Up here in Canada we have CBC radio - like the OP, my parents had it on all the time when I was a kid. I don't remember being scared by any of it. However, my DS8.5 finds the news too intense sometimes (although my kids are curious about political news - and we discuss a lot at home).
So, DS has asked me to turn off CBC in the car. Instead we are listening to station that plays pop music.
We don't have nearly so many interesting discussions now on the car ride to school. :-(
I do turn on CBC when the kids are around when I know less sensitive material will be on (we have a very good science show on the weekends)
