I usually avoid the news because i am aware of the fact that news channel corporation make revenue on unfortunate events or scandals and blow it out of proportion. Its something that is really toxic to the human mind. If i were to glance over a news event I wouldn't take it in seriousness or halfheartedly.

I avoid the news because there's too much senseless killing I don't want to hear about every other day (or week). Can America go a whole month without any negativity? I don't think so...

I like watching them, I find them really entertaining. I never watch movies barely watch tv shows but I love news/debates etc they are fun to watch and they never fail to impress me with some new obvious and lame rhetoric. Elections cycles and after a catastrophe are the best time for me. It's basically the only thing I watch. Seeing people saying the craziest stuff and still be considered journalists, professionals or experts is quite amazing to me.

Edit: You do have a point when you watch the news a lot, you are rapidly unfazed by atrocities...I can see that with myself, I can't even bring myself to care when I hear about some terrible story because I've accepted that it's what our world is and I cannot do anything about it. The reactions are the only thing that seem to entertain me so that's all I care about.