Media Alert!
December 2025
Blog #73
Sue Summers
MediaSavvyKids.org
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)
Good News!
Staying aware of the news that is happening in our country and around the world is of interest to most of us. We can receive updates from TV news programs, radio headlines, newspapers, online news sites, social media, and sometimes just from hearing others talk about what’s happening. News reporting was factual and information-based, as famous newscaster Walter Cronkite from the 1960s used to close with, “And that’s the way it is”. Now editorial comments by the news anchors and journalists offer opinions that can bias their presentations.
The news is a business! And competition is fierce! For example, local TV news, featuring a variety of stories, might be available on 3 or 4 stations, all seeking significant audience share (“the percentage of households with television sets in use or tuned to a particular station during a specific period of time”, https://wordpanda.net). “Hard news” refers to the more serious selection of news stories, including investigative reporting, world events, politics, crime, scientific developments, and economics. “Soft news” focuses on the non-essential and less urgent human-interest stories, such as lifestyle, entertainment, and “people” pieces. Most news programs want to avoid sharing only hard news segments, and interject some soft news to keep viewers tuned in. Sports, weather, and entertainment are major components of their soft news offerings.
Certainly, it’s important to stay aware of the happenings around us – locally, nationally, and internationally. But the news has become pervasive, penetrating all genres of media. The United States is a nation of news junkies, demanding constant access to what’s happening all over the world. For many, the fastest source for today’s news is social media, particularly Google and X (formerly known as Twitter), rather than newspapers (considered “yesterday’s news”) or even TV news programming. “Social media has become the main source of news online with more than 2.4 billion internet users, nearly 64.5 percent receive breaking news from Facebook, Twitter [X], YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram instead of traditional media.” (www.forbes.com, “How Social Media Has Changed How We Consume News”)
But are news stories really life-changing to most of us? Certainly, we need to stay abreast of information regarding our safety and perhaps local and national breaking news, but as a culture we spend many hours watching, listening to, or reading about happenings that have no bearing on our personal lives.
Satan is not merely the king of destruction; he’s the king of distraction! Many push aside activities and interactions with family and friends – and perhaps even church or self-care for our own well-being – to know “what’s new.” Our priorities get shifted and we become overwhelmed – perhaps mesmerized – with the world around us, not realizing what’s truly important in life.
But there is good news!
The “good news” referred to in the Bible is the gospel: “The word gospel literally means ‘good news’ and occurs 93 times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Christ and the way of salvation.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-gospel.html)
We tend to fill our free time with entertainment, social media, and staying up-to-date on the day’s news. We justify our news preoccupation by claiming we need to “stay informed”. But is it one more distraction keeping us from knowing and understanding “the good news,” equipping ourselves to share the reason for our Joy with others?
So how can we help teens become media-savvy about the culture that surrounds them?
Talk with teens about where they get information about what’s happening in the world. If they use social media, ask about their sources. If the postings are on personal sites, rather than sites owned by established news corporations, ask how they know they can trust those sources. Continue to discuss the news as important events happen. Use these discussion starters to stimulate critical thinking about the news industry.
• Watch a nightly TV news program together and ask their thoughts about why these particular stories were selected. Ask if their lives are impacted by any of those particular stores.
• Ask, “Since TV news is a business and the content of the newscasts is shaped by ratings, how could this impact our daily understanding of what’s important?”
• Share, “There is news that we ‘need to know’ and also news that we ‘want to know’.” Ask, “What types of news stories would fall under the heading, ‘news we need to know’? What kind of stories do you like to know about and why?”
• Share: “There are news channels on cable TV that offer 24-hour/day news coverage.” Ask, “Why do you think this concept is popular?”
• Consider this scripture in Luke 2:8-10:
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’”
Ask, “What was the ‘good news’?”
• Share, “In Jesus’ time, there were no newspapers, social media, or TV news programs.” Ask, “How do you think people learned about what was happening? What are some potential problems this could cause.”
• Start a small group that meets on a regular basis to discuss topics of current interest including the influences of social media, big tech, economics, and politics.
• Discuss ways to spread the “good news” of Jesus Christ to others.
Note: Share this blog with your church’s youth pastor as a lesson for youth group gatherings.
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Sue Summers is a Christian media analyst, teacher, author, and speaker.
She is the Director of Media Alert!
Contact Info:
Blogs: MediaSavvyKids.org
Website: http://www.MediaAlert.org
Email: Sue@MediaAlert.org
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Media Alert! 