To Catch A Predator: Media Blunder or News Triumph

By Eric Ivanov on 07/22/2009

Question: Is Dateline NBC To Catch a Predator News? Can it be taken just as a entertainment show or something that can help everyone?

To Catch A Predator was either Dateline's greatest triumph or supreme blunder. It captivated audiences from around the nation and showed them what could happen in your own neighborhood. It was real, it was edgy, and it was a foundation shattering show. But was it actually news or just another project of the American media corporations?
To Catch a Predator made people laughed and pull back in horror, but it also helped people understand the dangers of the new media system that has developed around today's children. It cannot be denied how informative the show was. It made people aware of what could happen, and how it was possible. If that isn't news then what is? Critics say that the entertainment value of the show was huge and that it took away from its "news" value. People watch it to get a laugh from the odd situations that are created when the "predators" are confronted. But there is always the question, "How is it different than Cops?" The answer isn't so simple. People learned from the show, they became educated on some of the dangers of new media, like social networking sites, and chat rooms. Information was delivered and consumed by viewers, making them better consumers in the process. Cop's only seems to deliver the message, "If you mess with the men in blue, you are going to the big house.
News can come in different ways. It can be from talking to someone, reading something, or just watching something. The Internet has brought all of these different things together and put them in your control. To catch a predator tackled an issue that might have been considered too controversial for the nightly news to handle. It brought about a new way of thinking, a new understanding of how media can find its way into your bedroom. To catch a predator was a show that sparked debate, one of the primary things news should do. It pulled in a large audience that was looking to be entertained, and learn even if they weren't aware they were. It was new to people, and if its new to you its news to you!
In the end its up to the people to decide if it is worth their time to watch a show or not. If it entertains you or informs you, it doesn't matter. What does, is that you are participating in decision as to what will be shown on TV the next time around. You are part of the media system.

Additional Photos: ["Girl", www.nbcnews.com, "Hanson", Dateline NBC]