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Local TV News Presenter Criticizes Certain TV Viewers and Listeners

In case you saw the previous version of my first message, pardon the way its link appeared before it was corrected.
 
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The problem here?

I don't see it; television stations have a remit to cover local news events of urgent importance. They don't have the right to put life or limb above a bunch of people calling in because "The Wheel isn't on 'cause of some storm that doesn't affect me" or "I'm missing my stories, you can go on about this tragedy at 5pm".

It's 2014. Hulu exists. Video on demand is there to catch you up whenever a station decides to pre-empt for a coach's show or draft special within 24 hours. In this age where there are multiple ways to get a TV show, I understand pre-emptions. Sorry to say, but I get the feeling some of the people complaining about that station's weather coverage were probably not doling out family-friendly phrases over the phone in regards to it. The price of the free airwaves is covering urgent matters, and entertainment shows can wait.
 
The problem I found initially was the news presenter being allowed to express her personal opinions while in her position.
 
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This is clearly a bush-league operation filled with bush-league people (with major league egos). Some yokel TelePrompTer reader goes on with a bulletin, enjoys an adrenalin rush and feels important (as visions of some award dance in his head).
The fact is this tornado only affected a small portion of their coverage area (and audience).
There was no need to interrupt programming for some "don't be stupid" message. Haven't these people out there in Aberdeen ever heard of crawls?
Besides, people in that area should know about tornadoes and how to deal with them. They've been hitting the area regularly for a long time. About 120 years ago there was a newspaper editor in Aberdeen and he later wrote a novel in which prairie twisters played a major role. His name was L. Frank Baum. And now you know...... the rest of the story.
PS: Uncle Henry and Auntie Em knew enough to go to the tornado cellar without local TV dweebs yammering at them.

The newspaper story makes it clear the fat TV lady was expressing management's opinion. Maybe she thought this rant would get her on Letterman and the Today Show next week.
 
I'm with mrschimpf...I've seen far too often lately, especially on social media, people bitching and moaning (yes, BITCHING and MOANING) about missing their favorite TV shows, especially during some type of news emergency. Whether it's considered "bush league" or someone shouldn't be expressing their personal views on a newscasts...it's irrelevant when it comes to reporting a story of great importance. I have to applaud her for saying what had to be said...we're in the 21st century, you can find your favorite network shows on your computer or smartphone...live with it!
 
You can get tornado alerts on your computer or smartphone, too. Actually, it's a better way to get them. TV is obsolete as source for alerts. People still go to TV for favorite shows - although that is not going to last long. But it still has a role to play. But not for tornado alerts or anything like it. People don't turn on their TVs to see if there is a tornado alert. They tuned in to see a show.

Besides, it's highly doubtful that those interruptions saved anybody's life. Phil Donahue once wrote that celebrity is continuum that extends from Frank Sinatra to the weekend weatherman. This is just about somebody at the absolute lowest level of celebrity and his own sense of self-importance.

And given all the weather hype in which local stations indulge, does anybody believe it when they "cry wolf" one more time?

If those two really want to save lives, maybe they should do some stories on the dangers of obesity - and start by setting an example.
 
A small portion of their coverage area is still part of their coverage area. In Milwaukee, there's always a contingent of annoyed people who chime in whenever Dodge County in the northwest part of the market gets a tornado warning that cuts right into the Green Bay market, but do you want to be the general manager trying to justify to the FCC why they didn't cover a hypothetical damaging weather event that went through Waupun or Lomira?

Especially in that area of South Dakota, you've got plenty of open land where broadband is only a dream and cell phone service is iffy or non-existent. With all the radio stations these days stuck on robo-fed music or talk and content on just piping in NOAA weather radio alerts as their 'coverage', TV is often the last-resort lifeline outside weather radio, and that role isn't going away anytime soon. Just remember back two weeks ago when the weather guy in Biloxi rushed everyone off the set when a tornado approached there; like them or not, this is the system we have, and thanks to online services, the days where you had to wait until August to catch a weather-delayed repeat of your favorite show are now long gone.
 
ShawnHill1 said:
I'm with mrschimpf...I've seen far too often lately, especially on social media, people bitching and moaning (yes, BITCHING and MOANING) about missing their favorite TV shows, especially during some type of news emergency. Whether it's considered "bush league" or someone shouldn't be expressing their personal views on a newscasts...it's irrelevant when it comes to reporting a story of great importance. I have to applaud her for saying what had to be said...we're in the 21st century, you can find your favorite network shows on your computer or smartphone...live with it!
Click to expand...

Why did you use rude language (twice) to describe these people?
 
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Thankfully I don't have to deal with preemption after preemption for weather in eastern Washington! But especially when a large on the ground tornado is happening in some area, Pat and Vanna are the last of TV stations' worries at that time. Putting the Wheel bonus round on could kill dozens! Putting coverage on? Probably not. When the TV guys tell you "get to your shelter NOW" - you HAVE to follow their instructions. TV forecasters are saving your lives! James Spann is a wonderful example at WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa. When 4/27/11 happened he was the best guy in the country! The Tuscaloosa outbreak killed a couple hundred, but it could have been a couple thousand if not for James. God bless him.

-crainbebo
 
FredLeonard said:
This is clearly a bush-league operation filled with bush-league people (with major league egos). Some yokel TelePrompTer reader goes on with a bulletin, enjoys an adrenalin rush and feels important (as visions of some award dance in his head).
The fact is this tornado only affected a small portion of their coverage area (and audience).
There was no need to interrupt programming for some "don't be stupid" message. Haven't these people out there in Aberdeen ever heard of crawls?
Click to expand...
Their audience can't multitask; if they have to read a crawl, then they can't focus on typing 'take off this stoopid nooz and put oprah on!!!11!!' (She's still on in Aberdeen, just there, and nowhere else.;-) )
 
"Bitching and moaning" is "rude language?" Boy, you haven't lived.

But now I'm confused: You don't think news readers should express opinions - any opinions? (They do all the time; especially in "anchor chat" on "happy talk" news formats.) But you agree with the opinions they expressed?

BITCH: Verb. Slang. to complain; gripe.

MOAN: Verb. to lament or bemoan: to moan one's fate.
Click to expand...

The original clip just shows the embedded arrogance of newsies: We know best. We know what's good for you. We know what you should care about. We are right; you are wrong. If you don't like what we do, you are stupid, crazy or both. We don't listen to anything you say but you better listen to us.

No wonder most people hold newsies in such contempt, even - maybe especially - those who watch.

And the original clip isn't from the evening or late local news. It's from the station's morning show. As low as you can go. Although in Aberdeen, the local morning show may get a pretty good audience from folks getting up early to milk the cows. That is if the cows weren't too upset from the tornado the night before - those few in the small areas actually affected.
 
I did not post anything about whether I agreed with the news presenters on interrupting regular TV programming for a weather report or not.
 
^Because I don't like expletives and don't need them for expressing strong feelings or holding simple conversations.
 
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