Hey Recto - Check out this "Tabloid" Story

[recto101]

"If it bleeds, it leads" mantra still exist today on HLN, TMZ, ABC World News and local TV stations in NYC, LA and Miami. Thanks for the History Lkeller I never thought of San Francisco as the birthplace of Tabloid Journalism. I always thought of San Francisco as the were the anti-tabloid town.

TMZ is definitely NOT a bonafide news outlet unless your definition includes celebrity misadventures.

I moved from the Bay Area to NYC in 1969 and, as I recall, Roger Grimsby was already doing his schtick at WABC (or as we called it "happy news"). I do not remember anything like the described "tabloid news" in S.F. prior to leaving although most of my news watching was on KTVU which was an outstanding indie then.

I've always thought NYC, and specifically ABC, led the charge into network tabloid journalism (which seems like an oxymoron and should be mutually exclusive).

I do know Grimsby was a critic of the happy talk that all the ABC O&O did at the time.

 

[recto101]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5wDtzqDtlc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t6oOv4Odus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAaDNOmPiuQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otasXI1AuPs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7QpsIRfwUE&feature=related

Check the Craig Kilborn Editions of the Daily Show. I noticed in these clips from 1996-1999 the Craig Kilborn edition was more of a parody of Tabloid news in the 1990's compared to the Jon Stewart edition.

 

[LKellerIII]

Interstingly, the supposed architect of the "tabloid" presentation was News Director Russ Coglin (interviewed in the Wallace piece). He later anchored himself, and filled in as a talk host on KGO radio. Though I generally disagreed with his political views, I really respected the man.

The real mastermind was a consultant named Al Primo. In a way, he was the Bill Drake of TV news. In 1969, he took over the ABC O&Os (WABC-TV, WLS-TV, WXYZ-TV, KABC-TV and KGO-TV) and gave them all the same set, same music, same graphics and same mix of happy talk and mayhem.

The "penis found on railroad tracks" is the most famous tease, but I've seen at least two others that I think were better. The first, from Van on KGO:

"He drove up to the tollbooth with a dollar in his hand....and left with a bullet in his gut. Film at 11."

And the other, from Jerry Dunphy at KABC in L.A.:

"Hollywood vice squad cops bust kiddie porn bookstore and our cameras follow 'em in! Film at 11."

Thanks, Michael. Interesting. The story that really disgusted me was the disappearance of "Little Monica Rios" as Van Amburg always headlined it - sometime in the late 70s. IIRC, Monica was found alive in Mexico in the early 80s and reunited with her family in the Bay Area. But what disturbed me at the time was Van's delight in milking it for ratings, as well as an ego-boost. For days after her disappearance, he would personalize it on News Scene, and talk about how he (personally) would "not rest" until "Little Monica Rios" was found. Amburg milked it for a few weeks, then dropped it after the story went stale.

 

[michael hagerty]

Interstingly, the supposed architect of the "tabloid" presentation was News Director Russ Coglin (interviewed in the Wallace piece). He later anchored himself, and filled in as a talk host on KGO radio. Though I generally disagreed with his political views, I really respected the man.

The real mastermind was a consultant named Al Primo. In a way, he was the Bill Drake of TV news. In 1969, he took over the ABC O&Os (WABC-TV, WLS-TV, WXYZ-TV, KABC-TV and KGO-TV) and gave them all the same set, same music, same graphics and same mix of happy talk and mayhem.

The "penis found on railroad tracks" is the most famous tease, but I've seen at least two others that I think were better. The first, from Van on KGO:

"He drove up to the tollbooth with a dollar in his hand....and left with a bullet in his gut. Film at 11."

And the other, from Jerry Dunphy at KABC in L.A.:

"Hollywood vice squad cops bust kiddie porn bookstore and our cameras follow 'em in! Film at 11."

Thanks, Michael. Interesting. The story that really disgusted me was the disappearance of "Little Monica Rios" as Van Amburg always headlined it - sometime in the late 70s. IIRC, Monica was found alive in Mexico in the early 80s and reunited with her family in the Bay Area. But what disturbed me at the time was Van's delight in milking it for ratings, as well as an ego-boost. For days after her disappearance, he would personalize it on News Scene, and talk about how he (personally) would "not rest" until "Little Monica Rios" was found. Amburg milked it for a few weeks, then dropped it after the story went stale.

Boy, have I seen that syndrome a few times: "The news is here to bring you me."

Totally committed to and involved in a big story...until there's one bigger.

Ugh.