B
News Media
Crying Wolf
y anyone's definition, the tragedy that occurred at
the Boston Marathon was "BREAKING NEWS!" It
was shocking, life-altering, unadulterated breaking
will deem Kim Kardashian giving birth to a 23-pound baby
as "BREAKING NEWS!"
Now, even by my standards, today's legitimate
"BREAKING NEWS" stories fall prey to another dilemma;
news.
And it was what breaking news was meant to be. Meant to
the "We-have-to-fill-24-hours-of-programming-and-scoop-
be? Yep. Because these days just seeing "BREAKING NEWS!" in
our-competition-so-don't-let-the-facts-get-in-the-way-of-a-
giant letters on my TV screen, with an accompanying dramatic
good-story" dilemma. The Boston Marathon terrorist attack
sound effect, does not always get my immediate attention. Nope. is a case in point. Don't misunderstand, this story obviously
Not in our current 24/7, scoop-the-competition
required 24/7, around-the-clock, nonstop report-
ing. But it turned into a 24/7, around-the-clock,
media world we have today where EVERYTHING
has become "BREAKING NEWS!" Breaking news is
nonstop misguided, misquoted, misinterpreted,
broken and watered-down.
speculation-athon.
Today it's standard procedure for both national
Talking heads and field reporters went around
and local news programs to return from com-
and around trying to describe how many bombs
mercial breaks with "BREAKING NEWS!" Turn
actually exploded or were found. By the time they
on your favorite national cable news channel on
were done, they sounded like a twisted version of
any given day and "BREAKING NEWS!" might be
a Dr. Seuss book: "2 bombs here, 3 bombs there,
live coverage of a police chase in San Bernardino,
bombs, bombs everywhere!" But they were wrong.
Calif. In Detroit, a water main break at Gratiot
By the time journalists were done getting their
Alan
and 13 Mile is ..."BREAKING NEWS!"
collective
feet out of their mouths, we found out that
Muskovitz
And I say, "NO, IT'S NOT!" It's "Semi-Kind-Of-
the
terrorists
were white, dark, part of a bigger group,
Jewish News
Depending-On-Where-You-Live-And-Nothing-
a
smaller
group,
no group, robbed a 7 Eleven, didn't
Columnist
Else-Is-Really-Going-On-Important News." It's
rob a 7 Eleven, blah, blah, blah. And they got all this
information from their RELIABLE SOURCES!!!!
worth covering during a newscast, but does not fit
the criteria of "BREAKING NEWS!"
But you know who the biggest loser is in this whole mess?
Today's "BREAKING NEWS!" is a modern-day version of
ME! Because I watched every single minute of it! Yes, I'm a
"CRYING WOLF!"; overuse it and it doesn't get taken seri-
loser. But that's not breaking news, that's "OLD NEWS!"
ously and has a chance of getting ignored entirely.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled reading of
I'll never forget my introduction to legitimate breaking
the Jewish News, which we all know is one reliable source we
news. It came on that fateful day on Nov. 22, 1963, when I
can count on; except for once a month when they give me the
privilege of writing this column.
heard the words that are forever etched in my memory: "We
interrupt regular programming to bring you this special
Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/acting talent, speaker and
report from Dallas:' Yes, our president getting assassinated,
THAT was "BREAKING NEWS!"
emcee. Visit his website at laughwithbigal.com and "Like" Al on
Facebook.
Today? You just wait and see, this July some news agency
❑
JN CONTENTS
May 2-May 8, 2013
22-28 Iyar 5773
theJEWISHNEWS.com
Vol. CXLIII, No. 13
Shabbat and Holiday Lights
Ann Arbor
26, 65
Around Town
16
Arts/Entertainment .. 45
28
Calendar
52
Food
Here's To
30
Israel 1, 5,12, 22, 26, 36, 43, 65
Jewish@edu
43
Letters
5
Life Cycles
56
Marketplace
59
Metro
8
Next Generation
37
Obituaries
66
Out & About
48
Points Of View
36
Sports
55
38
Spotlight
Staff Box/Phone List ...6
Synagogue List
40
Teen2Teen extra.. 42, 65
Torah Portion
41
Columnists
Danny Raskin
Robert Sklar
54
22
Shabbat: Friday, May 3, 8:17 p.m.
Shabbat Ends: Saturday, May 4, 9:24 p.m.
Shabbat: Friday, May 10, 8:24 p.m.
Shabbat Ends: Saturday, May 11, 9:33 p.m.
Shavuot, Day 1: Tuesday, May 14, 8:29 p.m.
Shavuot, Day 2: Wednesday, May15, 9:37 p.m.
Holiday ends: Thursday, May 16, 9:39 p.m.
Times are according to the Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah calendar.
On The Cover:
Page design: Michelle Sheridan
Our JN Mission
The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that's useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to
reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continu-
ity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity
and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competi-
tive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication in the nation. Our
rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfied advertisers, contented employees and profitable growth.
The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is
published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern
Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical
postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and
additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send changes
to: Detroit Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern
Highway, #110, Southfield, MI 48034.
Jewish Historical
Society To Honor
Irwin Cohen
0
n Tuesday, May 7, Irwin J.
Cohen will be presented
with the 2013 Leonard N.
Simons History Award by the Jewish
Historical Society of Michigan (JHSM)
at the Detroit Historical Museum, 5401
Woodward Ave., Detroit.
This pres-
tigious award
honors those
who have made
outstanding
contributions
to the enrich-
ment, pres-
ervation and
dissemination
Irwin Cohen
of Michigan
Jewish history.
Cohen, a prolific author and histo-
rian, is the 23rd honoree chosen for
a passionate commitment to docu-
menting and preserving our commu-
nity's history and places of historic
interest.
JHSM will also welcome key-
note speaker, Josh Linkner, CEO
and managing partner of Detroit
Venture Partners, and honor
Volunteer of the Year, Marc D.
Manson.
The evening will begin with
JHSM docent-led tours of the
newly renovated Detroit Historical
Museum, with dozens of interest-
ing historic exhibits, anecdotes
and artifacts directly linked to
Detroit's Jewish communities,
leaders and milestones. Working
in collaboration with the Detroit
Historical Society, the Jewish
Historical Society of Michigan has
developed a Jewish-themed tour of
the museum that will be offered at
4:30 May 7. Following the tour, a
reception will kick off the annual
meeting that will feature Cohen
and Linkner.
A native Detroiter, Cohen has
built a national reputation as a
trusted author, historian and lec-
turer. The author of 10 history
books, his latest, Jewish History in
the Time of Baseball's Jews, has just
been released and follows Jewish
history from the post-Civil War era
to the present intertwined with the
lives of Jewish baseball players.
Tickets for the JHSM 54th
Annual Meeting and presentation
of the Leonard N. Simons History
Award begin at $30. Reservations
for the reception are required.
Call (248) 432-5517 or go to www.
michjewishhistory.org . ❑
M ay 2 • 2013
3