JonBenet Ramsey Case

It seems like we've entered an "all Ramsey case, all the time" period of news coverage.

I don't want in any way to trivialize the heartache and tragedy of a child's murder, but it does highlight the oddball nature of the news media.

I don't even need to name all the pressing world and local issues that affect people on a daily basis -- we're all aware of them.

The fact that the news media grabs onto cases like this and turns them into sensational, quasi-freak shows speaks to the media's basic nature.

What we learn from their priorities and proclivities from this case should inform our evaluation of the value of the other data they spew.

In other words, at their best the information they provide should be suspect and understood in the context of their biases.

Don't get me wrong, a free press is vital and can serve as an agent of positive change and a protector of the rights of us all. We just need to bear in mind that they neither write nor speak gospel.