Tuesday, April 16, 2013

NOTICIAS

N is for las noticias or the news.

I know that doesn't sound much like news, but the local t.v. news here is a complete 180 degree difference from home.  I'm not really sure where to start, but I'm going to try.  I think it'll be best to do contrasts.

U.S.
Newscasters are conservative and professional
NICARAGUA
Newscasters are competing for who can wear the highest heels, tightest blouse, and shortest skirt

U.S.
News stories are edited for content; after all, kids might be (and should be) watching
NICARAGUA
Editing?!  Apparently an untranslatable concept.  Some guy in Managua burned up in his home?  They'll show the charred body.  Some motorcyclist had an accident on the highway?  They'll do a close-up on the 10-inch laceration on his leg with him separating it to show bone.  A kid was just found drowned in the lake?  They're not just showing the bloated body (face and everything) but shoving a microphone in Mom's face asking how she feels about what happened.
Oh, and the morning show!  There's often a "talent show" component which involves Nica girls with skirts that barely cover their bum simulating sex with a partner to reggaeton (Latin rap) or rap music that is 100% NOT radio edit.  Just the thing you want your kids to see as they're getting ready for school right?

U.S. 
International focus
NICARAGUA
Maybe just maybe they'll cover their neighbors Costa Rica or Honduras.  Or friends like Columbia or Cuba but apart from that?  Forget about it!

After just a few weeks here I discovered news is absolutely pointless here, and stopped watching.  Too graphic, too one-sided.

6 comments:

  1. This was such a fun read. Why haven't I been here before? :) I could just picture the newscaster with the highest heels, tightest blouse, and shortest skirt ... lol. What is that ... a fashion show or news show?
    Thanks for writing such a fun post; hope to see more.

    Silvia @ Silvia Writes

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  2. One could say that the morning news is like that. A race for which bimbo wants the job the most.

    http://tracywordswisdom.blogspot.com/

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  3. Stopping by from the challenge. Love hearing your perspective! Thanks for sharing :)

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  4. crazy! ive lived overseas a lot............ i couldnt understand the news in news in japan and korea so didnt watch it, though it seemed sort of gameshow-ish
    the news in the philippines was nothing like what ur describing in nicaragura, but there was a lot of bias and overall it was pretty substandard

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  5. Wow, that's an interesting post. I have to look away when they show things that are sad, without even showing the gruesome stuff. I get emotional pretty easily. I can't even imagine seeing that sort of news. I wouldn't be able to watch at all. I'd be a constant wreck!

    #atozchallenge, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com

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  6. I suppose I'm hypercritical of the US news, didn't realize how much better it is than other places.

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