Philosophy
The last couple of weeks have seen a pair of contrasting retirement announcements in the TV news world. On the one hand, there was Katie Couric, a journalistic lightweight who tried to seem more serious with pre-prepared gotcha questions. On the other hand is Jim Lehrer whose quiet gravitas was expressed through extended civil discussions that you cannot see anywhere else on television.
The twin retirements provide an interesting backdrop for a discussion of television news. With cable news programs catering to particular demographic slices of the population and more and more folks getting their news on-line or from the radio, is there a place still for the traditional news programs? They don't provide the in-depth reporting they once did. They do not have the journalistic edge they once did. They are businesses (with the exception, of course, of the no longer named McNeil/Lehrer NewsHour) that have to compete with 24-hour news channels. People don't eat dinner every night at 6 in front of the tv like they used to. Have the times made the network news obsolete or is there a future? Will it have to change? If so, how?
- Rip Daniel Schorr
One of my heroes has passed away. Daniel Schorr died in D.C. this weekend at 93. He was one of the Murrow Boys, working for CBS news from 1953. His gumption and intelligence allowed him to rise through the ranks until he became chief of the Moscow bureau...
- Other Reasons Newspapers Are Dying
The long-held discussion surrounding the slow decline of newspapers almost always points to reporting. Papers are cutting back on bureaus because they are not getting the readership levels which causes a decrease in the quality of reporting which causes...
- The Feast Of Saint Fred
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere, This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Fred. Fred Allen would be 113 years old. Best known for his radio programs in the 40s (many of which can be downloaded here), Fred Allen was a comedian...
- What Is News?
Since Lindsay Beyerstein from Majikthise gave the Richardson lecture earlier in the semester, one thing she said has really stuck with me. News, she said, is not what is true, but what is happening. For a story to get reported, it needs to be connected...
- A Metamorphosis For Pbs Is Needed
In the not too distant future I can envision changes at PBS. Changes are needed for the playing field has changed considerably. "Turn PBS Into BBC One" by Alyssa Rosenberg July 3rd, 2010 The Atlantic It says a lot about the Public Broadcasting Service...
Philosophy
The Future of TV News
The last couple of weeks have seen a pair of contrasting retirement announcements in the TV news world. On the one hand, there was Katie Couric, a journalistic lightweight who tried to seem more serious with pre-prepared gotcha questions. On the other hand is Jim Lehrer whose quiet gravitas was expressed through extended civil discussions that you cannot see anywhere else on television.
The twin retirements provide an interesting backdrop for a discussion of television news. With cable news programs catering to particular demographic slices of the population and more and more folks getting their news on-line or from the radio, is there a place still for the traditional news programs? They don't provide the in-depth reporting they once did. They do not have the journalistic edge they once did. They are businesses (with the exception, of course, of the no longer named McNeil/Lehrer NewsHour) that have to compete with 24-hour news channels. People don't eat dinner every night at 6 in front of the tv like they used to. Have the times made the network news obsolete or is there a future? Will it have to change? If so, how?
- Rip Daniel Schorr
One of my heroes has passed away. Daniel Schorr died in D.C. this weekend at 93. He was one of the Murrow Boys, working for CBS news from 1953. His gumption and intelligence allowed him to rise through the ranks until he became chief of the Moscow bureau...
- Other Reasons Newspapers Are Dying
The long-held discussion surrounding the slow decline of newspapers almost always points to reporting. Papers are cutting back on bureaus because they are not getting the readership levels which causes a decrease in the quality of reporting which causes...
- The Feast Of Saint Fred
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere, This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Fred. Fred Allen would be 113 years old. Best known for his radio programs in the 40s (many of which can be downloaded here), Fred Allen was a comedian...
- What Is News?
Since Lindsay Beyerstein from Majikthise gave the Richardson lecture earlier in the semester, one thing she said has really stuck with me. News, she said, is not what is true, but what is happening. For a story to get reported, it needs to be connected...
- A Metamorphosis For Pbs Is Needed
In the not too distant future I can envision changes at PBS. Changes are needed for the playing field has changed considerably. "Turn PBS Into BBC One" by Alyssa Rosenberg July 3rd, 2010 The Atlantic It says a lot about the Public Broadcasting Service...