Good News: A Fresh Perspective For The 21st Century
.
Click here to get your copy of Good News from Amazon.com today!
Human beings have always had an interest in the news. – a need to know about current events, locally and around the world. It has been disseminated in many ways; orally, on film, in print, television and now in cyberspace.
Initially spreading the news was an oral tradition. West African people have used the griot. A griot is a West African poet, praise singer, and wandering musician, considered a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards. According to Paul Oliver in his book “Savannah Syncopators”, “Though [the griot] has to know many traditional songs without error, he must also have the ability to extemporize on current events, chance incidents and the passing scene.
In Celtic society, a bard was a professional poet, paid by a monarch to praise the sovereign’s activities. The term acquired generic meanings of an epic author/singer/narrator (comparable with the terms in other cultures: minstrel, skald, rhapsode, udgatar, griot, ashik, ozan, dengbej) or any poets, especially famous ones. For example, William Shakespeare is known as The Bard.
In Medieval England, town criers were the chief means of news communication with the people of the town since many could not read or write. Royal proclamations, local bylaws, market days, adverts, even selling loaves of sugar were all proclaimed by a bellman or crier throughout the centuries.
A town crier was a person who employed by a town council to make public announcements in the streets. The crier could be used in court or official announcements. Criers often dressed elaborately, by a tradition dating to the 18th century, in a red and gold robe, white breeches, black boots and a tricorne hat.
They carried a handbell to attract people’s attention, as they shouted the words “Hear ye, hear ye” before making their announcements.
In the first half of the 20th century, newsreels became popular. A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current and entertainment for millions of moviegoers until television supplanted its role in the 1950s.
In more recent days daily news was put into print in the form of newspapers The news is constantly changing. There is always new “Breaking news”. One news outlet has remained constant and accurate fro 2000 years – the Word of God!!! The Gospel is described as good news. It is important that we stayed focused on the most relevant news, God’s Holy Word.
Click here to get your copy of Good News from Amazon.com today!
