Alert! Breaking News! Alert!?

Question

When are news agencies (FOX, CNN) going to stop using the flashing red light above the ticker or headline to catch our attention over trivial issues (ie, Britney gets a haircut)?

ESPECIALLY "Alert", which is a term associated with something absolutely dire, like a terrorist attack.

Answer 1

Those news agencies are commercial operations. Their purpose is to draw a crowd so that the sponsors can sell stuff to that captive audience. That's why all the flashing lights, bells and whistles. And that's why (because of the pressure of the 24-hour news cycle) "breaking news" has a tendency to become "faking news".  

Answer 2

It worked on you didn't it?

Answer 3

They are trying to get you to stop moving the remote control's channel changer. It's the enemy of tv stations everywhere.

And you are right, it is badly overdone.