Do we want our news real-time or prime-time?

We’ve been a transitional society for a while now, but it seems as though the Olympics coverage is putting our unease with technology out there for all to see. The American I-want-it-now instant gratification-need-to-know and our desire to experience the thrills of the Olympic games “as they happen” are at war with each other.

There seems to be an assumption on the part of NBC that everyone already knows the event results and so it’s okay to intermingle current news with primetime replays of the events. “Everyone” must be getting the results on their computers and smart phones.

The change in the number of smart phones with instant access to Mr. Internet since the last Olympics in 2008 must be astronomical.

Four years ago, I had clumsy access to the internet on my phone and never used it. Music Man didn’t have any internet access. Now we both have smart phones that link us to everything in seconds. I love the instant access and I hope I never have to go back to the old school ways of getting my news.

But our access comes with a dilemma. I ran across this article from the New Yorker and I think it presents the issue well (in a sarcastic way that tickles my fancy, of course).

P.S. Don’t click into this link if you don’t want to know what happened in the Women’s All-Around on Thursday.

Image Credit