Why does our news media stink?

[AFCM]

If you've been on this site longer than a week, you'll notice that things are reported here before they ever hit the local morning paper or nightly news. I can cite many instances where I've seen a huge story here, only to see a BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!! banner accompanying the same report several days later. I would estimate our local media is behind this board by about two or three days. So, what gives?

[allseeingeye]

I would love for you to cite specific stories that stations did as breaking news that were on this board days in advance. Please let us know which stations did this too.

[OkieKAS]

AFCM ......either we have extrasensory perception or we just might be criminals......hahahahaha

But, you are RIGHT!

I think of it as we are just INtuned to everything that's IN..... with what goes on in and around us or else we wouldn't be here in the first place.

Perhaps we are intuned to the voices on here and not so much to the Media which has a bit too much fluff to it.

I, particulary, DETEST the media (tv) when they come on with their tidbits of a "late breaking story", that will be reported at 5:00....6:00.....or even 10:00 PM"....agghhhhh...... just tell it already and move on. The awaited item has already lost it's essence and all you have to do is go elsewhere for another source.

Or worse, the news item that will be reported on days in advance. More on the story......

We get so much media that it is not difficult to report it here in what appears to be first, as we have access to ALL the news from severalmany sources and not just one media source.

It is not entirely too difficult to even scan tv channels to pick up a news item that hasn't been reported by all our local media, yet.

In this lightening paced world a story is old long before it is presented as the media wishes it to be.

The internet already has a media blitz on everything out there. No media outlet has a 'first' any longer. By the time it takes 2 news anchors to report the story, I am already checking out their accessories........ hmmmm...nice earrings..... it would be nice if his tie matched her outfit, more pleasing to the eye.....hair's different.....too much gloss.....mispronounced a word......

I a b s o l u t e l y DETEST when they go from a sad story to the next with a GRIN.....get real, THAT was just somebody's loved one you just talked about. How about a small pause so that we can take it in.....appreciate the grief that family must feel.......CLICK! TV OFF!

How about when they talk about their personal lives? I didn't tune in to see the comedy show or the sitcom version of the news.......leave it at the door. If I wanted to know more about them, I would GOOGLE them........ or join OKCTALK!

Who actually gives a hoot who reports it first? Those in the media. No one can accept accolades for reporting it first, it is only up to the consumer on where they choose to receive their news items at.

We ALL know that if it is of dire importance.......we can catch it somewhere. We are quite intellectual enough to search for our own 'news' in which we
believe is important to us.

GOOGLE it! or catch it FIRST on OKCTALK!
LOL

[Midtowner]

I think the real trouble is that there isn't much of an emphasis in actual journalism taught in broadcasting school. Further, reporters wouldn't even be allowed to cover things which weren't approved of by the men with you never see who have big desks, suits, and have an advertising budget to look after.

The only investigative reporting we've seen in recent years has been little ticky tack stuff down at the Oklahoma County D.A.'s office. Compare that with Vince Orza, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Attorney General in the early 80's blowing the lid off of the Oklahoma Industry Authority -- a "public trust" run by a group of Oklahoma City businessmen including Eddie Gaylord which was essentially borrowing money on the state's dime and lining the pockets of Oklahoma City's elites (Robert S. Kerr, Dean McGee, etc.) Actually, funny enough, the members of said Trust can still be identified today with one of our very well known public works. The Oklahoma City Concourse was built using your tax money to provide underground tunnels connecting their buildings.. not part of the club? Tough. You got left out.

Could you imagine ANY of our TV stations allowing their reporters to talk about the malfeasance of the editor/owner of the Oklahoman or one of his buddies? No way.

The media in Oklahoma is literally in bed with the big money. Think back to when they were trying to add that 10-cent gas tax to provide a big boost to the highway/bridge contractors (some of the biggest crooks known to man). Remember how every single station and the newspapers were going on and on about our crumbling I-40? Parking their vans under the underpass to get video of a small piece of concrete falling off of the bridge? Remember that? Since that little episode, I pretty much swore off the local media as a viable news source. They are merely mouthpieces for the chamber of commerce crowd now. Very biased and not afraid to disperse disinformation/propaganda to benefit their owners.

Back to the training aspect, when I was at UCO pursuing my undergraduate degree, I had the honor of being an anchorman/reporter for UCO's national award winning college newscast which goes out on Edmond's Cox Channel 22 live at 5 (still does, 4 times per week). I imagine our newsroom conditions weren't much different from the major networks... we'd be given our assignments around 2PM, 3 hours later, we were expected to have our interviews done, our video edited, voiceovers, standups and all ready for the 5PM newscast... I'd sometimes be sitting in an editing bay at 4:57 putting the last touches on a package (a minute-30ish story with a voice over track) before dashing into the newsroom, plugging in my IFB and trying to hide the fact that I was out of breath when reading the opening remarks of the prompter.

3 hours, or even a day is just not enough to uncover public corruption, really do your homework/research, or discover the truth of anything. You can only give very surface-level reports which barely skim the surface of the subject matter. If you actually ARE going to report about public corruption or something of that nature, you damn well better have done your research, otherwise, you'll be sued. The smart reporter doesn't want to buck the status quo, so he/she just does reports on nothing-stories like con men scamming the elderly, a turd floating in the local pool, etc.

What's more, though I wasn't a broadcasting student, but I worked along side many. I don't think the University did a very good job in teaching research skills, investigative reporting techniques, etc... We did cover it, don't get me wrong.. I just don't remember much emphasis being placed on "good journalism." I remember a LOT of emphasis being placed on good editing techniques, good reading techniques on the prompter, etc.

I'm sure there are some pretty big differences between working in a college newsroom and working in a professional setting... I was my own photog (I did my standups by standing in front of my camera which I left on a tripod), I edited my own video, wrote my own scripts, chose my own stories, much of which doesn't happen in a professional newsroom where they have money to do those things

I worked alongside a lot of professional news teams covering things like Governors' victory parties, etc., and from that, I can tell you that the similarities probably outweighed the differences. Also, I see a lot of my colleagues from the UCO station on TV... so we were doing something right



The fifth estate, at least in this city is truly no more.

[dismayed]

I can't stand how reporters now days always ask, "how does that make you feel?" as the camera zooms in waiting for a tear to be shed.

Call me a cold person, but I don't care how you feel. Tell me what the person thinks. Give me some logic and reason. Report the facts to me. And cut the crap between the stories. Hearing Ogle 1, Ogle 2, or Ogle 3 offer up commentary on a story in between stories is what drove me away from watching local television in the first place.

[Midtowner]

Local news has shifted its focus from providing information to providing infotainment.

It's spiced up and dramaticized for your viewing pleasure. Their goal is to sell ads, not to inform you. Sometimes their focus is indoctrinating you as per the specifications of their advertisers.

You're going to have to rely on alternative media sources like OKCTalk to get your info

[PUGalicious]

What do you all think of News9's new over-produced, over-dramatic promotional spots? One is a weather promo that looks like it came out of the movie Twister and the other is a news promo that gives the appearance of real journalism happening.

[SoonerBorn1973]

What do you all think of News9's new over-produced, over-dramatic promotional spots? One is a weather promo that looks like it came out of the movie Twister and the other is a news promo that gives the appearance of real journalism happening.

I saw this for the first time this morning. It really gave me a good laugh. Believe me, the next time KWTV (or any other local news with the exception of OETA) leads their 6pm newscast with a budget story will be the first time. I think they're taking their new motto, "Making A Difference", a little too far.

[Dave Cook]

Excellent point about the promos.

One thing I've never really understood about local American newscasts is their insistance on constantly promoting themselves. It's the news. We're going to watch it.

Have you ever noticed a newscast in any other country with these silly commercials? Take, I don't know, the Japanese for example......they never advertise themselves. They just show the damned news.

The Ibaraki earthquake in 2005. Kenji Takamoto and TBS News were there first! With our state-of-the-art earthquake forcasting system. Hei!

The thought of it is ridiculous.

[jbrown84]

I can say that everything I learned in college (for Broadcast Journalism) flies in the face of the sensationalized infotainment that local news brings you, especially KFOR.

The problem is, when you get out, you may know better, but you have to do what the boss tells you...

[Misty]

THANK GOD I don't have cable. I watch the Simpsons and King of the Hill while the news is on then turn off the TV!

[Matt]

What do you all think of News9's new over-produced, over-dramatic promotional spots? One is a weather promo that looks like it came out of the movie Twister and the other is a news promo that gives the appearance of real journalism happening.

I love Channel 9, but I loathe those melodramatic ads of theirs. Awful, awful stuff.

[jbrown84]

I've only seen the weather one, and it didn't really bother me.

[drumsncode]

I've only seen the weather one, and it didn't really bother me.

Oh, are you in for a treat! You have only scratched the surface! Collect them all!

Here are the ones I've seen:

The Twister one: "The Calm During the Storm"

Amy tells us "It's not about how we look"

The Rosa Flores Budget one

Stacey Cameron speaking (among others)

Amy Lester speaking (among others)

[Centerback]

I'm not sure what investigative techniques journalists use, but in sales I certainly pursue leads that I find in industry publications, newspapers and business journals and leads groups or even websites like this one.

Why wouldn't it be logical that a reporter would see information (lead) on a website like this one and perform the due dilligence to check the source(s) and validate the information.

Information or "scoops" are posted (often) anonymously on a website by someone with undisclosed or insider information who wants to make other people aware of a situation but does not have another platform to tell their story.

I find that there are several seemingly credible sources that post new information on this website and it is picked up by local reporters. I also find that it works in reverse even more often.

[Matt]

I love Channel 9, but I loathe those melodramatic ads of theirs. Awful, awful stuff.

I don't know if anybody else saw it, but the Gary England/"Twister" spot actually made The Daily Show yesterday evening.

Should be repeating all day Friday if anyone wants to catch it.

Embarrassing stuff, I tell ya. . .

[PUGalicious]

Thanks for the heads-up... I usually DVR it and watch it the next day so I'll make sure to watch last night's show!

[Misty]

I don't have cable, what did they say about it?

[jbrown84]

"Listen to Gary England, OR YOUR CHILDREN WILL DIE!!!"


You must see this. He spends like 5 minutes of the show making fun of Gary England.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Not on youtube yet.

[PUGalicious]

"Listen to Gary England, OR YOUR CHILDREN WILL DIE!!!"


You must see this. He spends like 5 minutes of the show making fun of Gary England.

I just saw it. Absolutely hysterical. I agree with jbrown; it's a definite must see.

Not on youtube yet.

I doubt you'll see the Daily Show clip on YouTube. Viacom has been very aggressive in taking down copyrighted material.

You might be able to catch it on the Daily Show website, but it normally takes a couple of days for it to make it up.

You can catch it on Comedy Central today at 1pm and 7pm and they will likely repeat it Monday at 9am, 1pm and 7pm.

[barrettd]

It's on the Daily Show website:

Daily Show rips Gary England

I love the ad, but I'm kind of biased. My wife plays the terrified woman.

[drumsncode]

NEWS 9 First at Four actually aired the part of The Daily Show where the promo was being made fun of. It was very cool that they were willling to do that.

Gary England laughed it off, then defended it as a high-quality, accurate promo, properly suited to actual conditions here in Oklahoma.

Still, it's pretty funny when your promos are ridiculed at the national level. I'm not sure that's what the ad agency had in mind.

[jbrown84]

If you find it on youtube, you will see that the guys that made it have left a bunch of comments pretending to be random people praising it, but they use all these industry terms and it's really obvious.