Something uplifting “On the Road”

I’m a news junkie. I like to know what’s going on in the world. Always have. In my room I used to sit in front of my own 19 inch black and white TV set (with aluminum foil enhanced rabbit ears) and watch The Huntley-Brinkley Report (“Good night, Chet.” “Good night, David. And good night for NBC News.”) or Walter Cronkite on CBS (“And that’s the way it is…”).

Different anchors brought me the news in the years that followed and on June 1, 1980, life changed forever. CNN (Cable News Network) went on the air with 24-hour ‘round the clock and ‘round the world news. Soon, other networks joined the fun. Then came smart phones and social media. News, news, news! Everywhere. And some of it was accurate.

Of course, people’s definition of what is news may be different. Is stuff I don’t agree with news? News producers have always faced the dilemma of what to air – and how. Most try their very best to be fair and get it right. I applaud and thank them.

One of the issues I’ve had with news is that it’s usually negative. There’s an old saying in local TV news, “If it bleeds, it leads.” So, we can be inundated with information on the latest disasters like floods, tornadoes, pandemics, wars, plane crashes, murders, and on and on. Yes, it’s news and needs to be reported. Maybe we can learn something from it like how to be prepared and what to do if the same thing happens again.

I admit that watching so much negative news coverage can put me in a funk. In 1983, one of my favorite singers, Canadian Anne Murray, released a song that had lyrics that said in part:

Nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today

And in the streets of Ireland all the children had to do was play

And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA

We sure could use a little good news today

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town

Nobody OD’d, nobody burned a single building down

Nobody fired a shot in anger… nobody had to die in vain

We sure could use a little good news today.

So true, Anne. Well, readers, I have some good news. Just as sure as daylight follows dark you can be sure that every Friday evening and about 6:50 p.m. Easten Time on the CBS Evening News, Steve Hartman will bring us an uplifting, positive story from his “On the Road” series. The segment is a revival of the classic “On the Road” series with Charles Kuralt.

Hartman probably has the best job in America. He emphasizes stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, often highlighting acts of kindness, unexpected friendships, and community spirit. His stories aim to uplift viewers and offer a sense of hope and positivity, showcasing the best of human nature.

Ben Franklin told us, “The only sure things are death and taxes.” Well, Ben, the other sure thing is that Steve Hartman will bring us a good, uplifting story every week.

Go to www.cbsnews. com/team/steve-hartman/ and you can watch dozens of Hartman’s positive, uplifting stories.

I keep one of these on my recorder permanently. I watch it whenever I need a little boost. It’s about Stella, the dog in Maine who loves to dive into a pile of raked up leaves. Pure innocence. Sometimes all we see is Stella’s wagging tail sticking out of the huge leaf pile. If Hartman’s Stella story doesn’t bring a smile to your face, you’d better get your smiler checked.

Thank you, Steve Hartman and your CBS crew. You really do bring us a little good news today.

Contact Rick at tct@pageone-inc.com