Americans love sensationalism. Everywhere you look you can see it. Not a day goes by without there being a headline asking us if our children are safe, a news report with footage of a fatal car accident, an exposé showing us how dangerous a certain product is, or a magazine article warning us of the latest impending environmental disaster. The reports are written for a dramatic effect, are usually blown way out of proportion, and usually only make people worry, fear, or cringe rather than inform. And we, as a culture, love it. There's nothing better than opening up the morning paper and reading about a brutal murder while you drink your coffee. News sources are the most predominant purveyors of sensationalism, but there are many other places for people to satisfy their lust for it. Tabloids like the National Enquirer are nothing but cover to cover sensationalistic articles. TV shows like Cops and Real TV show us real sensationalism in action. In Los Angeles there is even a service called Pursuitwatch that will call your pager anytime there is a police chase is on TV. This is capitalism at its best.
It seems no one has been able to capitalize on the American love of sensationalism as much as the Fox Network. Knowing that Americans just eat up sensationalistic programming, they have produced many shows like "When Stunts Go Wrong", "When Animals Attack", "When Nature Strikes" and "World's Scariest Police Chases". These hour-long specials attract views like flies to honey because they are nothing but video footage of tragic, disastrous, or dangerous events. The narrator either sounds somewhat stoic, or a little too excited, and the dialog is always very dramatic, adding to the sensationalistic effect. The whole thing is completely without taste, has absolutely no redeeming qualities, and is produced for the sole purpose of attracting viewers by appealing to their desire for sensationalism.
That said, I must admit that even though I don't really approve of sensationalism in the news, I absolutely love the shows on Fox. I don't know if that makes me no better than the average, brainless American slob, but I don't care. When I know that World's Scariest Police Chases is going to be on, I'm sitting right in front of that TV with a big bowl of popcorn. I see these shows for what they are, and realize they are completely hollow. Still I can't help but enjoy watching.