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A media critique... and then some! Banned in Beijing, Kabul, and at KCAL TV.
Thursday Letters are UP Inside LA TV - Why a Senior Exec Producer seems to have disappeared at KTTV, and more changes at KCBS. Links to Recent Issues 10-08-01 Monday's OTR 10-03-01 Wednesday's OTR 10-05-01 Friday's OTR If you'd like to send a contribution to help keep OTR going, you can send 10 dollars to Ron Fineman, PO Box 42364, Bakersfield, CA 93384 Or you can send $ on-line. Just click on the PayPal Logo. Thanks to our latest contributors.... John and Tyna Baran*. Your help is appreciated! *Given more than $10 |
To get on the OTR email reminder list, email me at BRUIN74@aol.com. |
HOW DID THAT GET IN THERE?
There it was, the day the US finally began going after terrorists in Afghanistan. We knew it would probably come soon, and this was a BIG story. Yet during the coverage on NBC, Tom Brokaw mentioned there had been an earthquake in LA. How big of an earthquake? 2.9! That is such a small quake, that doesn't even deserve mention on the local news. What in the world possessed Brokaw and NBC to mention this, I have no idea. They might just as well have mentioned that Jennifer Lopez got married again, as long as they're going to interrupt the war on terrorism with unimportant information. Really, if I hear a network talk about an earthquake, I would expect it to be a serious one.
On the KABC-TV web site yesterday, they reported a "moderate" 2.5 quake. That's moderate? What would they call a 4.5? A devastator? Come on now... 2.5 is small.
NOT A TIME TO FRIGHTEN PEOPLE
KABC morning co-anchor Ellen Leyva said it was a "scary new development" and David Ono said there was a possibility of a third anthrax victim in Virginia. Then reporter Jovana Lara began her live shot, by saying that it was determined that this possible third case of anthrax did not involve the disease. So if you KNOW going into the story that a possible third case was NOT anthrax, why would you write a lead-in which calls this a "scary new development." Are people not freaked out enough already? Has it occurred to anyone in TV news that their reliance on exaggeration is now not just bad journalism, but may also cause needless stress on viewers? What must happen in our country to cause those who write for TV news to put the sensationalism aside and just GIVE THE FACTS. And as far as that goes, unless KABC reported the possibility of a third case the night before (which could be the case), why even bring it up?
SO THAT'S WHERE KCAL WENT
There I was, typing on the computer, listening to the KCAL Noon News in the background. Suddenly, I noticed that I was listening to CNN. It was CNN's talkback show, which didn't seem like something that KCAL would switch to, but maybe there was something special going on. After I don't know how many minutes, I realized that it was still on CNN. At that point, I was convinced that I must have changed the channel but just didn't remember doing it. Funny how with some circumstantial evidence, you can convince yourself of something you didn't even do. Yes, a KCALer later emailed me to tell me that the building had been evacuated during the newscast. Apparently, there was some sort of suspicious package. Everyone is back now, and the 2pm news went on without a hitch. Yes, these are very cautious times we live in.
GUESS WE KNOW WHAT HE THINKS
An LA artist was recently in trouble for painting a mural on the side of an LA building, which was a violation of several local ordinances. This particular mural was to honor rescue workers in New York. This artist, who had a similar dispute in the past involving another mural, no doubt figured he'd get public support for this sort of subject matter. Whether you're sympathetic to his cause or to following city rules, it is the sort of story which needs to be told fairly, without editorializing, wouldn't you think? But when the story was finished, KCBS co-anchor Harold Greene said "they ought to take a poll." Ann Martin agreed, "Yeah." So, shall we take polls when murals are patriotic, but follow the city ordinances other times? Either way, I would again suggest that anchors keep their views to themselves.
SOMETIMES CLEVER CAN BE BAD TASTE
KCOP has this habit of trying to be clever when they start their national wrap-up segment. For example, if they have a story about an airplane, they might say "flying into Video Nation." But recently when they said "blazing into Video Nation", their first story involved a fire which killed four children. When four kids die in a fire, do we really need to be cute while telling the story?
THOSE SMALL THINGS DO MATTER
If you're putting together a full screen of graphic information, the color of the print graphic might not seem terribly important, but of course it can be. I don't recall the channel...but this weekend someone used a picture of the wreckage in New York City as the background for the info they were putting on the screen. That background had a gray/white color. And so what color of graphic print did they use? White. It was not easy to read. You'd think someone would've noticed before it hit the air.
THAT WAS QUICK!
Unless I missed an earlier weather segment, I think Garth Kemp at KABC set a world local news record for quickest weather segment last Sunday. All he did was a five-day forecast, and I'm not sure it lasted more than 20 seconds. It happened so fast, Kemp actually was standing in front of Monday, and was never able to get out of the way before the segment ended. I've long thought weather segments go too long. But this one....it really moved!
OLD FASHIONED DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE
I was noticing recently how my bottle of maple syrup said "old fashioned" on the label. I got to thinking how easy it must be for advertising people. Just throw an "old fashioned" in there. That will make people think it's good. That especially seems to be the case with food. Who wants to buy "21st century mass produced maple syrup?" But then I also got to thinking how "old fashioned" just wouldn't work as well on other products. For example...."Old Fashioned Family Medical Clinic." Oh you might get a kindly old doctor who really cares about you, but you sure wouldn't want him to prescribe any old-fashioned anti-biotics. Or how about "Boeing - old fashioned airplane manufacturing?" No, I don't think so. Try this one..."Old Fashioned Computer Software." Yeah, if it's six months old, it probably already is.
MISPRONUNCIATION OF THE WEEK
Who: Lauren Sanchez
Where: KCOP
What: Kabul...pronounced as "Kabal". I hadn't heard that
one before. Before this week, I'm not convinced she'd heard of Kabul.
BROADCASTEZE VIOLATION OF THE WEEK
Who: Sam Louie
Where: KCOP
What: "toting" rifles.
If you're going to tot a rifle, you better be fixin to use it to put some vittles on the table.
Put your hand on the monitor and count to three...one, two three...HEAL!!
BACK TO ENERGY QUESTIONS WITH MR KABC
Marc Germain has spent a lot of time on California's energy odyssey this year on his KABC radio talk show. Over the months I've been getting his opinions on it all. Here is the latest.
OTR - Well...a lot has happened since we last talked about energy. What is your
feeling about the court ruling which settles the Edison lawsuit against the
state?
Mr K - "My feelings about the Edison/PUC settlement are mixed. On first blush, it
sounds like a good deal because it requires Edison to drop their frivolous
lawsuits against the PUC, use their couple billion dollars of cash on hand,
temporarily deny their shareholders dividends and not require any new rate
increases or taxpayer/ratepayer funded bailouts.
However, as the Dow Jones Newswire puts it, "To unwind this deal and produce
a balance sheet for the state's failed experiment with deregulation, you
would need as many
accountants and lawyers as Edison and PG& Corp. (PCG) have, and there aren't
that many accountants and lawyers in California looking for work."
The other troubling element is that much of what the settlement stipulates
allows Edison to force ratepayers to pay for costs that have nothing to do
with Edison's debts from buying power during those times where the wholesale
price exceeded the retail price. It also means the end of consumer choice,
so all Edison customers will remain stuck with Edison even if a competitor
can provide power at a lower price.
I feel vindicated by this deal because it proves many of points I've been
arguing. Like:
Edison has billions of dollars in cash on hand.
The state should have forced Edison to buy power instead of using taxpayer
and ratepayer money to bail them out.
The threat of blackouts was manufactured and not based on California's power
needs.
The campaign to build power plants was based on bogus numbers.
The same Edison that fought and profited from deregulation now has fought
and profited from a defacto reregulation.
I also don't like backroom deals that have no oversight by voters or elected
officials - it is undemocratic and much like the long term contract deals,
who will be held responsible if this deal goes sour and Edison declares
bankruptcy anyway?"
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.
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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