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Any stations still do regular editorials?
- Thread starter ixnay
- Start date
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purpledevil
Guest
KPRC in Houston still airs editorials.
They're required of all GMs in the Raycom group.
JeeperOne
Banned
None of the Denver stations do it
You would think local stations would make use of their subchannels for something like this but I guess in today's political climate, they feel that's too hard to do & still maintain a good balance of diverse views
Channels like the new Al Jazeera America are probably better equipped for something like this BUT that's on a national scale. Local TV stations need to step up to the plate if they're going to ensure THEIR locale is represented IMO
Cheers & 73
You would think local stations would make use of their subchannels for something like this but I guess in today's political climate, they feel that's too hard to do & still maintain a good balance of diverse views
Channels like the new Al Jazeera America are probably better equipped for something like this BUT that's on a national scale. Local TV stations need to step up to the plate if they're going to ensure THEIR locale is represented IMO
Cheers & 73
WTOC in Savannah does them on a regular basis with the usual 'general manager's view' (A Raycom station). The general manager of Fox affiliate WDRB also does nightly commentaries and editorials.
And there's KAUT in Oklahoma City, whose entire lineup and news focus is very targeted to the military population in OKC, with the viewpoint to match, though I don't know if they have editorials.
In Milwaukee though? The only 'editorials' in years we've had just ended; just the station manager of WTMJ pleading Time Warner to get his 'pennies per day' channel increase; that's the only time you seem to see the GM on air these days in many markets.
And there's KAUT in Oklahoma City, whose entire lineup and news focus is very targeted to the military population in OKC, with the viewpoint to match, though I don't know if they have editorials.
In Milwaukee though? The only 'editorials' in years we've had just ended; just the station manager of WTMJ pleading Time Warner to get his 'pennies per day' channel increase; that's the only time you seem to see the GM on air these days in many markets.
Didn't know that. I knew Nick Simmonette does them for WBTV. Sometimes I hear the same one repeated several times.
Why should stations do editorials? Many stopped them years ago because viewers complained about the waste of airtime. We have enough talking heads on TV blowing hot air; do we really need more? Does anyone really give a bleep about what the station GM thinks? Also calls into question the credibility and impartiality of your news product.
Better left to websites where users can skip over or ignore if undesired.
Better left to websites where users can skip over or ignore if undesired.
Television Editorials are a good thing, particularly if they're willing to offer equal time to a dissenting POV. Just because something might be available on another medium doesn't mean it should exit an existing medium entirely. Raycom clearly sees value in continuing this practice and I applaud them for it.
F
FredLeonard
Guest
"Equal time" applies to time given to bona fide candidates for political office.
Replies to editorials came under the fairness doctrine. No, it was not about talk shows. In return for being allowed to "editorialize" (apparently so TV owners could show everybody they were just as good as newspaper publishers). the FCC imposed the fairness doctrine. Owners skirted it. They decided there would be one - and only one - "opposing viewpoint." Only two sides to any issue. Then they picked which opposing viewpoint to air, and who would get to deliver it. Usually, the reply came sometime later and the person was completely inept on camera.
But often there was no opposing viewpoint. Editorials were often insipid. Keep the streets clean. Drive safely. Or complaining about something the Ruskies did. At some point, local news became competitive and profitable. Consultants were hired and they did research. And, yes, nobody cared about those !@#$ editorials. The station managers didn't offend anybody but they didn't reach anybody either. What these dweebs didn't recognize is the editorial page historically has the lowest readership of any section of a newspaper.
Fred,
I don't need you to define 'equal time' for me. When these editorials were the practice, the station would allow someone to request airtime to put forth the opposing POV, it didn't have to be a candidate. FCC regulations have changed in this regard and I have no idea if Raycom allows such alternate POVs in response to its editorials, but do believe such content is preferential to another commercial or dead air.
I don't need you to define 'equal time' for me. When these editorials were the practice, the station would allow someone to request airtime to put forth the opposing POV, it didn't have to be a candidate. FCC regulations have changed in this regard and I have no idea if Raycom allows such alternate POVs in response to its editorials, but do believe such content is preferential to another commercial or dead air.
If it counts, the local cable news channel News 12 Long Island still does them.
Many of Hearst's television stations do editorials. One of them, KOCO, is one of two that run editorials in Oklahoma City alone. KOCO runs editorials by the station's general manager Brett Hensley, which air a couple of days a week (especially on Saturdays, during the morning and evening newscasts). KWTV, owned by Griffin Communications (a locally-based company), has something of an editorial by anchor Kelly Ogle on its 10 p.m. newscast that also allows viewer responses to a topic previously discussed during that week.
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Mario500
Guest
I would consider any comment made by a news presenter or a news reporter about a news item in a newscast an editorial.
Mario:
That is not what an editorial is. An editorial is the official opinion of newspaper (or television station, or magazine). If an anchorlady at WBAL makes some comment about being a fan of the Orlando Magic after a report about the Washington Wizards, that is an opinion but not an editorial.
This is probably the reason most editorials that air on stations today are pretty blasé -- the GM presenting the editorial does not want to trigger the bias police with what he says.
That is not what an editorial is. An editorial is the official opinion of newspaper (or television station, or magazine). If an anchorlady at WBAL makes some comment about being a fan of the Orlando Magic after a report about the Washington Wizards, that is an opinion but not an editorial.
This is probably the reason most editorials that air on stations today are pretty blasé -- the GM presenting the editorial does not want to trigger the bias police with what he says.
M
Mario500
Guest
There is a chance the opinions given by news reporters and news presenters for any news department may not be their personal opinions. They may had been told what to say by their superiors.
has anyone asked for one?
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