The
OJ Simpson trial was sensational journalism even though a couple died
but because OJ was a star NFL football player and a ABC Monday night
football commentator his celebrity status caused the murder to be
sensationalized.
Plain, straight news is too boring to keep the reader's or viewer's
attention. Today there are so many public relations firms and government
spokesmen/women to keep the news plain and simple is impossible. The
public professionals know how to put spin, plenty of spin, on a story to
make it entertaining. Parts of the news, like breaking emergency
stories, for example the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico should be
informative. If the story is about the academy awards, then it should
be entertaining.
Journalists and editors regardless will always try to influence the
readers/viewers. Attaching the emotional element of the story is usually
what makes the story a good read or a good program. Some call it
propaganda, others call it more simply advocacy. For example Fox TV is
conservative and the New York Times is liberal. Both are pro America,
and pro American values, they just present the story differently.