Posted on 03/03/2005 4:00:35 AM PST by Forgiven_Sinner
Thursday, March 3, 2005 12:01 a.m. EST
Let's think more about how America gets the news.
The network news organizations and their old flagship shows, the evening news, are in flux: falling ratings, an aging demographic, competition from cable, a general loss of prestige, Rathergate. But it's foolish to think the network evening news shows don't matter anymore.
Dan Rather's show, which has long come in third in a three-way race, gets on an average night eight million viewers. Bill O'Reilly's show, No. 1 on cable, gets three million viewers on a great night. The networks continue to have greater penetration, higher numbers, bigger budgets. T
They're important; they aren't over, and they shouldn't be. Especially during a crisis--and we live in an age of crises--they have a crucial role to play. It is actually in the nation's interest that network news get better at gathering and telling the news.
Here, offered as a public service, are three suggestions for the owners of the networks. First, stop being mesmerized by Cronkiteism. Second, put your money in the field. Third, put down that copy of the New York Times.
Do these things and good results will follow, including higher ratings.
Last year NBC spent a ton (reportedly $10 million) to get a new anchorman, Brian Williams, to replace Tom Brokaw, who also cost a ton. Next week Dan Rather steps down from CBS, and those who run that network will be told to pay a ton to get a star.
Why do they do this? Because they're mesmerized by a myth--the corny and no longer relevant belief that the anchorman makes the evening news, that if he's popular it's popular. This is the myth of Cronkiteism. Decades ago . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
I lost a lot of respect for Peg when she trashed W's SOTU Address. Looks like she's having to eat a lot of her words now.
The point is, the real bias isn't the liberal lantr of the media, it's what they choose to cover, and what NOT to cover...
Nope Peggy......... CBS will be SeeBS for at least a decade. They buried their image for years. Good riddance!
Exactamundo!!!
They can't be bothered with breaking news.
Analysis of breaking world events is non existent.
Even the so called news that's fit to print is out of step with the nation's ability to access news on a timely basis rather than a day later.
The real problem is institutional bias.
But I think that IS her point -- what they choose to report is whatever is in the New York Times. If they don't, the boss gets a call from his boss "Why didn't you report on X, it was in the Times."
I wish they would find a way to get away from whay I would call the three-part soundbite news brief. 1) State what happened 2) Give one sentence of detail 3) give one sentence of carefully parsed "background" which is really spin/editorial comment. That model makes me want to brick the television. I'm sick of it.
Now, why is it that all these lawyers find it necessary to wear these old-timey Ward Churchill style hair-dos?
Why do they do this?
Because the network news programs are basically a form of show business and they are starting to operate like Hollywood -- that is, providing politically saturated entertainment?
CBS should have a DNR
"I lost a lot of respect for Peg when she trashed W's SOTU Address..."
I don't know anybody who gets home from work in time to catch the evening news.
Oh f'cryin'out loud, Peggy. They've already been flushed. Now just watch 'em go down the drain into the septic tank of history, where they belong.
That seems like a silly reason.
You sound just a little like Ward Churchill when he said that everyone working in the 'evil corporate Towers' were guilty and because of that they deserved to die.
Because Peggy worked for CBS is no reason to think less of her.
Already posted.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1354809/posts
Once Americans stop turning to the news 24/7 then news organizations will stop trying to turn it into news when a farmer plows his field and drives out a family of mice. We can remember what matters.
Shalom.
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