14 Reasons Why You Should Be Watching Cable News

As a reporter, at least of sorts, I am constantly glued to the news. I follow every Twitter account imaginable for national, local, and world news. I have the updates on everything from the petting zoo down the street to the war in Yemen, which makes for a confusing, emotional roller coaster of a timeline. And, of course, I still believe in the paper — the newspaper. Remember that? But as timeless as the newspaper is, with all its finger-staining ink and hot-off-the-press-ness, there is one form of news that is even more accessible than the paper, and it's cable news.

Why sit down to watch the news on TV when you can get the same information through a hundred different methods on your phone, tablet, or even your Apple Watch? There is one component of cable news that, above all else, makes it a superior medium: the human touch.

While there are tons of apps that condense the news for you — at this point, I would like to encourage all readers to suspend disbelief and pretend I am not writing for one of those apps right now — TV news is actually the best, because it's a real person talking to you and telling you what's happening on planet Earth.

In case you still need convincing, here are 14 solid reasons why you should be watching cable TV and feeling good about it.

1. Reporters Trying To Communicate Things They Can't Say On Air

There are rules on TV. You can't say anything you want on FOX News, as much as it may seem like you can.

2. What's Really Up With Politicians

You cannot be an informed voter without seeing this kind of content. Unfortunately, all you'll find online is probably the GIF. To watch the whole segment, you really had to be there.

3. Live Debates

On the issues.

4. Brian Williams

If Williams goes back on air in February, after his six-month suspension, you just have to be watching.

5. There Are Strange Things Happening Every Day

As Sister Rosetta Tharpe once said, there is weird stuff all over the place all the time. The beauty of cable news is that they're covering it live, and they'll have the footage before anyone else — where did you think your Twitter feed got those images in the first place? That's right, from the TV news!

6. You're Totally Absorbed

In my own experience, reading or watching the news on your electronic device is always something you're doing while also doing at least four other tasks, in real life and online. If I rely on The New York Times' Twitter for information, I'm probably reading the news while drinking coffee and walking through campus to get to class, while listening to music and thinking about all my responsibilities and scrolling past pictures of dogs, which I obviously have to stop and look at for a while. Basically, the TV will solve your multitasking problem and allow you to focus on the news.

7. Anchors Sometimes Make Mistakes, Which Is Great

The most realistic thing about The Newsroom was the frequency with which head news anchor Will McAvoy slipped up on air.

8. Campaign Coverage

We're going into a major election year, and you just have to be watching the news. Election night is just not as exciting if you find out the news by refreshing Twitter. You have to be watching the anchors as they realize who the next president will be. And what's an election night party without some good old TV news? Literally nothing.

9. Weird Anchor Looks

Sometimes unfortunate and often hilarious, makeup and wardrobe problems happen to anchors frequently enough to make the news worth watching.

10. Anderson Cooper

Possibly the reason cable TV was invented.

11. Things That Just Happen

Though natural disasters are terrible and tragic, especially when they cause large-scale destruction and even death, I have to say that the silver lining is undoubtedly the pranksters who come out to take advantage of the crazy weather and get their faces on the news.

12. Megyn Kelly

This one also works as a good reason to watch FOX News.

13. Understanding What They're Talking About On SNL

No one likes feeling like they can't connect with Tina Fey or Cecily Strong, and if you're not up to date on the TV news of the day, you won't be able to get their jokes.

14. Weather

Weather is truly the best thing about all of TV.

Images: Giphy (16), Universal Pictures (1)