Negative and Positive News The majority of news programs begin their broadcast with the most negative stories of the day to create “shock appeal” for viewers and audience ratings for their sponsors. Watch 30 minutes of your daily local or national news. Note each of the stories covered (such as crimes, political, world, celebrity news). How many of the stories are negative? How many are positive? Why do you think negative stories capture viewers’ attention? What stories were you attracted to most, and why?