Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I have a real issue with TV new broadcasts. I hate to watch them as they struggle to justify the hours and hours of TV time they occupy.
Weekdays the news repeats every half hour from 4:00PM (or 5:00PM) through 6:00PM. It's the same broadcast repeated, sometimes with different talking heads.
Apparently, here in New England, the weather is super super important. We get a weather snippet in the first five minutes and another about five minutes after that, then a full-blown report about 15-17 minutes in, then a closing report at the end of the half hour.
If there is no blizzard, nor'easter, hurricane or other 'disaster', then the rain becomes a huge issue. If there's no rain, the temperature becomes the issue. The weather report is the same in the next newscast.
If there is a snowstorm, OMG, look out! Storm Center 4 or 5 or 7 kicks into gear. Jackets and ties come off, sweaters and boots go on and it around the clock snow storm news. It literally never stops.
Then there are the "on the scene reports". It's 11:00PM and a house fire was put out a couple of hours ago. Why, oh why is a reporter standing in the middle of the street in front of a dark house giving us a live report? How about the live report from outside the courthouse talking about what’s going on inside. Really? Can't you do that from the studio? Worst yet, if there is a hurricane, what is the benefit of sticking some poor schmuck out in the weather, getting blown around? Gotta create drama so people will tune in!
And when the news isn't on TV, there are ads for the news during commercial breaks teasing news reports. "Will the earth explode at midnight? Tune in at 11:00 to find out!"
All this artificial drama drives me crazy. I vote for four 15 minute reports each day. Given all the news outlets we have at our fingertips these days, do we really need any more than that?
Rant over. Film at 11:00PM.
Weekdays the news repeats every half hour from 4:00PM (or 5:00PM) through 6:00PM. It's the same broadcast repeated, sometimes with different talking heads.
Apparently, here in New England, the weather is super super important. We get a weather snippet in the first five minutes and another about five minutes after that, then a full-blown report about 15-17 minutes in, then a closing report at the end of the half hour.
If there is no blizzard, nor'easter, hurricane or other 'disaster', then the rain becomes a huge issue. If there's no rain, the temperature becomes the issue. The weather report is the same in the next newscast.
If there is a snowstorm, OMG, look out! Storm Center 4 or 5 or 7 kicks into gear. Jackets and ties come off, sweaters and boots go on and it around the clock snow storm news. It literally never stops.
Then there are the "on the scene reports". It's 11:00PM and a house fire was put out a couple of hours ago. Why, oh why is a reporter standing in the middle of the street in front of a dark house giving us a live report? How about the live report from outside the courthouse talking about what’s going on inside. Really? Can't you do that from the studio? Worst yet, if there is a hurricane, what is the benefit of sticking some poor schmuck out in the weather, getting blown around? Gotta create drama so people will tune in!
And when the news isn't on TV, there are ads for the news during commercial breaks teasing news reports. "Will the earth explode at midnight? Tune in at 11:00 to find out!"
All this artificial drama drives me crazy. I vote for four 15 minute reports each day. Given all the news outlets we have at our fingertips these days, do we really need any more than that?
Rant over. Film at 11:00PM.
Well, we need to interrupt the show you're watching to let you know a flake has been spotted in the air! I miss the old days, when you looked out the window and just knew to put your boots and gloves on...
