Internet news audience appetites
Jeff Jarvis writes about the latest Pew Research Center study on Americans' views of their news media, and it's got a lot in it to chew about. I'm going to chew on the least significant, but one of the more quizzical aspects of the report, which Jeff relates:
Finally, I remain befuddled by the continued high ratings for local TV news, which comes out only slightly behind local newspapers. Local TV news sucks. It's all fires, press releases, weather teases, and time-shifting ("Police this morning are searching for the criminals who allegedly performed a crime right here where I'm standing last night but in fact no one who's involved in the story is here right now and I could read this same script to you from the studio after I cadge it from the newspaper but standing here it seem so real and current, doesn't it? Back to the you, Sally Ann..."). There's no reporting. The faces we see are all transient as they head from market to market; they don't know our towns. They're often not too bright. But yet, they seem friendly. And I fear that the reason people like them is because they don't report. What's not to like about pap and predictability?
Some of that seems to describe local TV news reporting, some less so. I have friends in the broadcast business, and they're pretty bright, for instance. And they don't cadge everything from us.
Now, I know you all have opinions on newspapers. Do you have them on TV stations? Can you help explain?
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Finally, I remain befuddled by the continued high ratings for local TV news, which comes out only slightly behind local newspapers. Local TV news sucks. It's all fires, press releases, weather teases, and time-shifting
Jeff Jarvis writes about the latest Pew Research Center study on Americans' views of their news media,* JR
Man! This Jeff is really behind on what is going on the internet with the amazing streaming Yahoo live video reporting. Heck! Anybody with a cell phone is now a on the spot reporter with real live action flying around that reporter. Below is the the same story by Rap Vick Dog, the international jive star reporter with his instant cam reporting.
("The Fuzz or the Man this morning are searching for the brothers who allegedly performed a payback collection service right here where I'm standing last night, but in fact no brother who's involved in
the story is here right now since the snitch policy of the brotherhood is working like HO on overtime, and I wish I could read this same script to you from the club studio after I stole it from the newspaper box. besides I can't read anyway Bro!
Hey Man! Standing here it seem so real and cool with these dead bodies doesn't it? Excuse me brother! Man are you stiff! Back to the you, Sister Sally ..."). There's nothing going on now...
POW! POW! Hold it dude! We are off the wire man, I'II give you the station credit card if you will take that 357 out of my face.
"The faces we see are all transient as they head from market to market; they don't know our towns. They're often not too bright. But yet, they seem friendly. And I fear that the reason people like them is because they don't report. What's not to like about pap and predictability?" * A white boy who is lost in the 21 st century of instant internet reporting
Posted on August 14, 2007 12:20 AM
Funny how some people use e-mail to comment about a blog post. Here are two I got this morning. One from in-house at the paper confirms the point that local TV news doesn't cadge everything. They were first with the EEOC report about the police department and they were first with the sexual harassment suit filed against A&T. Both stories we should have been on top of.
The other e-mail takes a different, and, I think, sarcastic slant. Suffice it to say that the writer doesn't think much about the local Fox affiliate spending its time and money sending a reporter to Atlanta to cover the American Idol tryouts. "I'm sure it's just because it's August and there's nothing going on. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that American Idol is a Fox program."
Posted on August 14, 2007 8:34 AM
"I'm sure it's just because it's August and there's nothing going on. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that American Idol is a Fox program."JR
Wrong! The Fox reporter has made the finals in American Idol contest as a Rupert Mudock look alike. He is simply keeping with the Fox policy, fair and balance reporting against the Elvis look alikes.
Posted on August 14, 2007 12:11 PM
"I'm sure it's just because it's August and there's nothing going on. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that American Idol is a Fox program..."
Sitting here in an Atlanta hotel room, I'm enjoying some well-earned bourbon after an 18 hour day covering the American Idol auditions. Imagine my surprise when I surf aound and find that someone is losing sleep over my current assignment. Normally I wouldn't scoff at any viewers' opinion, but anyone who doesn't understand why a Fox-owned affiliate with a history of high-profile hometown Idol contestants covers the audition process, so misunderstands the modern local broadcast model, it's laughable.
Think how irate they'll become when we go to Charleston this weekend.
PS) EEEEEE-HEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Posted on August 14, 2007 11:25 PM