Crisis news: bad, good ... What's in it for us?

I'm in a state of confusion today over my media vows. Having set an intention last year to "be the change" I wanted to see in the world, I vowed to create and consume only news media about possibilities, not problems; about openings, not closed-ended event coverage with opinion after opinion on what it all means -- and no day-to-day political cat-fighting.

A few weeks ago, I broke down and subscribed to the New York Times online, just to get the "essentials," because friends were starting to be weird about me and the news. They'd say, "Did you read that...?" and then they'd wave their hands and go, "Oh, I forgot, you don't have TV, you don't read the paper." It was like a stigma. Plus, people had forwarded to me a few wonderful mainstream articles filled with exciting ideas and hope for the particular direction in human evolution I'm voting for.

Yesterday, I hadn't gotten to my Times headlines yet when someone asked me if I'd heard about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. I actually felt the impact of the news in my body. I guess I've become so light and footloose, not hearing about the kidnappings, murder trials, and the play-by-play "race" coverage for our next president. I was blindsided by the news of the violent murder of someone I thought represented hope in a part of the world that I would want hope for.

So, here's my question for you: Our "peace demonstration" map is up, and we're watching dots pop up all over the place, illuminating all the possibilities for this diverse, complex species of ours to grow into something better than we are now, by using the power of a kinder, gentler, wiser media. What other media have you seen supporting this? Did a particular telling of the assassination story help you examine possibilities for peace in your own life? Did the telling of that story depress or freeze you? How do you decide when you've had enough, and what do you do? Let's use this media to make some connections, in the service of peace.

I wouldn't have wanted to go another day without knowing about Benazir (I don't know why this is). But I know I'm glad I'm not getting the replays, the opinions, and the heavy feeling of hopelessness I would feel if I had a TV on right now.