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A media critique... and then some!
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Wednesday Letters - an anchor is heard saying stop the music! A couple of readers list their Lemmon favorites, and a vote for an LA weekend fill-in anchor. Inside LA TV - More on KCAL Links to Recent Issues 07-02-01 Monday's OTR 06-27-01 Wednesday's OTR 06-29-01 Friday's OTR |
To get on the OTR email reminder list, email me at BRUIN74@aol.com. |
WRONG VIDEO CAN BE EMBARRASSING, AND WORSE
How many times have we heard anchors say "we're sorry that's the wrong video." It's embarrassing, but once the mistake is made, it needs to be acknowledged. On KCOP last week, it would've been good if anchor Lauren Sanchez had realized the wrong video was running, because this was a situation where a lawyer could suggest the station put some innocent people in a false light.
Here's what Sanchez read: "Santa Ana - cops busting up a car theft ring. Three men facing dozens and dozens of charges tonight, including using children to steal cars. 20 kids ages 12 to 16 also arrested in the robbery ring. The kids accused of stealing over 50 cars."
While those words were being read, we saw video, which included adults and children, of some sort of meeting in Compton. The graphic said "Mother and Fathers Life", and below that it said Compton. That should have been enough to clue in Sanchez or certainly someone in the control room that it was the wrong video. Yet to the viewer who doesn't pay especially close attention, who might not have noticed this theft story took place in Santa Ana, it might've given a very false impression about some innocent people. We hear about kids stealing cars, and we see at least one very identifiable kid in the audience. During the last line of the story, which mentions kids stealing over 50 cars, we see a close up of a photograph of a teenager in an athletic uniform. It really looked as if this kid must've been one of those accused of stealing cars. Even the one bit of audio that was of heard at the start of the wrong video, seemed like it might match the copy. We heard someone say "No more, no more, that's it. Enough is enough."
My guess is, the video was really about some sort of anti-violence meeting, and that picture of the kid in the uniform, being held up by an adult, may well have been a victim of Compton violence. But again, you can't expect the average viewer to try to figure out if the video is right. This was a case where someone should've been aware enough to kill the video, and acknowledge the mistake. I can tell you that if it were my kid in that video, I'd have been demanding an on air apology immediately.
SEND THIS ONE BACK TO RE-WRITE
Do you ever wonder, what if a school principal agreed to do something silly so that his students would read a lot of books...but no TV station covered it? Well, we may never know. As routine as this is as a story, I found the writing on one of these pretty odd on KTLA some weeks ago. The anchor read "even though he's temporarily bald, he holds no ill-will toward his students." Well considering he agreed to do shave his head if the students read ten thousand books (they read 11 thousand), why in the world would he hold any ill-will against them? Re-write!
GOOD TO SEE PAMELA AGAIN
Pamela Wright was filling in on the 11pm for KCBS several weeks ago. Normally she does the early morning shift, since getting bumped from the night shift for Jim Castillo. In reference to that early shift, Harold Greene told Wright that he's used to watching her in his robe. That was a real straight line for Wright, as she gave Greene a good fake look of 'let's keep this thing between us quiet.' She's got a real sense for comedy, and it was good to see her at 11pm using it. Unlike Harold, I don't normally see her in my robe or anything else....meaning I'm just not up that early.
HOMER MAKING FUN OF FOX
I offer more proof that the best comedy writing on television is found on The Simpsons. Last Sunday night, Homer called up an automated phone number to check on how well his new stock was doing. I believe it was called "Animation." So Homer says into the phone "Animation", and the reply is "Animation, up one and half." To which Homer yells "Yahoo!" and the phone voice then responds "Yahoo up six." To that, Homer asks "Hey, what is this crap?" The voice then answers, "Fox Broadcasting down eight."
DOING HIS PART
I like the way Steve Edwards went after Jillian Barberie last week on Good Day LA. She used the term "Southland" in her weather forecast. Steve asked her when she moved out to LA, did she tell people she was moving to the "Southland?" "No" she admitted, she had not. Now, if we can just get all weather people to also eliminate, the white stuff, the wet stuff, the hot stuff and while we're at it...let's get rid of shower activity too. Is there a more ridiculous phrase than that? The only thing that I might consider "shower activity" would have no place on the news.
THOSE GASOLINE PRICES
Everyone bitches about the high prices, right? But a couple of weeks ago, I saw a Shell station and a Mobil station across the street from each other doing what appeared to be about equal business. Yet, the Mobil station was 10 cents higher than the Shell station! Wouldn't you think everyone would've been going to the cheaper station? And I should add they were on opposite sides of a small street, so it would've been as easy to go to one as the other. Go figure.
Also...figure this one out. As I spend half of my week in Bakersfield, and part of it working in LA, I've long noticed that LA gasoline prices are cheaper than those in Bakersfield. It seemed a little odd, since there are refineries in Bakersfield, which sits in the middle of the largest oil producing county in the United States. The reason for that, experts have said, is competition. LA just has more gas stations, which drives the prices down. Yet, in the last couple of months, the prices in Bakersfield have suddenly dropped much lower than those in LA. I paid a $1.65 for regular yesterday in Bakersfield. Arco is even cheaper than that. I'm wondering why the sudden change? How has competition in LA or Bakersfield changed? I don't know....but I'm learning to make sure I gas up in Bk. If I'm going to roast in 106 degree heat, I might as well use my time constructively.
ON LINE NOVEL
I got an email from one of my favorite elementary school teachers. His name is Ed Stember and he's written a book which is available on line. Of course he'll always be Mr Stember to me. One of the things that made him special was his sense of humor. He's the only funny teacher I can remember having back at Wilshire Crest. He's also the only teacher who had his class do plays instead of book reports. Every Friday, we'd do plays in class. I always looked forward to that. And when my girlfriend asks why we don't see more plays, I can always say that I've seen SO MANY already. Anyway...here's the info he sent to me...for your consideration.
For "better or for worse" my fiction novel, THE CHAUVINIST, has descended upon the Internet. So if you have any loose change or a credit card not overflowing, and have nothing at all else to do, you might download it. The publisher is eBookMall.com To get my book go to eBookMall and type in The Chauvinist in the Search Box. I also have a Website, and you can go to that by hitting http://ebookmall.com/authors/chauvinistneedawriter. It appears in two formats. In the box underneath the description of the book, there are links to buy The Chauvinist in either Adobe PDF or Microsoft Reader. You can also get reader software there. The book costs $. 6.95 and the reader software is free (that's nice to have anyway) Download the software first (if you don't already have it), then buy the eBook. Click on the link that says either "Buy THE CHAUVINIST Adobe PDF eBook" or "Buy THE CHAUVINIST Microsoft Reader eBook" to be taken to a page where you can purchase the eBook. If you would like to submit a review, click on that near the bottom.
EBookMall has a fast and simple ordering process. Just click Add To Basket, and you're on your way. When you get the INVOICE page, at the end of the ordering process, you will be able to download the eBook. Adobe PDF eBooks can be printed, and Microsoft Reader eBooks have ClearType technology that gives you the look and feel of a paper book.
Anyway, I hope you have as much fun reading as I had in writing. Ed Stember Sr.
COMING FRIDAY
We'll start our interview with Tom Jacobs. Tom is considered one of the African-American pioneers in TV news management. He was made news manager at a Cleveland station in 1978. He later worked in Boston, LA and Washington DC. He's the creator of a TV show called "The Calling" which he says looks at issues from a multi-cultural perspective, and reports on stories which don't make it to the national or local news. It's a PBS show which he says is in danger of losing its funding. I'll try to explore with Tom just where he feels TV news falls short when it comes to coverage of minorities.
OUR POLL CONTINUES
I'm asking what your favorite Jack Lemmon movie is. Also, we have our runoff for best LA weekend news team. I'm also asking how many days a week you log onto OTR. Please head to the poll section on the menu.
GETTING THE NAME WRONG
Who: Leo Stallworth
Where: KABC-TV
What: Councilman Alex "Padillo." His last name is Padilla.
BROADCASTEZE VIOLATION OF THE WEEK
Who: Leyna Nguyen
Where: KCAL
What: She stopped by the gym to "terminate" her membership.
CLICHE AND BROADCASTEZE VIOLATION
Who: Patricia Del Rio
Where: KTLA
What: "Little" Alexandra Murphy
This problem of routinely putting the adjective "little" in front of babies and children, regardless of their size and age seems to be as pervasive as ever. It strikes me as so patronizing, and of course not conversational.
Put your hand on the monitor and count to three...one, two three...HEAL!!
YOUR OPINIONS
They are always welcome. You can reach me at BRUIN74@aol.com. Unless you say otherwise, I will assume your comments are for publication.
OTR ON THE ROAD
As this web site evolves, it seemed like a good idea to offer my services for speaking engagements at colleges, service clubs or anyone else interested in the OTR gospel. Of course one of the great advantage to speaking in person is that you get far few typos. If you check the OTR On the Road page on the menu (Netscape users CAN now access it too), you can see learn more. You can also read what some well known OTR readers have to say about this web site. If you are interested, you can email to OTROnTheRoad@aol.com.
Ron's disclaimer: Like all reporters I have opinions. I do the best I can to make sure that nothing I say here has any effect on my objectivity in covering stories.
OTR's main page IS PUBLISHED MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY. Letters are added Tuesday - Friday.
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