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10 things I hate about you

Reading this list of 10 things that TV news viewers hate about TV news made me laugh out loud because it so reflects my own feelings.

8. Your efforts to beat the competition with weather coverage. “They accepted actual weather emergencies as a coverage necessity, but questioned the hyping of weather coverage when things just aren’t that bad. Worse than that, they say, are delays in giving the forecast just to make them watch a whole lot of junk they don’t want to see anyway.”

5. Your endless use of teases: "Most of the panelists abhor teases that draw them through the newscast to a less than satisfying payoff. They ask instead for more meat and less sizzle when if comes to partitioning the news hole."

1. Your lack of respect for the people you cover: "Time and time again throughout the entire panel discussion, the viewers found examples of what they considered news people going too far covering the story. Airing the 911 call of the woman who just shot her husband went too far, showing the young boy crying at the state of poverty in which he lives cut too close, and moving the camera in close to the man weeping after witnessing a tragic fall pushed too much. The panelists implored the journalists present to treat their sources—especially victims of crimes or disasters—the way they would want their own family members treated."

Then, I realized that our readers likely say similar things about us, although I doubt they complain about how much time we spend on grooming (#9) or our breathless focus on Hollywood and the rest of the world (#6).

I do have to say that #10 -- Your seemingly endless obsession with pets -- is one that I disagree with. By every available piece of data I've seen -- with the exception of this list -- people love reading about animals. Just look at this, which was posted late in the day yesterday but still was the second most viewed story of the day.

The others, especially numbers 1, 2 and 3, provide advice we need to hear.

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Tags: Television

Posted by John Robinson on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 11:41 am

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cloman

September 23, 2009 - 1:59 pm EDT

Here's what gets me about TV news -- the "live" shots late at night at a location where something happened hours earlier. I know these must be done to create some sense of urgency, but seeing people stand outside a dark building seems like such a waste of equipment and manpower.

SueP

September 23, 2009 - 3:40 pm EDT

Two that stand out locally are the (a) on-air "breaking news" teasing that I think WFMY did years ago about "is there a grocery store in GSO that is poisoning you?" for 3 days before airing the story. I believe some wrote an LTE about it, as well they should have and (b) the endless tracking of storms and showing off storm-related technology (remember when they just 'canceled' the Kentucky Derby (in GSO) to show us thunderstorm activity that could have been done in an annoying beeping scroller?).

I flip channels just hear SOMEONE tell me the news. But if it's after 6:10 pm and the wheel says it's weather time, there's no news on TV. Could be why I get most of my news online. Just wish the locals would stop the games and read the news.

John Robinson

September 23, 2009 - 5:56 pm EDT

Two things:

First, a news director at WFMY -- since departed -- once told me that they know exactly what their viewers want.
1. Weather
2. More weather
3. Breaking news

He was serious and I believe him. TV folks know what people watch...regardless of what they say they want.

Another news director at another station told me that the moment sports comes on, viewers click off.

Second, Neill McNeill and I have spared the slogans that TV uses to promote themselves to the extent that they seem, well, over-reaching.