sold news
once upon a time in a land of truths
news became something always on
the powers to be bellowed aloud
“somewhere the world is always awake”
“someone is always searching for news”
anchors and reporters wagged their tails
“We will be there all day, all night”
“We will start our own network”
“We will need to dissect the headlines”
“We will run teasers for important stuff”
“We will track down the smallest detail”
“We will interview and debate”
“We will find the needed views”
“We will have investigative reporters”
“We will find the human element”
“We will find someone who suffered”
“We need experts to discuss things”
“We will find opinions, lots of opinions”
“We shall need lots of money”
“We need to know what the people want”
“We need to push what they need”
“We need advertisers and investors”
“We need to sell to maintain the news”
others heard of this way to riches
and put forth their own networks too
“We’ll see the world in a different way”
“We’ll make others see our way too is the news”
“We’ll also have an opinion they offered”
“We’ll know about what needs to be told”
“We’ll need more money”
the citizens of this land found this fine
the truth they sought told from many sides
comments from experts in important fields
discussions shedding light on the matters
competition between networks was tough each showing the same news feed
buying from the same independents
all offering the same footage
“We need to separate ourselves”
“We’re losing viewers”
“We’re losing advertisers”
“We need controversy and drama”
“We need to embellish”
“We need contradiction”
“ We need more opinions”
“We have those”
“We need even more”
“ We need money”
So they hired an expert
then they hired more
then hired conflicting ones
“ I think it was this reason”
“ I believe it was that way”
“From my vantage point I see no good from this”
“I assume this is what they thought”
“I speculate that was why”
“ I’m paid to offer my view”
experts could be found in everything
from war to buying prom dresses
the opinionated now found income
for their knowledge, dollars for learning
some were fact checkers
some experienced similar things
some taught
some caught
sone fought
some though speculated
some contemplated
some just debated
some related
some hated
all wanted money
the citizens liked to hear what others thought
they tuned in to hear the opinions
no rock was left unturned
“We think that way, too”
“We think their perspective is way off”
“We believe them”
“We think they’re whacked”
“We think they seem credible”
“We think they are full of it”
“We are getting the whole story”
“We are just getting their slant”
“We are getting both sides”
the powers yelled Eureka
they congratulated themselves
they had found easy money
they were providing the news
but again viewership waned
“We need to turn it up”
“We need to stoke the fire”
“We need to poke the bear”
“We need to worry people”
“We need to promote fear”
“We need more doom”
“We need to tweak”
“We need to build a viewership”
“We need to relate”
“We need more money”
12/12/2020