Why I Hate Mainstream News but Love Their Documentaries
Around 2017, I started losing a lot of respect for mainstream media.
I thought they had mastered the art of being biased, lacking nuance, and pitting people against each other.
I couldn’t understand how people I once considered “normal” began acting like bizarre freaks.
They had lost the ability to think critically after putting too much faith in these media outlets.
That year changed how I viewed organizations like CNN, Fox News, Vice, and others.
To me, they were all the same.
They preyed on people’s ignorance, fed them garbage, and did everything in their power to divide.
Why?
Because division drives ratings.
It was never really about informing the public.
It was about creating just enough chaos to keep people watching.
So for the most part, I’m not a fan of mainstream media when it comes to news.
But here’s the twist…
I Love Their Documentaries
I’m actually a huge fan of mainstream media when it comes to documentaries.
Somehow, they’ve figured out how to tell stories properly in that format.
One documentary that stands out to me was by Vice.
It was about pickup artists who moved abroad, and it was well done.
They didn’t just scratch the surface.
They explored why these individuals moved, whether they were running from something, what their lives looked like in these third-world countries, and more.
They went deep, and I learned things I’d never known before.
Same with CNN.
I’ve watched documentaries from them about terror organizations.
Before watching, I’d hear names like Al-Qaeda or ISIS thrown around in the news, but the documentary format showed me the back end:
- the recruiting tactics, the internal structure, the human side that news segments never touch.
Then there was the BBC’s documentary on Amazon.
Eye-opening.
Are These Documentaries Just as Biased as Their News Counterparts?
Probably.
But here’s the thing…
Every human being is biased.
And when you’re creating content, especially at scale, some level of bias is inevitable.
I remind myself of that whenever I consume a documentary.
Do they have agendas?
For sure.
But I don’t watch these documentaries for their agendas.
I watch to familiarize myself.
I want to see different parts of the world, hear different perspectives, and absorb enough information to form my own thoughts.
A lot of the time, I’m entering a topic completely blind.
I don’t know the key players, the background, the vocabulary.
That’s where documentaries come in clutch.
They serve as an entry point.
Once I have a basic understanding, I can go deeper on my own.
Bias in News vs. Bias in Docs
Here’s the big difference:
- Documentaries have the luxury of time.
They’re not trying to stuff a complex issue into a 10-minute segment.
They can show more angles, dive deeper, and unfold a narrative without being overly clickbaity.
So yes, bias exists.
But at least you get the chance to see the layers.
That said, always exercise caution.
Just because a documentary is long-form doesn’t mean it’s neutral.
But even with bias, you will learn something.
I don’t know what exactly, but something will stick.
How Documentaries Make Me a Better Creator
Eventually, I want to make my own documentaries.
Right now, the overhead is too much.
But I’m hopeful AI will help streamline that in the future.
Until then, I’m focused on consuming.
The best way to become a better creator is to become a better consumer.
And for me, documentaries are some of the most entertaining forms of content out there.
Funny enough, I can’t sit through a movie alone.
I’ll lose focus every time.
But a documentary?
I’m locked in.
Documentaries blend entertainment with education.
They show you people and parts of the world you’ve never seen before.
In my eyes, they’re just a visual form of reading a book.
If you’re curious about a topic, just type that topic + “documentary” into YouTube.
That’s it.
If you want more insights into storytelling, check out The Art and Science of Storytelling
✨Ebook
✨Paperback/Kindle
✨Audiobook
– ArmaniTalks 🎙️🔥
