Posted on 11/04/2007 4:29:38 AM PST by BigAlPro
Is it just me or are we all getting pretty tired of FNCs abuse of Breaking News and News Alerts? It amazes me that you cant watch one days worth of programming on Americas fair and balanced network without being assaulted by these false overtures. The producers at the FNC must think we are the dumbest viewers in the history of television news.
The recent fires in Southern California provided almost every anchor on Fox with the opportunity to over-dramatize the events of the day. Ive never seen so many Breaking News reports on one story in my life. And it wasnt as if they were actually reporting on something that hadnt been covered all day long or even a significant change to what had already been reported. Everything was just breaking.
In order for news to be breaking, it is supposed to interrupt the regularly scheduled programming. That is why breaking news used to always be preceded with phrases like, We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this special report. Likewise, breaking news was always followed by the announcement, We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Hannity & Colmes are pretty much tied with Greta for being the worst when it comes to News Alerts. They flash that notice on the screen and start telling us all about some trivial story Shepard Smith broke six to seven hours earlier that same day. What is so alerting about a story that has been covered by every other anchor on your network?
When it comes to being overly dramatic, you cant help but love Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera. However, the top Drama Queen of them all has to be John Gibson.
How is it possible to open your show with Breaking News? How do you head into a commercial break by saying, When we come back, well have Breaking News on todays top story? How do you have breaking news in the beginning, middle and end of a news program? How is anything Brittney breaking? Do they not understand the simple concept of Breaking?
As if all this werent bad enough, the FNC has become the king of speculation TV. When your interview includes questions like, What do you think she meant by or What is going through his mind right now you are no longer reporting, you are speculating. What could a retired Jersey trooper possibly know about a carjacker in California? If hes not a psychic, hes just another spectator and his input is nothing but conjecture.
Now, I dont get CNN and I wouldnt watch MSNBC if you paid me. For all I know, they may be just as bad as my beloved Fox. However, if someone doesnt step up and do something about the over-dramatization of network news, I am going to have to turn off my TV and rely solely on the Internet for my daily news.
What is it going to take to bring some integrity to the cable news networks? Maybe we should get Bill OReilly to lead a boycott against all network news until they get their act together, quit speculating and stop abusing the once sacred Breaking News.
Well, right now, Peter Paul and his video are on Fox, being discussed.
Not a missing white chick or a lady anchor in sight.
No breaking news, either. Instead, Hillary’s attack machine and her teflon candidacy are being discussed.
Well, if you need a letter of recommendation I will be sure to write one.
:-)
“What’s up with the legs all the time?” AMEN! Plus cleavage, too. I switch the channel to CNN, CNN Headline News, even on ocasion, MSNBC. CNBC, too.
Yea. I remember one story early in the Afghan Campaign. It was just prior to the Northern Alliance stepping off towards Kabul. Fox News’ Steve Harrigan was reporting from Northern Alliance areas of Afghanistan. He was esconcsed in full body armor, complete with an overly large Kevlar ballistic helmet, to show he was “in the thick of it” I guess. A Northern Alliance fighter was standing in view, dressed simply in tribal clothing with his weapons. A mortar round lands nearby during the report. Harrigan is crouched behind a wall, starts to yell to parties unseen “Get down!” “Get down!” all the while the Northern Alliance guy is just standing there in the back ground, looks over at Harrigan when Harrigan starts to yell. This Afghan guy has this look on his face like “WTF? Who’s doing all that yelling and why?” It was a classic!
Shep went straight into emo-man mode during the Malibu fires coverage. I instantly turned him off. I snuck a peek at Anderson Cooper on CNN; surprisingly, he wasn’t crying. And one of the stations now has the Daily Brittany report. I instantly turned it off. Cable news is tabloid; I’ve known that for awhile. “Missing woman” stories passing for news. If you’re in the mood for news, it’s not on TV. It’s here on FR!
Folks do such a good job of posting and talking about the important news of the day here on FR, that I don't feel left out of the loop at all (at least as far as news goes).
You ought to try watching Dr. Isidore Rosenfeldt’s 20 minute segment on Fox on Sunday mornings 7:30AM Pacific time. This guy is an excellent source of medical news and advice. Yet every week, they continue to interrupt him with BS news alerts. I have emailed Fox about this and have never even gotten as much as a stock reply.
In my opinion, you can’t watch the major network news or CNN or MSNBC. Now, Fox has become almost unwatchable due to all of their BS News Alerts. Plus, several of their news readers are simply second class. Shep Smith is an annoying idiot.
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