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A media critique... and then some! Banned in Beijing, Baghdad, and at KCAL TV.
Wednesday Letters are up - a view on the OTR KCAL ban from a former GM, and more. Inside LA TV - Why KTLA has reason to be ticked at an MSNBCer. Coming Monday - KCAL's Leyna Nguyen checks in with what she calls an "honest look at KCAL." Links to Recent Issues 07-09-01 Monday's OTR 07-04-01 Wednesday's OTR 07-06-01 Friday's OTR |
To get on the OTR email reminder list, email me at BRUIN74@aol.com. |
LOOKING FOR ADVERTISERS
Believe it or not, the start of next month will mark the 2 year anniversary of OTR. I think this site has made decent progress in terms of influence and readership. These days, we're getting around 8 thousand hits a week. Not a huge audience, but it is one full of media people and those who're interested in how it all works. Based on our polls, it looks like the breakdown is somewhere around 58/42. Anyway, I think this is a good time to let you know I would welcome some advertising. With all of the TV people who read OTR, this might be a good way for agents to reach them. For anyone who'd like to reach people who work in the LA news media, this would have to be among the best ways. Plus we also have media members reading from around the country. If you think you might be interested, drop me an email at BRUIN74@aol.com. After two years, it's time this site brings in a little money, don't you think?
Speaking of bringing in some money...I want to let all of you card collectors know I have a 1960 Mickey Mantle baseball card for sale on EBAY. You can check it out at http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1165128717.
JUMPING THE GUN
Maybe this one comes under the category of "we have a chopper up so we better use it." But it is a shame that KCAL wasted what should be valuable air time with a non-story. Recently, helicopter pilot/reporter Larry Welk did what seemed about a three minute live shot about the 'possibility' that a helicopter had crashed in the ocean. Someone thought that is what they saw, so they called the authorities who began a search. Anchor Pat Harvey asked Welk if it was possible that the chopper could've collided with birds. Welk then repeated that he didn't really know if a helicopter crashed in the first place. Minutes later, they went back to Welk who announced that it was a false alarm.
So I ask, why report on this until it is confirmed that a chopper crashed? I completely understand the desire to be first with a story. But this wasn't a story at all! TV news can be just so anxious to show us disaster, that even what turns out to be a false alarm merits a live shot. When Pat Harvey asked about what may've caused a crash, I think she was slipping into "automatic question and speculation mode", which is commonplace for anchors these days. But at least when anchors are forced to ad-lib and speculate during a car chase, there is in fact a chase to talk about. But a preliminary search to follow up on a 9-1-1 call doesn't warrant coverage. What it warrants is someone keeping an eye on the situation, and only putting it on the air once authorities are sure there was a crash. And you wonder why people are losing confidence in the news media?
WAS THAT NECESSARY?
While we're talking about media behavior which can be a turnoff to the audience...I could've done without KNBC interviewing a woman after her daughter died in a car. Do we really need to watch the torture of a mother crying as she talks about losing her daughter? I know that reporters routinely interview people after they've lost their loved ones, but do you suppose it is a routine that should be reconsidered?
LOOKING ANCHOR-LIKE AWAY FROM THE DESK
It is worth noting, that even when you take anchors away from the studio, they are still an anchor...the most visible representative of their news product. I thought KCOP showed some bad taste when they showed anchor Lauren Sanchez working out in a gym, as she practically fell out of her low cut workout top. At that point, she made KCAL anchor Mia Lee look modest. Sanchez is among LA's most attractive women on TV news. But, don't you think an anchor should project a certain image? Showing Sanchez leaning over in a low cut outfit, even in a gym, is just not professional. Since I would suggest she has credibility problems to start with, this does not help.
WHAT'S HER NAME AGAIN?
It almost reminds me of the standard sitcom gag; when meeting someone famous, a person suddenly forgets the name of their wife or a close friend. As she signed off on the KTLA Morning News on Monday, Sharon Tay reminded the audience "Don't forget to watch News at Ten with Hal Fishman, and ....???...???....Lynette Romero. Yep, she couldn't remember Romero's name for a couple of seconds. Not a BIG deal of course, but a little embarrassing. Maybe tomorrow, Tay can hear something surprising while on the telephone, so she can then stare into the phone as if to look at the person....another sitcom staple. People don't really do that, do they?
A GOOD STORY IDEA - THE KILLER KERN
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This cropped photo comes from the Bakersfield Californian. It shows a mother holding her daughter, after the woman's husband drowned in the Kern River. |
Every summer, people from LA go to Bakersfield to swim the Kern River. Many don't realize how dangerous it is. A man from LA drowned in the river on Sunday, the fourth drowning this summer. He was in an area he thought was calm. This happens just about every year. Since 1968, 214 people have drowned in the Kern River. LA TV folk would be wise to go up and do the story. It might save some lives...and it is a very visual story.
POLL ON JENNIFER LOPEZ CONTROVERSY CONTINUES
I'm asking whether you are offended by her use of the word 'niggers' in a new song. It is interesting that the word is used all the time by black rappers, and to many, that seems to be okay. It is a fair question to ask; why okay for them, but not for her? But, when I heard her singing the song on the news....even though they censored the word..... (wonder if they'd have censored it if a black person sang it?)...it bothered me. I don't like hearing it from black people either, but I must admit, I found it more offensive coming from a non-black. Even though her black producer thought it was a good idea; to me, it makes Lopez sound like a bigot. I would think those black rappers who've been using 'nigger' in their lyrics all these years, are the people to blame. If you keep using the word, eventually other people may think it is acceptable. If the goal was the take the hate out of the word - in the same way that gay people started the group "Queer Nation"- I could see that. Lenny Bruce tried to do that with words of hate. But I don't sense that there is a general feeling among black or white people to try to make 'nigger' acceptable. Given that, and given the history of the word, I'd think we'd all be better off if no one used it...in anger or in song.
To express your opinion, please head to the poll section on the menu. And of course your emails are always welcome at BRUIN74@aol.com.
WHERE'D THEY COME FROM?
I'm the first to say that Gary Condit deserves the grief he's getting. But, in suggesting that he's losing support at home, KTLA national reporter Grant Rampy said stickers suggesting that Condit resign his office have been going up in Modesto. But would you guess that those stickers are coming from Republicans? I could be wrong of course. But my point is, unless you know who is putting up such stickers, you can't assume that he's losing support simply based on those stickers.
OVER -ALLEGE ALERT!
On the KNBC weekend news, anchor Furnell Chatman said that Condit attorney Abbe Lowell "refused to discuss the alleged affair which Condit has confessed to police. " If Condit has confessed to it, then it's not 'alleged', is it?
INTERESTING COMPARISON
Bill Maher made a valid point on Politically Incorrect last night, though he was getting no support from his panel, which included Jay Leno. Maher asked why does our government sanction and even encourage some forms of risky behavior, and make others illegal? Congress passed a resolution saluting Dale Earnhardt, who chose to risk his life racing cars. Yet, Maher pointed out, people who want to get their thrills by smoking crack are arrested. It seemed like those on the panel didn't even understand his point, or maybe they didn't want to. But Maher was right. People should have the right to 'pick their poison'...whether it attracts a paying audience, or not.
COMING FRIDAY
The woman whose daughter lost her Miss Barstow title responds to OTR criticism of KCBS reporter Mike Boguslawski. It's a letter she wrote to KCBS which has been given to me. She told me today she wrote the letter, without reading what I wrote. She said she heard it was very bad. Very interesting.
BROADCASTEZE VIOLATION OF THE WEEK
Who: Lynette Romero
Where: KTLA
What: "Fled the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash."
How about that? A DOUBLE-BROADCASTEZE violation. I have a feeling someone in the KTLA newsroom is spending too much time watching Dragnet reruns, and not enough time reading OTR!
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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