even understanding terms like "margin of error." They report on health care without having a clue about how the mechanics of health care work. They sound authoritative (most of the time), and most of the audience knows less than they do, so who's to challenge them? But on every subject that I've been closely involved with (now it's real estate, but in the past it's been health care, freight transportation, janitorial/custodial services, and more), most reporters get the facts wrong, get the interpretation wrong, and just mangle the entire story. Most of the time, it's really not intentional. It's just that they're after a story, and they don't have a clue about the subject they're covering.

I love watching "The Daily Show." The parodies of the reporters are so on-target it's amazing.

So, brief answer to your question: (1) There IS a lot of bad news out there; (2) Reporters cover NEWS, which means the ordinary and every-day won't appear on your screen or in the paper; and (3) Most reporters really don't understand the subjects they're covering.

yep, its all going to get better
by not watching the tv

anyways

good luck

and welcome to planet earth

Well, let's just call it a truce. I'm not always so fond of the media, either, but the situation is real. Foreclosures have been happening at an accelerated rate. It will all eventually turn around. Meanwhile, as the original responder said, what's happening is out of the ordinary and thus will be reported. It's up to the individual to sift through the hyperbole.

What's more, rather than boycotting the news, it behooves us to seek out quality sources of news. The only way to get better news is to collectively support those that provide it. The public, for the most part, doesn't seem to want that.

Sounds like you just need to vent. So, you might as well. I really find it amusing that you have now gone on the attack against realtors based, in part, on my postings. If you look, it says "Just looking in San Jose" next to my profile. I'm not a realtor, but a home owner. I admit I can be terse, but you've gone from attacking the media to attacking realtors now. Who is next?

"But in reality the media is putting terror and fear in the minds of all American Homeowners."
- Gee, I own a home and I'm not feeling terrorized. So, it's not all. I bet it is a small percentage and the rest are concerned and/or worried.

"Journalism is not what is was a decade ago."
- Well, neither were cell phones, computers, astronomy ... you get the picture. Harkening back a decade is kind of funny - at least go 20 years back. I've been hearing that journalism isn't what it used to be my entire life. It's an old story and could fill multiple threads.

"I know some of them in our area are waiting tables these days! LOL"
- Hmm. You're just not a nice person, are you?

Calling the media terrorists is a gross exaggeration. It's no better than what you are accusing them of doing. It reminds me of those who call anyone they dislike a nazi. Sorry if this seems too blunt, but I just have to call things as I see them. I think the first answer was on target.

Kellie: In spite of the "gloom and doom" news, the truth is, the Real Estate market is picking up in many markets. We've heard just this week of multiple offers on properties in the Bay Area of Northern California. In our market, here in the Central Sierra of Northern California, business has definitely picked up. Interest rates are still good, prices are down but stabilized, and offers are flowing. This is the best time to be purchasing real estate, but unfortunately, the press does only report the bad news, not the good. Plus the positive changes in the market are always slow to get reported.