The trouble with Sky News

I have mentioned previously the lack of good TV available in the UAE, such that Michele and I often find ourselves watching Sky News to such an extent that you get caught in endless news-loops (you know, where the stories and reports start repeating themselves every 20-30 mins or so).

Guaranteed to inadvertently send you into a fit of desperate rage if you don't quickly escape the loop as soon as you realise you are caught in it, this feeling is intensified a thousand-fold when Sky News only want to cover one story. Endlessly. For days on end. Despite there being no material new developments (a kind of televisual Daily Mail if you will).

So a Russian spy died last week. The stuff of a Tom Clancy film no doubt, but you could have watched the whole of that film many times over by now and Sky News is still reporting the story as its "Top Story" under ever more frequent, bright red, "Breaking News" banners:

"Breaking News: Traces of polonium-210 found in just about everywhere the dead spy went recently".

Shock. Gasp. Really?? No kidding? Is that really news, or a statement of the obvious!

Is it dangerous to anyone?

Answer - no, not really.

SO WHY IS IT STILL NEWS THEN???!!!!!!

And notice how, somewhat predictably, when the media gets desperate for a new angle, the Government are suddenly brought into the equation. Seriously, whilst this was quite an interesting and unusual story when it first broke, this is not (and never was) something that requires a House of Commons statement. Like many things, notwithstanding the media's attempts to establish some kind of link, however tenuous, it has nothing to do with the Government.

And what of this "polonium-210"? Have you noticed how it is the new, never-really-heard-of-before-but-now-sounds-a-cool-word-to-use buzz-word that every newsreader on Sky cannot help but repeat at least once every 10 seconds? It is quickly becoming this year's "metatarsal".

Enough with the "top story" news coverage. One Russian, murdered in suspicious circumstances (and, admittedly, using unconventional means) does not warrant blanket coverage for what is now nearly 5 days. Come back to us with an "And finally..." if anything happens that is a material issue warranting public attention. If not, let it go. Surely something else must be happening in the world??