Stupid News People (TV)

[Goodspike]

Jimmy Kimmel has run a couple of pieces lately on L.A. TV news covering all the recent "extreme" weather in L.A. Basically covering a sprinkle as if it were a hurricane type of thing. I thought that would be a good topic here, so here's my first contribution.

I often get the impression that people at TV news stations don't actually follow the news. Yesterday the local news station had a story about how there were new details on the sinking of the cruise ship in Italy. The new details: That the captain left the ship while there were still hundreds of people on board and refused to return.

That was shocking news--when I heard it shortly after the sinking.

 

[lunatic59]

Broadcast News has become the National Enquirer. Unfortunately they wouldn't be doing it if people weren't watching.

This business about the Weather Channel (or National Weather Service) naming every low pressure system as if it were a major storm is pure marketing bullcookies. When you emphasize everything, you emphasize nothing.

 

[Clementine_3]

One of my local news stations doesn't understand the use of #BREAKING on Twitter, they think everything is breaking news! Yesterday the big #BREAKING news was that Mandela's memorial was going to take place. Ummm, not breaking news there guys. There are two others that are equally as bad, but the worst part is how they incite panic over the weather. We're getting flurries today and they are acting like it's a big deal. I'm down to being able to watch only one local news, they actually report news and the weather is just weather...no fluff, no panic, no nothing but news.

 

[Goodspike]

Broadcast News has become the National Enquirer.

I forget who to attribute this to, but TV news was recently described as "moderately attractive people reading stories we saw on the Internet 10 hours ago."

 

[Codegerm]

I forget who to attribute this to, but TV news was recently described as "moderately attractive people reading stories we saw on the Internet 10 hours ago."

Some of those stories were more like days ago.

I did get a good laugh out of the weather people in LA though..

 

[Goodspike]

Yesterday the big #BREAKING news was that Mandela's memorial was going to take place. Ummm, not breaking news there guys. There are two others that are equally as bad, but the worst part is how they incite panic over the weather.

As explained in another thread, I'm having dead guy news overload right now, so I have no tolerance at all for Mandela news. Also, I particularly hate weather news from other parts of the country. Finally, not a big fan of Bono.

So yesterday's NBC Nightly news was particularly bad for me. It started with Mandela, went to the national weather and ended with a story that combined Bono with Mandela. Thank god for DVRs.

 

[lunatic59]

In other news .... Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead. Details at 11:00.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Jimmy Kimmel has run a couple of pieces lately on L.A. TV news covering all the recent "extreme" weather in L.A. Basically covering a sprinkle as if it were a hurricane type of thing.

Speaking as a native Angeleno who's witnessed the hysterics firsthand, here's my $0.02. I should mention that I lived in other states before returning home to SoCal--places that had ACTUAL weather which I experienced, including hurricanes (Florida), ice/snow/cold (Albuquerque and Dallas), and tornadoes (Dallas). Being back here and seeing the histrionics over the occasional three raindrops or "frigid cold" (highs in the upper 50s), provides me with an endless supply of "oh my [blanking] goodness, are they serious?!" moments.

I understand that with our typical predictable weather, newscasters are eager for something more substantial to report--I mean, how many ways can you spin "warm and sunny!"? But "we're on storm watch!"--when three raindrops have fallen? Really?

Meanwhile, in Dallas, where I lived prior to returning home, they've been digging out of a typical winter ice storm. Now THAT qualifies as weather.

 

[treb1797]

I have to admit, I too have become quite frustrated w/ these news people of today. I have only found one anchor I can deal w/, & nobody does the news like this guy :

Spoiler

 

[lunatic59]

Our generation had ....

Spoiler

 

[zuben el genub]

If I want weather, I go look at NWS. Our locals are rather strange. When kid was in school, college, and later employed as a bus driver by the college, not one damn TV station put out delays or closings at 5A. Bus drivers have to be early. If you checked one of the local rock radio channel's web page, they had the closures. I don't consider Norad tracking Santa news.

The local Fox which the Vulcan likes as it's on at 9p, has speed rappers and raccoon-eyed chirpers. It's too low to even be listed as second rate. He'd rather go to bed and read at 9:30. I leave since I can't stand them. I can get MLB on the Acer Tablet.

Won't download local station apps, either.

 

[zuben el genub]

Here's a link to an interesting rant about downloading those apps.
Read the replies, there's a few good zingers in there

No, I won

 

[big_z]

The ABC affiliate here in KC actually devotes a segment of their 5 or 6 pm news to reading tweets out loud on air.

A couple of summers ago we had tornado warnings going out across the city. Another station (or maybe it was the same, don't remember) had a reporting crew in a news van headed somewhere to cover the weather. They were broadcasting...over Skype. They thought they were hot stuff showing us this dark, badly pixellated video from inside a travelling van.

I hate local TV. I wish I could just get a direct feed from the networks with no interruptions from our local buffoons.

 

[SiempreTuna]

Apart from the odd moment or two waiting for something else to start, I don't remember when I last watched a TV news broadcast .. And I used to be such a current affairs afficianado.

I do recall watching the news in Singapore on a couple of occassions, though. One time, the most heavily trailed article was a 10 minute piece - complete with interviews with dectectives, a finger print guy and traumatised victims - about some kid who'd stolen a couple of car radios - an unanticipated side affect of extremely low crime rates.

Another time, they did the whole first half of the news, including a long section on some (cosmetic) cracks appearing in a couple of HDBs (government housing scheme buidings), went to the ad break, then said, oh and by the way, the Cubans shot down an American plane ..

 

[mikedt]

As explained in another thread, I'm having dead guy news overload right now, so I have no tolerance at all for Mandela news. Also, I particularly hate weather news from other parts of the country. Finally, not a big fan of Bono.

So yesterday's NBC Nightly news was particularly bad for me. It started with Mandela, went to the national weather and ended with a story that combined Bono with Mandela. Thank god for DVRs.

He's not died as well has he?

Even Xinhua and China Central TV have had Mandela overload as well. ... .....although "Bono" in China is a clothing brand and not a musician(no connection).

 

[MoodyBlues]

He's not died as well has he?

No, thank goodness. I love Bono. I used to drool over him when he was a sexy young rocker, much to my husband's amusement. Now he's a nicely aged, sexy older rocker.

 

[Stuntman]

Most news is depressing. I found that my mood has improved ever since I stopped keeping up with the mainstream new.

 

[shelliewnj]

They cry storm so often here in the mountains that when there's really one, no one takes them seriously.

 

[zuben el genub]

You take them seriously here. 45 - 100 mph wind gusts. Either a chinook (warming) or the arctic express (just the opposite.)

 

[ocnbrze]

i think this guy is pretty dumb:

 

[zuben el genub]

Which one? Burgundy or Manning?

Manning has always done ads, most aren't bad, but if you live in CO, either he or Wes Welker is plastered all over the place.

Haven't seen much of Burgundy except for one car ad. The mute button on the remote is heavily employed.

 

[desktop]

No, thank goodness. I love Bono. I used to drool over him when he was a sexy young rocker, much to my husband's amusement. Now he's a nicely aged, sexy older rocker.

Shame on you....

 

[Goodspike]

Which one? Burgundy or Manning?.

My comment was I'd always heard it was the brother that was stupid.

 

[ocnbrze]

Which one? Burgundy or Manning?

Manning has always done ads, most aren't bad, but if you live in CO, either he or Wes Welker is plastered all over the place.

Haven't seen much of Burgundy except for one car ad. The mute button on the remote is heavily employed.

i was going for ron burgundy......what an idiot

My comment was I'd always heard it was the brother that was stupid.

yes, i think peyton is a genius and his brother is just extremely lucky......that catch that in the super was what made his career.

anyways here is what cnn and others think about ron burgundy:

 

[jefboyardee]

This one takes the cake:

3 KTVU producers fired over 'Sum Ting Wong' reporting fiasco
(VIDEO)