A Special Erie Media-Go-Round Chat Down.
Do you believe the local media (newspaper, radio and TV) should increase its human resources to report the news or is the current level sufficient? If you think resources should be increased what, in your opinion, could the media do with the increased resources?
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36 comments:
Keep the current level of human resources. However, cutback on the number of newscasts during a day.
Do we really need morning news from 5 to 7am? It's just replayed ad nauseum!
Do we need evening news from 5 to 7pm? NO
Just have news from 6 to 7 in the morning. In the evening just have news at 5 and 6pm.
QUIT REPEATING THE SAME DAMN NATIONAL NEWS AND BORING FEATURES OVER AND OVER!!!!!!!!!!!
The local media could do a better job with more people, the newspaper included. But it's not likely to happen. The newspaper loses readers every day. The ETN reshuffles the staffing deck and trys all kinds of special supplements to reinvent themselves, but it never means MORE staff. It doesn't even mean more readers. Same at the TV stations. The corporate folks have a profit margin to hit. Period. Adding staff doesn't help make that happen. There's only so much revenue in Erie's media pie. Each and every additional staff member has to be justified by the new revenue it will create. The ROI is too long term. Only local owners with local interests and local pride, could wait for that kind of investment to bear fruit. What do you think?
I agree with the first post. Why do the TV stations have to have so many newscasts?
If they don't want to spend money on syndicated programming then just air infomercials!
30 minutes of news at 6 in the morning would be more than enough.
30 minutes at 6pm would be more than enough.
Sometimes LESS is more!
Hate to deflate the egos at WICU and WJET but I only watch a few minutes of the 6pm news. The rest of the newscasts I don't even bother to watch.
Actually, a lot of my friends share my local newscast viewing habits.
A Local TV station might soon go the way of the Dinosaur? Maybe?
Also, could someone PLEASE tell Kevin MacDowell to not move his arms and hands so much during the newscast? It is very distracting and annoying!
The postings of comments may run a little late on Monday as I will be away from home all morning and a chunk of the afternoon. But keep posting and I will catch it up.
hey Anonymous...what about me? I'm out the door at 5:50am. Where do I get my local overnight news? Hell, the radio stations only read what's in the newspaper or on the TV station websites. And since I'm home early, I want news early...like at 5pm. Who wants to wait until six? There sure is an audience for all the newscasts local stations are doing. Cutting newscasts isn't the answer. Actually, more might be better.
I think its not so much as how much news but whats in the news reporting that is done. There was no reporting of any kind done on the basic constitutional rights of "habeas corpus"(right of legal representation) or the Insurection Act(martial law can now be declared by the president with national guard and local policing controlled by feds). Not a word from our local print or video media. These would seem to be important issues. Other local issues that have not been addressed City of Erie curfews and the smoking ban. The Times has editorialized on the smoking ban but only thier biased support. The real story here would have been the fact that the Surgeon General was putting out deceptive press releases. When his own report sais the opposite. Whether a person is for something or against something. Local media has a reponsabilty to blance the news. After all the airwaves are still the publics. At least for now. All that air time and what do you have to hear about? The same story multiple times over three seperate channels about a whole lot of nothing. Jeez!
Joe-- You're one of the reasons the media need to do a better job of enhancing their websites and providing more real-time content around the clock.
Even if the stations produced a 6-7 minute webcast of the top stories (or longer and include weather) and posted it on the internet after their shows are over (or after the 6pm show instead of 5:30pm) if they want to avoid the competition finding out about any exclusive stories.
I think the news is repetative because they know the average viewer only watches 30 minutes... that way everyone has a chance to see the top stories... maybe it's meant to be that way so they can reach people with different schedules.. maybe.
Joe's got it right. Not everyone's on the same schedule, therefore all the local newscasts is a good idea. And so what if they're mainly repeats? Who watches the entire 90 minutes straight through anyway?
And I can't believe someone would actually prefer informercials over ANY programming!!
Oh Duke Boy...
You might try not screaming and using a few breaks to get your point accross. A little tough on the eyes.
I'm with the folks that say that it's not about the amount of news but the kind of news presented on TV. When the locals treat a story as big as the city budget crisis with file footage and a 25 sec. voice over I go nuts. When at 6:00 they try to cover national stories or put a national happy-closer story, instead of finding a local happy-closer, I go nuts. It seems that there are plenty of reporters, they just need to do more news. Keep doing national headlines at 5:00, to me that's ok, although the whole national story thing is getting obsolete...I can get all the national I want from cable news, the web, and the blogs.
As far as radio goes, more live and local news would be a winner. And the ETN is as good as it gets in the failing newspaper business. You have to credit them for trying. With goerie, herTimes, Tangent, the Blitz, and all the other special projects, they continue to try to bleed the rock that is Erie's stangant advertising base.
(Jack, that would be a good guest post: hearing from the current ad buyers in town. They might give all of the media naysayers a dose of reality about how manyh dollars are available anymore for all of these advertising choices)
More News!?
Have You Gone Mad????
Here's a suggestion, why not just tape a 30-minute newscast and run it over, and over, and over, and over?
I think there is way too much news on TV.
I also agree with the earlier post, Kevin MacDowell waving his arms is a damn distraction.
Did anyone see Scott Cook's live shot during the 5pm News????
Scott was live at the cruise ship terminal for the Coast Guard public hearing.
To make a long story short, THE LIVE SHOT WAS COLORLESS - IT WAS IN BLACK AND WHITE!!!
It's nice to know there are consummate professionals still working at WICU!
I saw the same live shot.
Above Anonymous, who are you to judge?
I guess some people have never made a mistake in their lives?
What happened with WICU at 5? Scott Cook was white as a ghost!
I heard WICU was cutting back on expenses but come on! taking the color out of a live shot?
LOL!!!!
They say that color is more expensive than B&W. (LOL)
As for Kevins hand movements. I have heard that mentioned several times. I don't think it is something he can control. I think it happens quite naturally.
The comment about Scott Cook and that stupid black and white live shot is well taken. This isn't just some isolated mistake. I can't even count how many times WICU sends Cook and their live truck somewhere and they either have trouble with the video, or have big audio problems.
If they can't do "live" shots right, maybe they should just stop doing them at all! They've screwed up too many times. And it's not as if they don't have practice. They use the live truck for
on-location stuff every single day on that station.
It is ratings, November sweeps to be exact, so expect to see bad live shots each and every night.
I spent 25 years in radio and TV news and it still cracks me up to this day that newsrooms think they can fool the viewing public into watching just because they go Live!
Here's a news flash...live from the scene at 11PM, or with the time change at 6PM is dark. So... the building that little miss Bambi the field anchor refers to so eloquently over her shoulder can't be seen by the viewer anyway, mainly because the live truck operator or photog didn't take the time to properly light the shot. Is it his fault? No, I understand there are crews running around this market that don't have light kits because the company is too cheap to buy them!!! I'M SO MAD I COULD BITE MY LIPS OFF.
The point is no one cares who is live first because half the time the field talent will choke on their on spit and blow the shot anyway. I remember when demos from this market were impressive despite the lack of technology, nowadays they're just good fodder for YouTube. Nuff said.
I wonder why WICU has so many problems trying to get a live shot on the air?
I guess it could be worse. It could be the live shots done on WSEE. Has anyone ever seen a WSEE live shot? The picture is terrible! The color is all washed out. There is a noticable "humm" in the audio.
WSEE has never been able to do a live shot with proper color and audio.
Perhaps WICU is lowering their standards to those of WSEE? Wait! They are both owned by the same company.
Game, Set and Match!
I turned on Channel 12 at 5 o'clock and thought they were doing a "retro" newscast.
I guess they are going back to the future!?
The days of Black and White are Back!
WICU: The One Two Watch!
I was going to comment on the WICU 5pm live shot. It seems I have been beaten to the punch!
What the hell happened?
If you can't do a simple live shot then get the hell out of TV. It's not brain surgery.
A little off topic, but I thought you would find this interesting. A tale of media gone too far in Pittsburgh.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06310/735930-237.stm
I don't have a "thing" for WSEE. I have been to the studios of WICU and WJET and NEVER had the problems I had with WSEE. The problem I have with WSEE is lack of accountability. Check the FCC regulations. Broadcast stations are REQUIRED to keep a public file of all correspondence sent to said station. My problem with WSEE is I sent them a letter critical of their station. (Edit)
That's OK. You are entitled to your opinion. If your aren't aware of the rumors then I shall enlighten you. (edit) Check the FCC info on WSEE. They applied for an extension on their Digital Channel on August 30th. To this day WSEE has not received a response from the FCC. It doesn't take this long for the FCC to order lunch, let alone grant a construction extension. (edit)
(Editor's note: Sorry I had to edit some of the comments because they fall currently into the rumor catagory for now and cannot be substanciated as yet.
I left the facts. You are in your rights to make a request for any station's public file, radio or TV)
Jack...Are you kidding me? Kevin MacDowell's arm gestures natural? My god, move around any more and viewers will think he's Michael J Fox. I stopped watching that guy long ago cause I thought pretty soon I'd see him pickin nose hairs between stories....while I'm eatin' my dinner.
I always get a chuckle when Kevin makes a snide remark when something goes wrong!
Who does he think he is? The Erie version of Walter Cronkite?
"Who does he think he is? The Erie version of Walter Cronkite?"
As an anchor he should be commanding and he is that. It is the role of every anchor to represent the viewer and let the viewer know authoritatively what is going and ask the questions of the various reporters that the viewer would ask themselves.
In my view I think Keven does that well. Also Karla and Shawn on WJET.
I wish all reporters would aim to be another Chrokite. We would have better reporters who would atleast know how to pronounce the names.
But I can see how some might be put off by the hand gestures.
Just be glad it is not a finger.
Kevin McDowell Commanding? PLLLEASSSE!
He has always reminded me of the Bill Murray character from the golden age of SNL, you know, the "lounge lizzard" who makes up the words to Star Wars while performing at the Holiday Inn.
Kevin is the "lounge lizzard" of news anchors. I keep waiting for him to break into a few verses of "Danke Scheon" to fill the void between blown live shots!!!
To the last poster...
"As an anchor he should be commanding and he is that."
This comment is the very reason why Erie TV is so far behind the times. Male anchors in this town think they have to be Cronkite or Murrow.
The fact is that viewers want conversational anchors, credible, but conversational. Sean Lafferty does a fine job, but Sean uses his
"radio voice" to deliver the news and so does Belmondo. If you every watch David he must be an audio person's worst nightmare. They probably spend the entire newscast riding his mic levels.
I like Dave and Sean but boys...
just talk to us please, no yelling
and no "radio voice" TV is not and I repeat NOT radio with pictures. God, I could make a ton of money locally as a talent coach.
Too bad the corporate idiots would rather spend five times as much with Magid and other industry YoYos!!!
The fact is that most anchors and broadcast news people probably got their start in radio. It is rare, except for cheap markets like Erie to start right on TV.
I agree that anchors should not talk down to an audience. In a way, Kevin, Sean, Karla and the rest are the broadcast equals to the print commentators like Pat Howard.
I for one would like them to step out of their "news" mode and actually give opinion or at least have someone on staff do that. Bob Hoffemann wasn't the greatest on air commentator but at least with suspenders he got people talking. That's all the news can do.
I guess there are several schools of thoughts about anchors....that is why we need more professional news sources... not less.
Jack, I got my start in radio too...but realized that the transition in mediums required much more than a deep, confincing voice and delivery.
TV news incorporates a different style of writing but more importantly an appreciation for video elements and natural sound and knowing when to let a story breathe.
I worked once with a very talented photographer who from day-one had but just one rule for working together. All he asked is that I would write into each package :03 to :05 to allow him to
use various elements to help tell the story. That partnership worked.
Nowadays, few reporters even help photogs carry their gear let alone partner on their very craft.
And one more thing, the Erie market is cheap for one reason...
corporate ownership. This town once was one of the best small markets in all of TV, but not anymore.
At one time the FCC invited editorial comment and rebutal, "One Man's Opinion", The Long and Short of It".
Have they changed the rules in D.C. recently?
You make excellant points. The TV reporter is a very close partnership between cameraman and reporter. That is why I am so against Video Journalism. When you add the responsibility of shooting the story besides telling it, something will be missed. Most importantly, you burn-out the VJ journalist. The mind can just so much detail at one time.
In the interest of profits, good journalism is sometimes sacrificed. I too agree that Erie was a talented news market for its size.
As for the FCC, I can tell you that several have been visiting this blog in the last week. I hope they learn something.
Dave and Sean DO sound different in person than when they are broadcasting. I have interacted with them many times in both situations.
Erie is a starter market today because the stations won't pay to attract season veterans like they used too. And they did. WSEE and WICU both hired seasoned on-air as well as radio in the past.
I won't disagree that money and profit has driven down ( or should I have said dumbed) down the quality of Erie broadcasting. But look at the newspaper, the current chief editor had a galant career in New England. Malcome (more than 5 years now yes) also came from a larger market experience. I have no idea what brought them to Erie.
The point is that if the stations would pay a bit more, the quality and results would show. Can Erie afford to pay more? yes. Just be pleased with a 30% return instead of 45%.
First of all, hand movements or not, Kevin MacDowell is arrogant. That furrowed brow, bobbing head and tendancy to look off camera casually, actually comes across as someone who is disinterested. And, if HE'S disinterested, how the heck are the viewers supposed to feel?
No, none of the TV stations WANT to pay more because they don't THINK that Erie viewers deserve anyone with any history, experience or expertise. Get 'em in and get 'em out and pay them just above minimum wage so they can learn their craft and get out of town. That's the mentality. Money and profit have certainly 'dumbed' down Erie TV. They CAN pay more, but they won't. Since all three are dealing with their anchors and reporters the same way, it doesn't matter what Erie viewers think.
Sean and Dave definately have booming voices and they need to sit back and relax.... not shout the news. David booms so much that his cheeks puff out! If it weren't so embarassing that he's actually anchoring one on of our local stations, it might be funny!
Lets check out who has left "Lower Peach"(WSEE-TV) to go work at "Upper Peach"(WJET-TV):
- Sean Lafferty
- Brian Sheridan
- David Belmondo
- Tom Atkins
- Tom DiVecchio
- Kim Thomas
If things aren't as bad at "Lower Peach" as people claim, then why did these outstanding individuals leave "Lower Peach??"
Let's check out who has left "Upper Peach"(WJET-TV) to work at "Lower Peach"(WSEE-TV):
- Don Shriver (Contract Bought Out)
- Joey Stevens (To Be Determined??)
Hmmm, I guess the grass is greener at Channel 24? I guess you really can't buy ratings?
Kevin MadcDowell must be so arrogant and such a pompous #$%^ that 12 has to run those goofy promtotions to convince their audience what a great guy he is. Never in the history of Erie TV has a station had to stoop to such stupid levels to make their main anchor seem like a nice guy...when apparently he isn't.
How funny is Kevin? "...he makes me roll on the newsroom floor...he's funnier than a barrel of monkeys." I can't believe 12's talent would get sucked into such a degrading promo.
Perhaps we'll see his stand-up routine at JR's of he's soooo funny.
And what the heck...how does it add to an anchors credibility to tell us he's funny. Oh I get it, he's Erie's answer to Jon Stewart.
Now that's coverage you can count on!
Come on..he should be directing traffic with those arm movements, not anchoring a newscast.
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