It seems that those that run the financial cable television news each day are finding new ways to keep the humans entertained and watching their show. When they go into a station break there are all sorts of graphics which pop up, along with the common sound themes. Their branding is absolutely brilliant, and I know this because it is something that I study. Further, lately I’ve been noticing all the different newsfeeds which come across the screen.

There will be one at the bottom with all the stock market quotes, one at the top which shows the price of oil, gold, the stock market, and the bond yields. Then there will be the occasional news alert which comes across at a different speed from a different direction than all the rest. It seems that these stations have learned the same secrets to keeping the attention span of the human mind busy with all other visual displays. It’s enough to mesmerize someone, and I think that’s their point.

After all, if you spend your day with a rapid moving television show that continually piques your curiosity with visual highlights, you are liable not to turn away, thus, watch more commercials during the break. Now then, have you ever walked through a casino and watched all the people sitting there moving the handles and watching the lights flicker and flash – hoping for that sound of the clank, clank, clank of the money dropping from the machine, meaning they just won? Isn’t that about the same trick?