Why People Don't Watch News (or read newspapers)

About every 5 months or so I read a new article talking about what a shame it is that people don't watch the news or read newspapers as regularly as they once did. These articles always have some 50+ reporter talking about how "people used to care about the world around them" and how "the internet ruined news". To these people I say, cut the shit.

Newspapers and television news were dead long before the internet became popular, but people didn't have any other options before. If you ask me, and no one has by the way, news outlets dug their own graves. Because I love lists, here are my feelings on how we got to this stage (which couldn't possibly be the news media's own fault):

1. News became formulaic. No matter the city you live in your evening news prolly (that's southern for probably) plays out something like this: murder, murder, murder, murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, political scandal, commercial break, murder, on-going local issue, commercial, brief nation and world news, sports, commercial, weather, commercial, feel good story. I'm not saying any of these topics are boring or mundane, but do we need the same script everyday at 6 AM, Noon, 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, and Ten?
2. Newspapers are filled with wordy, rambling articles. I dunno how many times I've read an article, got all of the info in the first 3 paragraphs and spent the next 26 paragraphs getting rehashing of the first 3 paragraphs in long form.
   
3. Both mediums have waaay to many ads. It's news not the season premiere of 'Survivor'.
4. Stiff/heartless news anchors. Ever notice how most anchors tell the evening news like they are reading their own obituary on the air? Oh, the parade of personality doesn't stop there. How many times have you seen an anchor go from talking about a family of 4 being gunned down in their homes and then switch on a smile for the toss to the sports guy? What heartless douche switches from "...all their bodies were found in the family room." to "Hey, Bob! How 'bout them Sox?!" without missing a beat?
   
5. Beating stories to death. If they can sell more copies or get higher ratings (which means more ad money) both outlets will gladly forgo reporting on anything but the one huge news item of the moment. How do you expect me to stay well-informed if you only inform me of one thing.
6. Celebrity news. Needs no explanation, but unless one of these tools is curing cancer the shit ain't news.

I have a couple of others, but they all relate to one of the six I've already listed (and we wouldn't want to sound like a newspaper, now would we). News should be news and not a part of the entertainment division of some media conglomerate. And if you're gonna be in the entertainment division of some media conglomerate at least have the decency to entertain. You can inform people while making it interesting (I've actually seen it done before, it's true) instead of beating us over the head with a coma inducing news by numbers formula. Report on stories that people want to hear in a manner they'd like to see and hear it in and circulation numbers and ratings will climb upwards rather than tanking. Or they can keep playing catch-up on the latest news and news reporting methods that we see on the internet everyday while blaming the public for seeking out news that meets their standards and piques their interest.