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The Scandal of the Local Newsroom (you won't believe...never mind..you will)
Ace ^ | 15 October 2008

Posted on 10/14/2008 3:37:19 PM PDT by SE Mom

I have a BA in journalism, and over time have kept in touch with a number of people who are still working in that profession. So when one of them emailed me the following about the atmosphere in today's newsrooms, I wasn't surprised at all. This person does offer some hints at the end on how to push for more fairness in your local coverage:

....

It's unbelievable here. I've been through a few election cycles and have gotten pretty used to the open sneering every time a Republican candidate appears on the television, but this year is unlike anything I've ever seen.

Anchors were openly cheering when the news came out that Sarah Palin's daughter was pregnant. Some of the comments were so over-the-top childish and nasty that I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They're obsessed with her. They hate her even more than they hated Bush. And they all talk openly about how "stupid" and "unqualified" she is. It's pretty much a hostile work environment for the few conservatives who work here.

I've pretty much been keeping my head down and concentrating on my work, but yesterday was the final straw for me when some snot-nosed, twenty-something liberal producer responded to a request to take a phone call from a viewer complaining about lack of election fraud coverage by saying, "Tell him it's because we hate Republicans."

I want you to post this story on your blog to get the word out. The average person doesn't understand how obnoxiously left wing, the average local newsroom staffer is. The nightly newscasts they're watching every night are being put together by producers who have nothing but disdain for the people watching.

The irony is that these people are for the most part, some of the most ignorant, unimpressive individuals that you'll ever meet. They know next to nothing. They have no expertise in any area. They just repeat shit they read on the wires. Most of them aren't even from the communities where they work. They migrate from station to station, climbing the ladder as they go.

But they do think they're both smarter than and superior to you. Especially those of you who live in rural areas.

It's time people register their dissatisfaction about these clowns. It won't change the coverage, but contacting them in the right way can be hugely disruptive to their operations.

Here's how to do it. First, have a specific complaint in mind before you call. Make sure it's a local issue so they can't duck it. Be prepared, succinct, and polite. Study up on the topic before hand. Your goal is to put them on the spot and make them answer specific questions.

Local television newsrooms are extremely busy just before their newscasts air, so time your calls accordingly for maximum disruption. Most local stations don't have a dedicated call taker, so you're likely to get routed to whomever is available. It might be a producer, an intern, or even an anchor. No matter who you get, they'll be busy and stressed out and looking to get rid of you as quickly as possible. Keep them on the line for as long as you can.

Newsroom personnel hate to be questioned on anything. They're notoriously thin-skinned about their work. What you'll find beneath the surface if you're persistent is an almost unfathomable ignorance about the stories they cover. Expose this ignorance by asking them basic information about whatever story (or lack of coverage) you're complaining about. If the issue is voter fraud, ask them to explain to you their understanding of your state's election laws. In almost all cases, they will not be able to. Follow up by politely asking them how they can accurately cover stories that they don't understand. You'll probably get a nasty, defensive reaction. Congratulations, it's working.

If they try to blow you off, ask to be routed to someone in charge like the news director, assistant news director, an executive producer, or the general manager. If they lose their cool and hang up on you, call back and try to get the GM or news director. Ask them why their newsroom staff is rude to callers and appears to feel unaccountable. Follow up with emails.

I can't stress enough to your readers how important it is to be polite and informed. If you do your homework, you'll have these people spinning in circles. You may not be able to change their coverage, but it should knock a little of the arrogance out of them and make life more difficult.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2008election; 2008electionbias; agitprop; americanpravda; bias; collusion; despotism; dnctalkingpoints; doublestandard; flyovercountry; goebbelswouldbeproud; howtostealanelection; ivorytower; jesusland; leftwingconspiracy; mediabias; obamanation; obamunists; partisanpress; tyranny; ussa; yellowjournalism; zogbyism
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1 posted on 10/14/2008 3:37:19 PM PDT by SE Mom
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To: STARWISE; Miss Didi; Dog; holdonnow; Bahbah; AliVeritas; Ernest_at_the_Beach; penelopesire

Yikes! ping


2 posted on 10/14/2008 3:39:07 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: SE Mom
The irony is that these people are for the most part, some of the most ignorant, unimpressive individuals that you'll ever meet. They know next to nothing. They have no expertise in any area. They just repeat shit they read on the wires. Most of them aren't even from the communities where they work. They migrate from station to station, climbing the ladder as they go.

Your typical news dept. employee fits this profile like you wouldn't believe. Non-news dept. folk are a lot more...well, sane.

3 posted on 10/14/2008 3:40:06 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (If I wanted a Chicago politician as my President, I'd vote for Richard Daley)
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To: abb

A pretty solid blog entry that might be of use. I mixed in a comment of my own in post #3.


4 posted on 10/14/2008 3:40:55 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (If I wanted a Chicago politician as my President, I'd vote for Richard Daley)
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To: SE Mom

I know a reporter at one of the nation’s largest newspapers and the same thing applies there, as well. The few conservatives who enter journalism are working in an atmosphere more hostile than most of us can imagine.

MM


5 posted on 10/14/2008 3:41:07 PM PDT by MississippiMan
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To: SE Mom
Newsroom personnel hate to be questioned on anything.

But it's so satisfying to accomplish. :)

6 posted on 10/14/2008 3:43:53 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (If I wanted a Chicago politician as my President, I'd vote for Richard Daley)
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To: GOP_Raider

Most of us know this- but it’s unusual for us to hear from someone inside who is being HONEST about what they see..


7 posted on 10/14/2008 3:45:19 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: MississippiMan
The few conservatives who enter journalism are working in an atmosphere more hostile than most of us can imagine.

Indeed. Worth repeating.

8 posted on 10/14/2008 3:46:34 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: GOP_Raider

Most of them aren't even from the communities where they work.

This very true in our rural area. The editors are rotated through the Gannett system, inject whatever spin they can (or are instructed on), and move on.

For many years the warnings have been around about centralized media control.

From this rural perspective it is ugly.

9 posted on 10/14/2008 3:50:17 PM PDT by jnsun (The LEFT: The need to manipulate others because of nothing productive to offer)
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To: SE Mom

i worked in tv for 15 years and this is the same advice i have been giving
to people and tried to give to republicans via newt gingrich. i could
not get him to believe me. that’s what is so depressing about someone like katie couric. she got her start through adultery with newsroom boss.
she knows nothing. far less than sarah palin. they must publicly be confronted with the truth and embarrassed by name. bush sr. stumbled into that
with dan rather and scored many points.


10 posted on 10/14/2008 3:50:39 PM PDT by gussiefinknottle (woof!woof!woof!)
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To: SE Mom
Anchors were openly cheering when the news came out that Sarah Palin's daughter was pregnant. Some of the comments were so over-the-top childish and nasty that I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They're obsessed with her. They hate her even more than they hated Bush. And they all talk openly about how "stupid" and "unqualified" she is. It's pretty much a hostile work environment for the few conservatives who work here.

It isn't "pretty much a hostile work environment", it IS.

File charges on them with the Human Resources department and possibly seek a legal charge.

When they call Gov. Palin "Big Oil With T!ts", a "crazy b!tch" (as Betty White did on air), report how Sandra Bernhard said she'd be gang raped by black men in New York, call her a c##t, etc. and LAUGH at the reports of such activity off camera it IS a hostile environment. When they call her a hypochristian for having a pregnant teenaged daughter, that is religious discrimination.

Go after them. Turn the tables.

11 posted on 10/14/2008 3:53:28 PM PDT by weegee (In 2006 the Democrats took over Congress. 9% approval, $4gal gas, economy tanked. Had enuff CHANGE?!)
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To: SE Mom
Most of us know this- but it’s unusual for us to hear from someone inside who is being HONEST about what they see..

It's not shocking to me as well--I work in the same industry that he does. Ordinarily I tend to bite my tongue on FR, because I never know when a coworker might get a wild hair and find out what I might say.

Quick story: one night we were in the middle of an afternoon newscast when our producer wrote a story that read "an SUV slammed into a telephone pole..." and then went on to the remainder of the story. At this point I'd had enough. Speaking while thinking, I said "could we quit saying that SUV's drive themselves into objects for once?" Our producer (who I know well enough to give him grief for his mistakes) was annoyed enough to say "yeah, and I'm going to take writing advice from an engineer."

Without missing a beat, I said "personification is for children's books, not newscasts."

12 posted on 10/14/2008 3:53:51 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (If I wanted a Chicago politician as my President, I'd vote for Richard Daley)
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To: gussiefinknottle

Who is Bush Sr.?


13 posted on 10/14/2008 3:54:21 PM PDT by HuntsvilleTxVeteran (Obama and ITS thugs are made paranoid by Sarahnoia. (stole from molly_jack2007))
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To: SE Mom

Think globally, act locally. Cut the guy wires on their transmitter towers!


14 posted on 10/14/2008 3:54:56 PM PDT by ExpatGator (Extending logic since 1961.)
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To: GOP_Raider
one night day we were in the middle of an afternoon
15 posted on 10/14/2008 3:55:45 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (If I wanted a Chicago politician as my President, I'd vote for Richard Daley)
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To: SE Mom
There used to be a saying, "First, kill all the lawyers..."

Now, I'm thinking the priorities of that adage are wrong.

16 posted on 10/14/2008 3:59:39 PM PDT by Gaffer ("Arguing with a Liberal is like not wiping yourself after taking a dump" Scatological, but true.)
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To: SE Mom
Ignorant, arrogant, and fanatical. Marvelous. If I recall correctly from my days in Engineering college, Journalism majors were pretty much at the bottom of the heap, just above basket weaving and flower arranging.
17 posted on 10/14/2008 4:00:11 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham ("The land of the Free...Because of the Brave")
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To: SE Mom
the same bigoted snotty attitude that gave us this the day after the 2004 election:


18 posted on 10/14/2008 4:00:20 PM PDT by weegee (In 2006 the Democrats took over Congress. 9% approval, $4gal gas, economy tanked. Had enuff CHANGE?!)
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To: GOP_Raider

Agitprop. Pure and simple. I can’t recall the last time I ever heard a newscast about a sedan hitting something or a Cooper mini. The make of the vehicle isn’t so important in those reports.


19 posted on 10/14/2008 4:02:39 PM PDT by weegee (In 2006 the Democrats took over Congress. 9% approval, $4gal gas, economy tanked. Had enuff CHANGE?!)
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To: SE Mom

I saw this attitude during base closure hearings several years ago. Anchors from two local stations sat in the press box and were constantly preening. The female anchor for the other station, she was locale and had friends at the base, sat among the observers and was taking notes.


20 posted on 10/14/2008 4:05:20 PM PDT by Peter Horry (Mount Up Everybody and Ride to the Sound of the Guns .. Pat Buchanan)
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