Unfortunately today, 30 second soundbites that the place of REAL journalistic reporting. The haste to make deadlines doesn't seem to allow for proper fact checking before reporting is aired.
I especially see it vividly displayed in most of the reporting on gun control in this country. Opinions are displayed as facts, and always follow the left leaning Liberal anti-gun mode of operations. Rarely do we see fact based reporting on this subject.
If we are as a country to come up with improvements to our current laws, they must always be based on facts, not biased opinions. I have only to look to New Zealand to see the damage that can be done by allowing emotionally based reaction to guide the drafting of legislation.
We must do much better than that...