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09-06-2006, 12:37 PM
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My contention is not so much with Couric as with the concept of evening network news. Lets be honest, very few people on network(or cable) news are thought provoking and story-breaking journalists. It seems as though the requirements are to be fairly attractive and well spoken, but it isn't required to have the cognitive ability to understand the stories you're reporting. I think most people who really pay attention to current events/politics/policy would agree that that the evening news is packaged for the masses.
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09-06-2006, 12:44 PM
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Ever met any of them?
You would be surprized.
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09-06-2006, 01:20 PM
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I've met a couple fox news guys and Anderson Cooper, but never any network people. Me saying they're not smart enough to understand the stories they report is most likely a stretch, but I still think its style over substance.
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09-06-2006, 10:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shinerbock
I've met a couple fox news guys and Anderson Cooper, but never any network people. Me saying they're not smart enough to understand the stories they report is most likely a stretch, but I still think its style over substance.
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Please remember that even with names like "managing editor," the anchors don't really format the shows.
Frankly, I think most (not all) of the cable net anchors are lightweights -- just readers. That's not been true of any of the major network anchors I've worked with. They are remarkably bright and well informed people.
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09-07-2006, 12:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeltAlum
Please remember that even with names like "managing editor," the anchors don't really format the shows.
Frankly, I think most (not all) of the cable net anchors are lightweights -- just readers. That's not been true of any of the major network anchors I've worked with. They are remarkably bright and well informed people.
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So they write the copy?
They do most of the fact checking and investigation on their own?
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09-07-2006, 01:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KSig RC
So they write the copy?
They do most of the fact checking and investigation on their own?
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I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Which "they, and what copy?"
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09-07-2006, 11:28 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeltAlum
I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Which "they, and what copy?"
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I think he means that the network news anchors write their own copy and do the fact-checking and investigation on their own. He's asking if that is the case (which I don't believe it is, aren't there writers and researchers who do all of that?).
My journalistic experience is in print, so I'm not much help in this thread. The only experience I have with the inner workings of news is at ESPN, where the SportsCenter anchors write most of their own copy and do a lot of their own research.
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09-07-2006, 11:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeltAlum
I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Which "they, and what copy?"
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ksigkid pretty much summed it up - I want to know the extent to which the network anchors do the work of a reporter.
How much journalism do they do on an average day?
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09-06-2006, 01:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeltAlum
Ever met any of them?
You would be surprized.
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I dare say you are right. But I think Shinerbock is on to something as well. Perhaps it's that network people rather than news people are ultimately in charge of the news show. Perhaps its that in this day of news anytime, trying to put the day's news in 20+ minutes just doesn't work as well, so while the people may be thought-provoking, the stories aren't. Perhaps it is the trend toward news as entertainment, although I think that is more prevalent in local TV news. Perhaps its just that I'm eating supper with my family and hearing about the day at school when the network news is on.
I grew up in a household that watched the local and national news religiously -- I can still see and hear the Huntley-Brinkley Report, and among my earliest memories are those of the reports from Vietnam, including the casualty count for the day.
But I truly can't remember the last time I watched network news -- it may well be 15 years. I get my news from a variety of sources, but network news is not one of them, nor is Katie Couric or any other anchor going to change that. I couldn't even tell you who the anchors at NBC or ABC are. Fairly or unfairly, my feeling is that network news is past its prime.
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Last edited by MysticCat; 09-06-2006 at 01:42 PM.
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09-07-2006, 11:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shinerbock
My contention is not so much with Couric as with the concept of evening network news. Lets be honest, very few people on network(or cable) news are thought provoking and story-breaking journalists. It seems as though the requirements are to be fairly attractive and well spoken, but it isn't required to have the cognitive ability to understand the stories you're reporting. I think most people who really pay attention to current events/politics/policy would agree that that the evening news is packaged for the masses.
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You're absolutely on the mark. In a major network, the anchors and reporters are referred to as "talent," for a reason. It's because they're paid to look nice and sound nice. Most of them never write anything. You'd be surprised how many don't even proof their copy, and just read what they're handed cold.
When they do a live, oncamera interview... they're handed extensive research and fed the questions.
There is a huge pool of writers, producers, and bookers who do everything for "the talent.". This is unlike local news where the reporters and anchors actually research, write and produce their own copy and field stories.
There's a saying among writers and producers in the networks.. "We paint the masterpiece and then hand the brush over to the anchor so they can sign it and take credit for it!"
But there are times when the anchor has to really earn his/her pay.. and that's during a breaking story such as the shuttle crash, Katrina, etc. That's when you see what they're really made of.
And.. in the major networks.. there is extensive research done in order to find out "what sells." Focus groups are conducted and consultants are brought in.
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09-22-2006, 12:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shinerbock
My contention is not so much with Couric as with the concept of evening network news. Lets be honest, very few people on network(or cable) news are thought provoking and story-breaking journalists. It seems as though the requirements are to be fairly attractive and well spoken, but it isn't required to have the cognitive ability to understand the stories you're reporting. I think most people who really pay attention to current events/politics/policy would agree that that the evening news is packaged for the masses.
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I miss the days when the evening network news was something to actually look forward to. The anchorpersons were respected and accomplished journalists and the stories were top notch. It wasn't about being cute, mainstream and flashy (although ratings always matter). If I wanted to see cute gibberish, I'd continue watching the morning news shows and the local news.
Yes...I am a dork who used to love watching the evening network news.
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