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Apr 24, 2014 7:33am

Hillary Clinton holds up UConn Huskies outfits given to her by university president Susan Herbst for Clinton's future grandchild at the University of Connecticut on April 23, 2014, in Storrs, Conn.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her frustrations about the current state of media on Wednesday night, describing what she sees as an entertainment-driven approach to news that is not good for the country and not good for journalism.

The potential 2016 frontrunner, 66, made her less-than-flattering comments during a Q&A session at her first-ever appearance at the University of Connecticut following her keynote address at the Edmund Fusco Contemporary Issues Forum in which nearly 2,300 students and faculty were in attendance.

Using questions submitted by students, University President Susan Herbst asked Clinton about the role journalists could play in resolving the gridlock in Congress. Clinton took the question and ran with it.

I think journalism has changed quite a bit in a way that is not good for the country and not good for journalism, Clinton said, venting about her concern that a more ratings-driven approach to television has led to theatrics over facts. A lot of serious news reporting has become more entertainment-driven and more opinion-driven, as opposed to factual. People book onto the shows political figures, commentators who will be controversial, who will be provocative, because its a good show. You may not learn anything, but you might be entertained.

Clinton argued that the obligation to show two sides to every story can be detrimental to a viewers understanding of complicated issues, citing climate change deniers and the handling of the Affordable Care Act.

Its OK to have people who ask hard questions about what were going to do about climate change, who come at it in a very vigorous, scientific way, but not to have people who just basically roll their eyes and say, Its not happening, and, Im not going to participate.she said. And the Affordable Care Act peopledidntreally understand what was happening with it because all they saw was an argument about it. So wedidnteven give them the basic facts to make up their own minds.

Even so, Clinton said she was optimistic that the issues plaguing journalism today could be resolved with some professional tweaking on the part of journalists.

Its important for journalists to realize that they have to do their homework, too, she said. They really should be well prepared when they interview people, when they talk about issues, because audiences usually tune in to see whoever the journalist is. And so that person has a responsibility, as well.

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Hillary Clinton Takes Issue With 'Entertainment-Driven' News