Good News Manifesto

Good News Manifesto

published 11-11-09




Are you tired of bad news?



Sick of being depressed over the daily diet of strife and negativity?



Are you hungering for information that reflects positivity, humor and optimism, that’ll leave you uplifted and better off for having seen it?



If so, we’ve got the site for you.



It’s www.getyourgoodnews.com.



And here’s our manifesto…



You are what you see.



Take in a daily diet of depression, strife and tragedy and you’re bound to see your spirits slide.



That’s why people have a common complaint about newspapers and other media. That gripe? That reading or watching or listening to them leaves people depressed.



Why? Because despite those media outlets offering a wide variety of information, they constantly lead with tragedy. Fires. Murders. Rapes. Terrible things done by terrible people.



But are our lives really that dominated by these things?



Is the media accurately reflecting our world, or are they giving people what they think they want?



Is our world really nothing but unending tragedy?



No.



There are more good people than bad.



There are more good things than bad.



So why doesn’t the media reflect this?



Why is it that the teenager who robs a bank or kills a classmate is on the front page but the hundreds of other teens who don’t are ignored – and worse yet, the teens who do positive things with their lives and for their communities have their stories buried inside or don’t have their stories written at all?



For that matter, why is the child molester or the murderer getting constant media coverage when the thousands of other upstanding citizens in the community are seeing their good deeds ignored or given little attention?



What is REALLY news?



News is nothing more than information.



What is defined as news by the media is up to them.



If they decide that the most important information is depressing tragedy and strife – murders, fires, rapes, assaults, etc. – that doesn’t make it news, it makes it THEIR DEFINITION OF NEWS.



Well, we don’t agree with that definition.



To us, news is information people need and want to make their lives better, not worse.



It’s information that enriches their lives – that makes them think, makes them laugh, introduces them to new and interesting things.



It’s not unsubstantial, lurid melodrama that has little bearing on the lives of most readers.



It’s not unrelenting tragedy that leaves readers sad, fearful and depressed.



Some in the news media will disagree with us. They’ll continue pounding their tragedies, arguing that thousands of readers need to know about a fire or crime that only truly affects a small number of people, and that statistically will never occur in the lives of most of the people reading the story.



We respectfully agree to disagree.



To us, more readers will be affected by a story about a hopeful health breakthrough, a wide-sweeping economic decision or the introduction of a helpful new product.



More people will be impacted and involved by a restaurant opening, the premiere of a hot new movie or a new business.



More people will be interested in reading about people doing something good with their lives, and learning about the people in our community that have achieved something far beyond time behind bars.



And more people will be informed and uplifted by humorous columns, funny stories and profiles of people doing good, interesting, positive things in the community.



This is news to us.



And this is what we’re going to offer.



A new definition of news. Changing the old definition of news.



We are Get Your Good News.Com.



And we promise to give you the information you need, the way you need it. With insight, humor, thoughtfulness and fun.



It’s your news, the information you want and need, without the depressing aftertaste.



There are always going to be bad people and bad things done. But there are also always going to be more good people and more good things done. Which would you rather read about? Which would you rather have your children read about and want to emulate?



If you agree, keep reading us, and tell your friends to check us out as well. Because if this site becomes wildly successful, it’ll be your way of casting your vote for positivity and optimism. It’ll be your way of changing the definition of news, and in turn, changing the world.



For reasons beyond the obvious, we hope you agree. We hope you join us.



Because, really, in times like these, couldn’t we all use a lot less negativity and a lot more positivity?



I look forward to our ongoing conversation.





Best wishes,



Sean Leary



Editor / Publisher

www.getyourgoodnews.com