Final answer:
Commercial television networks define news as what is interesting to viewers, with a focus on captivating stories for maximum viewership and profit. The increase of narrowcasting tailors content to specific audience interests, changing traditional news consumption. Television news still informs the public but is now complemented by soft news and social media that offer a blend of news and entertainment.
Step-by-step explanation:
To a large extent, commercial television networks define news as what is interesting to viewers. The focus on what captivates an audience has led to a shift towards specialized narrowcasting, where programming is tailored to specific audience interests, and has resulted in changes in how news is perceived and consumed. Commercial television networks, especially those that operate for-profit, prioritize content that will attract viewers and generate advertising revenue. This can lead to a prioritization of certain types of stories - those involving political drama, economic markets, or celebrity - over others that may be equally important but less immediately engaging to a wide audience. As viewers select the source of news based on personal and cultural backgrounds, networks increasingly adjust their content to maintain viewership.
With the rise of on-demand and streaming services, viewers have more control over what they watch, often opting for entertainment over traditional news. Simultaneously, media conglomerates, which own multiple television stations, can influence the homogenization of news by prioritizing content that is most profitable, which may not always align with the public good. However, even within these constraints, television news remains a powerful medium that informs the public and serves to entertain, watch for corruption, set the national agenda, and promote public good. The advent of soft news programs and social media networks also reflects this change in news consumption, particularly among younger viewers who prefer their news be delivered with humor and entertainment value.