News Coverage...
For those of us not aware of the weather in Winnipeg, we got a pretty good dump of snow over the past 24 hours or so. According to the news I'm watching now, between 20 to 30 cm, but if you ask most people around here, we got something along the lines of 600 metres.
I don't mean it isn't a mjor impact, it is. Buses were stuck, cars all over the place, flights cancelled.
What I can't get over is the news coverage of this.
1st off - Why is it the weather coverage has to be done from the outdoors?
I'm watching the local news and for some reason, they find it necessary for a reporter to stnd on the street to introduce the weather coverage... and by the way - they only showed her face and the street lights behind her.
2nd - Are all TV viewers DUMB! They have a reporter, standing outside in the snow, giving advice of "What you need to do."
"If you have a child in school, check with your childs school to see they are open tomorrow."
"If you plan on flying, check with the airline before going to the airport." THIS AFTER THEY JUST INTERVIEWED PEOPLE STRANDED AT THE AIRPORT... News is to report what is happening. Not how to think for yourself. If they were reporting an announcement by schools or airport officials.. but they wee just puking up 'good sense'. (remind me to fill you in on the difference between good sense and common sense another time).
3rd - They introduce a report on cross border water stewardship with a shot of some dude running across the street and hurdling snow banks. "While Winnipegger's are battling winter weather, another political battle is brewing.." OOOHHHHH... the Drama... I'm Soooo riveted. Good thing they showed snow on the TV, otherwise they wouldn't have gotten my attention...
4th - Another newscast just had their weatherman tell people to wipe snow from the hood of their car before they start driving! And of course - he's standing outside and doing a 'practical demonstration' of how to wipe said snow from said car. Why are newscasts pandering to morons!!!!!
I don't currently have cable, but I remember having BBC news to watch when I did. It was awesome. They covered the whole world, far less audience pandering... except some of their correspondants adding their little bit of 'heart-string tugging'..... "and so as most people in London gather about the local pubs to dine, visit and remember friends lost in the tragic bombings... this child in Darfur is hoping to hide a small amount of food from the roving bands of bandits.." - That CAN really hit home. It DOES hit home, but I can also draw the conclusion myself.
We've got this awesome freedom of the press in this country (BTW - I'm in Canada), why do we wait for the news to entertain us before we pay attention? Pardon me if you consider this last remark cheesy, but I fear if we keep allowing our standards to slip, we'll soon be looking to Fox News, and People magazine as our 'trusted sources'
posted by Huma @ 18:02
3 Comments:
I'm here surfing the news after typing this rant of a POST - BTW - sorry if you were actually hoping for something a little less pissy. BUT YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!
An article about CSIS / RCMP being able to monitor internet use and phone calls, and it never made the TV news! I was watching kids being interviewed about snowmen while CBC was posting a web article about personal freedoms.
REGARDLESS of your feelings about the issue... isn't it more important to us than a kids opinion about snow?
But Huma - if you watched it on TV - doesn't that mean its true?
My 13 yr old recently heard about a segment on OLN (Outdoor Life Network) that badgers burrow into gopher holes to eat the gophers. She said with utter dismay - oh mom, where can you be safe if not in your hole? Was she referring to the intrussion by the badger or the camera crew? Now THAT is reality TV.
I feel like a sucker. I too saw that "demonstration" on CKY where the news guy swept the loose snow off the front of his car so it didn't blow and clog the vents. This morning I was totally doing it to my car just as he showed me. I think I had the "Jaws" theme song playing in my head as I tried desperately to clear the area around the vents...eeeeek.
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