This is a posting about the recent ratings for CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News and what it says about American TV news viewers. It also shows how dangerous these so-called newscasts are.

LAS VEGAS, NV (April 1, 2009) – A MediaPost blog says CNN is now dropping into third place in the ratings race with Fox and MSNBC.

The reason: CNN is just doing straight forward news. They’ve left the extreme opinion shows to Fox on the right and MSNBC on the left. And apparently it’s working – for Fox and MSNBC.

That’s dangerous and possibly encouraging.

The danger side is evident. We’re now relying more on entertainers to give us our information. Wouldn’t you love to have your surgeon as a comedian? No, then why do you want entertainers as journalists?

We’re getting tainted and biased information. As I write in my book, TV news is good for two things only: immediacy and emotion. Notice, the word “facts” was never mentioned.

As I pointed out in a number of previous posts, too many people will imitate the knuckleheads on these opinion shows on blogs, social networking sites, and in public. No wonder we’re so confused.

As newspapers fail and more journalists turn to entertainment or opinion venues, we stop getting reported facts. When I give a speech, the topic everyone asks for is “The Most Important Journalist in Your Life is You.”

The encouraging side of this news is that more people are going to the Internet and looking for a variety of sources. At least the newspapers are still there – despite the end of publishing with ink and paper.

But it’s so ironic that with the wide range of so-called news media outlets, we, as news consumers, have to work harder to find news.