OKC Newscasts Pet Peve

[dismayed]

It really bugs me that some of the local newscasts, increasingly almost all of them, offer up commentary in the middle of a newscast. The Ogles are the worst about it. It's fine with me if there is a commentary section of the news, but I can't stand it when a reporter is reporting a story and interjects "oh that's just horrible," or "can you believe this guy..." type BS before and after reading the story. That's just unprofessional.

Also I agree about the TV talking heads all dressing too conservatively and their wacky hairstyles. I'd hate to see their hairspray bills.

[drumsncode]

Maybe this is a good place to put this.

Is anyone besides me unhappy with the partial-screen graphics during the weathercasts on NEWS9? I see this a lot on News9 First at Four. Gary is standing there taking up 30% of my screen on the left vertical side, his computer desk, keyboards, and mouse is taking up the bottom 30% of my screen horizontally.

That leaves me trying to read his multi-thousand-dollar big-screen, with lettering so tiny that you can't make out the wind-speeds or the town names.

I did find a quick solution during 5, 6 or 10pm:
Click....Hello Rick Mitchell, Mr. Full Screen Weatherman! Good to see ya.

[writerranger]

Mine....

1. Stories that aren't news by any standards other than the National Enquirer.

2. "LIVE!!!" location shots from the location of a crime 12 hours earlier. It can't be reported from the studio?

3. News "teases" from the newsroom during prime time that give NO news, but only promote the newscast, sometimes 2 hours away.

There are others, but those top my list.

------------------------

[drumsncode]

Mine....

1. Stories that aren't news by any standards other than the National Enquirer.

2. "LIVE!!!" location shots from the location of a crime 12 hours earlier. It can't be reported from the studio?

3. News "teases" from the newsroom during prime time that give NO news, but only promote the newscast, sometimes 2 hours away.

There are others, but those top my list.

------------------------

I like your list, especially #2 and #3.
Actually, I like slimey stories, if it takes away from all the crime, death, and destruction stories. I'll even take Anna Nicole over looking at a mug shot.

Your #3 is really a great point. I've seen that so often and it infuriates me.
I'd almost call it "bait and switch". If I tune in at 6pm, GIVE ME THE NEWS, and don't tell me to watch at Ten. If I wanted to watch at ten, I wouldn't have tuned in at Six!

[mranderson]

News9's opening where they do not give the last names of the on air personalities. There are people who have never seen these people and want to know who they are seeing. Not just "Kelly, Amy and Gary."

Reports that show the "waterworks." Give these people some respect. I do not like seeing people beaten down so far they are crying their eyes out on camera.

Redundancy. Sometimes they will repeat the same thing a dozen times in 90 seconds.

Obviously stupid remarks that are obvious.

Unneccessary patter. I could care less if the anchors lawn needs watering or their new baby loaded it's first diaper.

[TomGirl]

The one that got me was the "tease" about the tainted peanut butter! A mid afternoon tease stating " see why thousands of people may be getting sick, some peanut butter is being recalled and removed from store shelves.... watch at 5." Shouldn't this have been a little more urgent? Wouldn't it have been just as quick to flash the brand and numbers to look for on the bottom of the jar and a request to throw it away immedately and why, then say "get the FULL story at 5".

They've done the same thing with criminals on the loose and may be putting residents and drivers at risk. No area or profile discription of the person, you have to tune in to that channel at 5 for details.

[drumsncode]

TomGirl,

You make a great point. Imagine eating a peanut butter sandwich just before 5pm, and then seeing the story.

KFOR did an infuriating teaser to me once when they teased Brad Edward's replacement on the 6:30pm. They teased it so much, they could have TOLD me, but instead it was just "watch at ten". It made me so mad I deliberately did not watch.

Of course, the ultimate in tease is E.T. I think that show must only have 5 actual minutes of content. Watch it sometime if you can stand it, and see if you don't agree.

[NE Oasis]

[QUOTE=TomGirl;86369] A mid afternoon tease stating " see why thousands of people may be getting sick, some peanut butter is being recalled and removed from store shelves.... watch at 5.
They've done the same thing with criminals on the loose and may be putting residents and drivers at risk.QUOTE]
Not sure if it happened with the peanut butter event, but I've heard previous teases for the 10 PM newscast when I knew the answer because I'd read about it in the Oklahoman that morning!

[okieopus]

"Something in your home right now could kill you tonight...we will tell you what it is at ten"

the above didn't happen but I wouldnt be surprised. The best local newscast and the one with the least amount of spin and other crap is on OETA. It is wonderful, if you can stay awake.

[jbrown84]

"Something in your home right now could kill you tonight...we will tell you what it is at ten"

That actually is pretty close to what KFOR ran.

You have to remember that the news is not a service, it's a product. They have to get ratings so I can't blame them for running things like "See who Brad Edwards' replacement will be--tonight at 10" or something like that. Now if it is a criminal on the loose then they should be saying a bit more and possibly breaking into your regularly scheduled program. With the peanut butter thing, it's not as if you can't just tune to CNN real quick and find out.

[magicchord]

Hah!

"There's a place 6 feet under the ground where you go when you die! We'll tell you about it at 10!"

[allseeingeye]

Thinking we give a damn about Brittany Spears or Paris Hilton.

[revbrett]

Pretty much everything from the theme music (seriously -- news needs theme music?) to the closing credits.

[dismayed]

All of this makes me glad that I can get news off of the Internet, and that I can apply filters or subscribe to my selected RSS feeds as I see fit.

[gmwise]

Hello,
I am glad I'm not the only one finding local newscasts BORING, AND NON informative.
I tried to never let one source of news and information to be my only source.
I choose Channel 5 and Aaron Tuttle to get my weather information.
But local news is annoying makes me wished I can speed thru the "witty and insightful" dialogues of the NEWSREADERS.
Production Managers take note:" Less is more (as in less news personality and more information).
The recent peanut butter and pet food contaiments fills me with anger with these so called TEASERS, that is design to get viewers for a particular broadcasts,
instead of being in the public interests.
Remember these are using public airwaves to broadcast these important bits of information.
FCC should be advised of the lack of public interests, especially during relicensing time, make the marketing geniuses nervous.
Well boy that makes me feel better to "RANT".

[Angelicfly]

Since I moved here lil over a month ago I've been searching for the best news channel to watch. I LOVE watching the news bc like anyone I like to be Informed.

I'm finding Channel 5 to be the Least annoying so far. Channel 9, on the other hand, is the poorest excuse of a News show that I have EVER seen! I came from a small town, its not that Hard to impress me. I'm just happy there's News on but whoa. From 9's creepy Lurch-lookin dude to poor graphics---oh and lets not forget those nites that it just completely blacks out for 30-60 seconds at a time until they finally put one of those "technical difficulties" deals on the the screen... like, it seriously took you that long to realize that?

Plus the past few days with all the weather news and these guys just can't keep in synch with one another. What is that? If they badly lack the funds to purchase decent technology then just get off the air. I rather NOT be creeped out by Lurch.

Oh and don't get me started on some of the websites for these news channels. Screw that, if I'm going to have to go ONLINE for more information I may as well straight up Google that stuff and not worry about getting the right "channel blah blah oklahoma" news website.

On that note, I really miss Fox 4 out of Kansas City with Meteorologist (sp?) Don Harmon He always kept me safe and informed.

[kcsooner85]

Angelicfly, I'm right there with you about Fox4 in KC, I'm from the KC area, and that was the only news I would watch up there....Don was funny I thought.

As far as the news here in OKC, I usually watch Ch. 5 - the others annoy me. However, I watched Fox 25 the other night during their 9:00 newscast, and they are starting to do some really good things over there it looks like. I'm curious to see what their new morning show will be like (which starts April 9 according to their commercial I saw tonight).

[drumsncode]

Since I moved here lil over a month ago I've been searching for the best news channel to watch. I LOVE watching the news bc like anyone I like to be Informed.

I'm finding Channel 5 to be the Least annoying so far. Channel 9, on the other hand, is the poorest excuse of a News show that I have EVER seen! I came from a small town, its not that Hard to impress me. I'm just happy there's News on but whoa. From 9's creepy Lurch-lookin dude to poor graphics---oh and lets not forget those nites that it just completely blacks out for 30-60 seconds at a time until they finally put one of those "technical difficulties" deals on the the screen... like, it seriously took you that long to realize that?

Plus the past few days with all the weather news and these guys just can't keep in synch with one another. What is that? If they badly lack the funds to purchase decent technology then just get off the air. I rather NOT be creeped out by Lurch.

Oh and don't get me started on some of the websites for these news channels. Screw that, if I'm going to have to go ONLINE for more information I may as well straight up Google that stuff and not worry about getting the right "channel blah blah oklahoma" news website.

On that note, I really miss Fox 4 out of Kansas City with Meteorologist (sp?) Don Harmon He always kept me safe and informed.

Wow! You must have caught NEWS9 on a REALLY bad night! NEWS9 is the #1 CBS affiliate IN THE NATION and has won its 10pm sweeps every time for over a year! Their graphics are top-notch and they have one of the most sophisticated sets in the country, just installed in November 2006.

Their weather coverage has a dedicated weather producer, Carrie Rose, who is the girl you often see in the background wearing headphones.

Okay, I'll give you "Lurch" if you're not used to him, but he's a good guy too, from the respected Ogle dynasty. (I assume you're not referring to Amy McRee!) :-)

I do love KOCO, but I don't think I've ever read such a scathing appraisal of NEWS9 in my life. Maybe you should try and catch them a few more times. Give "Lurch" a chance! :-)

[PUGalicious]

I second that.

[allseeingeye]

NEWS9"s stories, content, and reporters are pathetic. Its, by far, the worst newscast on air. The problem is, the rest of the newscasts are just as bad. Surprisingly, Fox25 seems to be the only legitimate newscast in the metro and even they have their problems. I once saw channel 4 start their newscast with one of those IN YOUR CORNER stories about a guy being overcharged something like $10 on his phone bill. $10!!!!! That's pathetic. I'll never forget that as long as I live. Don't get me started on channel 5. Someone please tell their cameramen in the field to go to Wal-Mart and buy a damn tripod. I shoot home videos that are less shaky. During the weather the other night, they had one of their reporters LIVE on the phone near Shawnee and actually had a live picture of a PINE TREE that looked like it was internet video. Worst of all, it was a PINE TREE that was standing and had no damage. What the F@#$???? Fox25's stories are hit and miss. Some of them look really good and others look like S@#$!!! Finally, whoever dictates that reporters be LIVE in the field, when all they are doing is standing in front of a building, or better yet (in 5's case) you see the reporter and just black behind them, should be kicked in the balls. If there isn't something happening behind them that would call for them to be live, DON'T HAVE THEM LIVE. IT JUST LOOKS STUPID!!!!! A word of advice to whoever is running these newsrooms, why don't you put a little more effort into the stories and a little less effort into being the first on the air or being LIVE. You might actually get more of us to watch an entire newscast. I was in Denver recently and had the PRIVILEDGE of getting to watch a newscast by the NBC station there. Maybe the newsroom bosses in OKC should take a week long trip to Denver and just sit in their hotel rooms and watch that NBC station's newscast for a week. Then they'll see what a REAL newscast should look like.

As for weather, STOP INTERRUPTING PROGRAMMING UNLESS THERE IS AN ACTUAL TORNADO WARNING ISSUED. Just stream your radar live on your website like 5 does and let the rest of us enjoy our shows. Weather coverage in Oklahoma is very OVER THE TOP. With the recent bad weather we had I noticed something. Fox25 was the only one to cover the weather RIGHT. Their weather team broke in ONLY when a TORNADO WARNING was issued and they stayed on-air until it expired and then went right back to programming. That's the way it should be. Congradulations Fox25, you are now my official weather station. You told me what I needed to know, when I needed to know it and didn't take up unnecessary time. A year ago, I just laughed when I heard Fox25 News but you've proven to me that you're the only news team I can trust. Now if they'd just get some sports guys that had talent they'd have the complete package.

[NE Oasis]

Their weather coverage has a dedicated weather producer, Carrie Rose, who is the girl you often see in the background wearing headphones.

Okay, I'll give you "Lurch" if you're not used to him, but he's a good guy too, from the respected Ogle dynasty.

I prefer NEWS9 because I always try to support local ownership, and their "tease" tactics are no worse than the competition. Although you didn't use the tired term "weather girl" Carrie is more than just a producer, she is an official OU graduated meterologist! About "Lurch", I don't any of the Ogle boys are 1/2 the newscaster Dad was.

[drumsncode]

I prefer NEWS9 because I always try to support local ownership, and their "tease" tactics are no worse than the competition. Although you didn't use the tired term "weather girl" Carrie is more than just a producer, she is an official OU graduated meterologist! About "Lurch", I don't any of the Ogle boys are 1/2 the newscaster Dad was.

I was trying to use the term I think I read on NEWS9's own website, where they mentioned they were the ONLY station that had a "dedicated weather producer", something like that. Evidently, that's quite a big deal to them.

Believe me, I know Carrie Rose is a full-fledged "kick the men in the butt" meteorologist. I was attempting to heap extra compliments on her, not take away from her.

I've watched her do her own weathercast and she is outstanding. When Gary retires, it's going to get ugly as the men battle the women for that top job.

[Julesc2001]

lol. I watch the news twice a day, for comedy purposes.

I have a lot of things that crack me up...
- Why does KOCO feel the need to always go "Live" to reporters that are outside their building. Like a story about a car windshield, and then you see a reporter, in the parking lot, sitting in his car... SERIOUSLY? Or a story about a wild fire, and they are in the field across the street talking about the grass. It amazes me how they refuse to venture to the actual location of the incidents.

- In the other cities I've lived in, I've never noticed anchors who cant talk as much as I do here. Like Maggie Carlo, I cant watch the woman... she messes up every other line. So annoying....

- One thing I hate is the timing of the commericals. I know it doesnt have to do was news casts, but the station in general. I watch mostly ABC shows, and ABC news, so this is mostly about them... they do their little advertisements at every commercial break, and then they go back to the show and Meredith Grey is in mid sentence. The #1 rated ABC show, and they let their advertisements go into the show? That frustrates me, and happens with almost EVERY ABC show I watch. Is the commercial timing that difficult? Maybe I dont understand the dynamics, but then again... I've never noticed it in any other city I've lived in.

- I am on the hair style boat, I feel like I had a flash back to 1988 sometimes!

Okay, I could ramble all day. ha.

[Angelicfly]

Wow! You must have caught NEWS9 on a REALLY bad night! NEWS9 is the #1 CBS affiliate IN THE NATION and has won its 10pm sweeps every time for over a year! Their graphics are top-notch and they have one of the most sophisticated sets in the country, just installed in November 2006.

Perhaps I did catch that station on a bad or "off" nite. I get digital cable tomorrow and I won't have to watch the same 4 channels over and over... so now I can just avoid the ones I don't care for.

I have began watching 25 as well... not too shabby. Gotta say I still like 5 the best.

[Tim]

Not to be all snobby, but I've completely given up on local news. C-SPAN gives me straight up national and political info without the spin. NPR feeds my hippie soul and the Sun and the Oklahoman fill in the rest. Oh, and The Daily Show!!!