Raw, but c*nsored blabbing and blogging of a young journalista
and local news producer in Southern New England.
email topstorylive % at # gmail + dot = com

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Trouble at the BBC

FT.com / World - BBC strike disrupts output: Major flagship programs (or programmes) have had to be canceled (cancelled) because of more than 10,000 TV'ers walking off the job. Did you KNOW ten thousand people worked at the BBC? Perhaps it's not just at Television Centre but all over the UK, at outlying regional stations/channels.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/24/2005 01:23:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Patrick at 27

Sorry if I lured you in and you were expecting to see something sooner. I got distracted today.

Last night my friend Patrick turned 27. He was determined to go out and get sh*tfaced, so Joel and I took him downtown.

At Mirabar we got up to a dash of the usual rough-housing. About 10:30 PM we determined that even though it was a Tuesday night we weren't interested in waiting around for more people to show up. This was after two drinks each.

The brand new 27-year-old was working on the cutest little "single tuft of hair just perfectly out of place" while sucking down Belvedere martinis with a twist (the rind of the lemon, as opposed to the full slice of lemon). I was boring, starting with Bacardi Limon and Coke -- which was 95% Bacardi Limon -- and moving on to twin White Russians with Joel.

We were at least midway through the second glasses of water that we were pacing ourselves with -- 10ish -- when a very young man sidled up to the bar next to Patrick and needed change of some sort. It seemed strange but whatever.

We three drooled. Who is that? I wondered (indirect quote because I can't quite remember what I said).

Whoever it is, he's twelve, figured Patrick (indirect quote).

I'm sure that for our purposes he was actually a gangling boi of nineteen, skinny as anything, and wearing -- this is classic -- blue camouflage military pants. Killer!

This boi then proceeded to bring out a pair of raver glowsticks and dance with them -- as he had the entire Mirabar dance floor to himself, and some guy who was kind of standing next to him.

Tipsiness (tipsyness?) led me to do something I've been thinking about for a while. Joel popped for the drinks. I grabbed the pen after he was done signing the credit slip.

YOU ARE ABOUT
TO BE BLOGGED.
READ topstorylive.blogspot.com TOMORROW
FOR THE STORY.

I scribbled this across the back of one of my famous TopStoryLive business cards as Patrick rubbernecked over my shoulder.

When I walked over to this young man who had, lucky for me, momentarily halted his glow-stick twirling, I pressed it into his hand and walked back... to gales of laughter from Patrick.

So what? Hope I didn't put you on the spot too much, whomever you are. I don't know your name, and you probably will never truly be connected with this entry unless you want to be.

Let me know -- either thru topstorylive at yahoo dot com or a comment -- if you would prefer to be off the Net.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/18/2005 06:36:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Print Across The Sky

FATAL SHOOTING ON LIVE TELEVISION SPURS TV NEWS DEBATE

"If it bleeds, it leads,' didn't just fall from the sky...

"It's well-known that mayhem attracts our attention... Ever since the possibility of O.J. Simpson blowing his brains out while we all watched him in the Bronco, we have known the power of that stuff to get ratings."

--Marty Kaplan, USC Annenberg School of Communication, as quoted in the LA Times, May 12, 2005

LISTEN, I WATCH YOUR NEWS ALL THE TIME.

Thank you. I'm sure you do. What can I do for you?

WHY DO YOU COVER CRIME SO HEAVILY? WHO CARES ABOUT SOME IDIOT WHO GOT SHOT?

Because, believe it or not, you want us to.

NO I DON'T!

Well, actually, we have consultants who do surveys and polling, and they asked a lot of people in our area what they think about what's important to them, and how we're doing on various things. And a lot of people say we're doing okay. But we can always get better.

And as a matter of fact, the surveys say we're doing some things better than the other guys.

WHO ARE THESE "CONSULTANTS"?

A company called Frank Magid and Associates is one of the biggest. I think there's also a company out there called Crawford, Johnson & Northcott.

Like in any industry, consultants are experienced in the field. They come in and look at what we're doing right and what we're doing wrong and give us pointers. But they also ask viewers what they think.

WELL, NOBODY EVER ASKED ME. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE "REAL" NEWS?

What do you mean the "REAL" news?

Everything we put on the air is news. At least, it's news to someone.

THE REAL NEWS... I DON'T KNOW... UM... BUT NOT ALL THESE CAR CHASES AND SHOOTINGS AND....

Let me tell you something. In a strictly very few cases, there are very few checks and balances between the concept of a story and the television viewer at home. But ninety-eight percent of the time, there are several checks and balances from story concept to air. Several people looked at the story you are complaining about before it got to air. All of them considered it, and when they asked themselves the question, "Does a viewer care about this? Is this a valid concern of whether my family, my world, is safe?" every single one of them answered yes.

Journalism and news is like art. It's subjective; "I don't know art, but I know what I like." We have a lot of things to consider every single day in terms of things that are going on in our areas. Some we like because we know you -- that is, MOST of all you viewers -- will like them. Some we're not too hot on because we don't think you -- that is, MOST of all you viewers -- will be interested.

Broadcasting must have mass appeal.

When you see that story about that guy getting shot, don't you have a little curiosity about it?

The real curiosity factor is... YOU'VE never been shot. Wouldn't you HATE to get shot by a gun?

Of course you would.

And aren't you HAPPY you've never been shot?

Of course you are.

Now consider this next question very carefully. Would you LIKE to shoot someone?

Haven't you ever thought about it? I don't care if you're a card-carrying member of the NRA or you've never even seen a gun up close in your life. You might like the power that comes with it.

That, my dear, is why we have so much crime. You are fascinated by it.

WHY DON'T YOU PUT (story) ON THE AIR?

I'll have to refer it to the assignment desk and we'll see what we can do. May I have your name and number in case they want to contact you further about it?

BUT THERE ARE ALL THESE AWFUL THINGS GOING ON THAT YOU PEOPLE TOTALLY IGNORE. THERE'S THIS GOING ON IN IRAQ, AND THAT GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, AND THE OTHER GOING ON IN HOLLYWOOD, AND SO ON. WHY CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?

We primarily cover local stories. We get information from video feed services and wire services about national and international and regional stories, but local is our bread and butter.

The other thing is, we are just journalists. We take the picture of the car accident; we don't lobby for better cars.

We just tell YOU what's going on. It's your job to speak out against it and do something about it.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL YOUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS?

Our stories spotlight problems and questions as well as answers. But we don't put every one of them into practice. Consider everything you see on our air a suggestion, or a single case under the microscope.

You must not take our word as gospel. We check out tips we get and make sure they're confirmed... but if there's something you're really concerned about, you should find out more about it on your own.

And if you find other people concerned about it, then mobilize your community. And THAT will be news to us.

YOU BROADCAST SOMETHING WRONG.

What was it?

(States claim.)

Let me find what the script said. If the script was in fact wrong, I don't know how that happened. I'll see what I can do to make sure it gets corrected for the next newscast.

WHY DON'T YOU PEOPLE EVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT? YOU'RE THE FUCKING NEWS FOR FUCKSAKE!

Listen, you. First of all, there is NO need to use that kind of language.

Let me ask you a question. What do you do for a living?

WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?

Humor me here for a second. What do you do for a living?

I'M A MACHINIST FOR XYZ CAR COMPANY. I ASSEMBLE CARS.

Have you ever made a MISTAKE assembling your cars? Has your car company ever had to issue a RECALL stating that something in the design needs to be corrected?

WELL... THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE HERE...

It's the same thing. Television news is just as much of an industry as making cars is.

NO IT ISN'T! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDING A PUBLIC SERVICE! YOU'RE A TELEVISION STATION!

But we also have to make money. And if you can't accept that I don't know what else to tell you.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MAKING MONEY?

You make a car as fast as you can and as cheaply as you can and as attractively as you can and charge the most profit you can. We do the same thing.

Listen, the bottom line is this. You have a choice of many news sources, from the newspaper to several television stations to cable and the Internet. We present you with the product; you can watch or change the channel. That's it.

Beyond that you can write a letter. If we get a million letters maybe we'll change something.

ALL THE NEWS STATIONS IN TOWN ARE LIKE THIS. IT'S DISGRACEFUL.

Well, if everyone is like this, what do you expect me to do about it?

WHY CAN'T YOU SET A PRECEDENT? DO BETTER?

I'm not sure you understand how this works. We have people watching us who are just fine with our product. Furthermore, we are working every single day to get more people to watch. I guess I don't understand why you don't grasp the concept that this is the way it is.

WELL, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT (anchor) THAT YOU'VE GOT ON THERE?

I know. She's a character. Many people like her.

WHY CAN'T YOU HIRE PEOPLE FROM AROUND HERE, WHO KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE THINGS, INSTEAD OF GETTING THESE IDIOTS FROM OUT OF STATE WHO BLOW INTO TOWN FOR A FEW MONTHS AND DON'T KNOW SHIT?

Frankly, sir, your answer doesn't deserve an answer because it is so uninformed.

You have no idea how the local television industry works. And it is insulting.

The fact of the matter is that to get started on the air you have to go somewhere very small. You don't get paid terribly well. But it's like a farm team. You get your chops in a tiny town.

Then, you move up in markets. A lot of people move all around the country in this industry. Some people are fortunate enough to get experience in the town they grew up in, and can continue to work there as long as they like.

But many of us prefer to find bigger cities, and bigger paychecks.

The other thing is, every single man-and-woman-Jack of us is overworked, from the biggest boss on down. We all have to pull our own weight, and then some, and then some more, and then more and more and more and more.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Oregon.

OR-UH-GONE? WHY DON'T YOU GO WORK BACK THERE?

I will as soon as you return to your roots in England. Or Scotland. Or wherever it is your ancestors came from. IN EUROPE.

WHEN IS (program) GOING TO BE ON?

I suppose I could look it up on our web site. But to tell you the truth, I don't know. Our programming is subject to change. Besides, I'm in the news department, not programming.

CAN YOU LOOK IT UP ON THE INTERNET PLEASE?

I'm kind of busy right now, sir.

MAYBE YOU CAN FIND SOMETHING ELSE FOR ME. CAN YOU LOOK UP (something rather complex)?

As I said, I'm kind of busy right now, sir; you might try calling your local library.

THEY'RE CLOSED.

So call tomorrow.

DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER?

As a matter of fact I don't.

ARE YOU TELLING ME NONE OF YOU PEOPLE IN THAT NEWS STATION HAS A PHONE BOOK?

Well, to tell you the truth, sir, you should just call information.

THAT COSTS MONEY.

That's not my problem. I'm not here to look up a number or other information for you. I'm here to take your story idea.

BUT YOU PEOPLE ARE THE NEWS. YOU KNOW EVERYTHING.

Well, we really don't know everything. But even if we did, so what?

SO WHY CAN'T YOU LOOK IT UP FOR ME ON THE INTERNET?

Because it's not my job. This is a news story tip line. You call us with ideas for stories. I can put you through to the weather line if you want a weather report but that's it. Beyond that you'll have to watch the news.

BUT YOU PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A PUBLIC SERVICE.

Of broadcasting television programs. That's all.

ARE YOU WATCHING (program) THAT'S ON RIGHT NOW?

I'm in the news department, sir. I'm working on tonight's newscast.

HOW DARE YOU PUT ON SOMETHING SO DESPICABLE?

Well, the program you're talking about comes from one of our networks. In some cases, our programs come from other distributors. Other shows are outright paid programming, like infomercials and The 700 Club; in other words, like an advertiser, someone has paid us for that block of time.

Would you like me to put you through to the programming department?

NO! I WANT YOU TO MAKE A CHANGE RIGHT NOW! PUT ON (the show I prefer).

Listen, sir, you're not the only one watching this program. I'm sorry you don't like what's on right now but you are over-ruled by the other viewers who like it fine... not to mention our programming department and station executives... as well as the network executives who chose this program.

I am merely a producer and I cannot change this. What's more, I'm in the news department, and I have no power over the programming that is not locally produced. And the power I have over the news shows that ARE locally produced is limited.

YOU'RE THE CHILD OF THE DEVIL! YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL EVIL! YOU'RE ANTI-CATHOLIC! YOU'RE USELESS! NOBODY CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY! I HOPE YOU DIE!

Is there anything else I can do for you?

YEAH, I WANT TO REPORT A NEWS STORY.

Okay, what's going on?

THERE'S THIS GUY IN MY YARD AND HE'S TAKING A SHIT ON THE LAWN. YOU SHOULD COME DOWN AND PUT IT ON TV.

Have you called the police?

NO, THERE'S NO TIME. ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT... I HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM... THERE'S A CRACK IN MY ASS! COME DOWN QUICK! HELLLLP!

All right. Where should I have the police come visit you and investigate these harrassing phone calls?

(click)

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/13/2005 04:12:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Eat up, you're stuck in-flight

Some quick notes:

The Eugene (yes, Oregon) Register-Guard: Airlines say fliers eating up snack boxes: If you like bright yellow tortilla chips dipped in tiny dishes of Tito's Cantina Salsa made in Seekonk, Massachusetts, you'll like them even better when you're shoved between two other people for 4 hours with no air. Yes, it's airline snack time. Unless you buy-on-board. I mean, we accept credit cards. C'mon! It's AU BON PAIN for christ's sake!

Newsday cribs The Baltimore Sun to dish the latest radio station to license "Jack" from Vancouver.

Latest on Netflix: Bubba Ho-Tep. 5 stars; this is the first film in a long time to give me temporary apoplexy. The King of Rock and Roll vs. The King Of The Dead? Can't go wrong with that.

Currently looking at his mushrooming netspace: Waymorefunner, which is destined for the blogroll alohng with sheilaomalley.com and dooce.com. NOTE: I have not been DOOCED yet.

Farewell to Topic A with Tina Brown though I've never seen it.

Still haven't checked out BCBEAT.com.

I've got to start tracking a) Maria Menounos news and b) Maria Menounos news coverage because I was part of the many lucky folks who went to college with her. I've also got to get her Woody Woodpecker laugh as a sound on my computer. Off the top of my head:
--Channel One
--Entertainment Tonight
--"One Tree Hill"
--Pantene Smoothing Comb-In Treatment commercials
--Pet Star on Animal Planet
--..."Some movie that is coming out soon," Alicia, is "Fantastic Four." Hold on to your butts!
....Of course it would make more sense to just link to her IMDB listing. (Type in her name misspelled and her primary listing is "Actress, Entertainment Tonight.")
....ANNNNND she is also co-EPing a movie that features DAVID HARARI and JOHN STEPHENSON on the IMDB crew list. Props!

So apparently one of my favorite actresses who's just as temperamental as the rest of us bitches, Felicity Huffman, is playing a pre-op MTF in Transamerica. And yet the movie's crux/thesis/plot is not integrally about the gender-change operation. Killer. ....Wait, the movie doesn't even have a distributor??????????? No. Relax. It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival; it is getting limited release to theatres in October of this year.

If "any kid with a modem can get a press pass" to the House and Senate, maybe I should get my butt down there just for kicks. (Marianne Means, Hearst syndicated DC columnist, via Seattle P-I)

78 journos died in 2004.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/11/2005 03:30:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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On Loc: Mirabar

The guy who is not Stuart Scott on ESPNEWS, can't you see my dilated pupils, my extremely careful steps?

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/08/2005 01:40:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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On Loc: Mirabar

"I only want to be with you"... Maybe Maine St. will be this crowded next month.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/08/2005 01:32:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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On Loc: Mirabar

I'm kinda bored so I'm blogging. But I do realize getting QWERTY could end 1-handed moblogging.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/08/2005 01:04:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Gay men's sperm is DIRTY

Courtesy Fark and KVOA-TV: FDA set to implement new rules rejecting gay men as anonymous sperm donors: "A new rule is in the works that would bar gay men from serving serving as anonymous sperm donors.
It would apply to any man who has engaged in homosexual sex in the previous five years.

The Food and Drug Administration is rejecting calls to scrap the provision, saying that such men collectively pose a higher-than-average risk of carrying the AIDS virus.

Critics claim the F-D-A is stigmatizing all homosexual men, when it should instead be adopting a screening process that focuses on high-risk sexual behavior by any would-be donor."

See, I could accept not being able to give blood; but I guess I'm just going to have to LIE the next time I go to the sperm bank and they say, "By golly, you're just the man we're looking for!....Erm, you've never been a fudgepacker, right?"

(And by the way, whoever wrote that story: "Rejecting calls to scrap the provision" is hard to understand on a web page, let alone over the air from a news anchor. How about "refusing demands to throw out"?)

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/07/2005 02:14:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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Ready - Set - Drop your pants

The Oklahoma Daily's Jonathan Hall: "'when large groups of people parade around in public without their pants, amazing things are bound to happen.'"

Yes, we missed it, but who's to say it won't happen again next year?

(No, not THAT Jonathan Hall)

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/07/2005 01:54:00 PM ... Email this entry ...
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I'm getting very disappointed in your job performance, Margaret

USATODAY.com: "'Buster' flap gets huge response in favor of pulling show; Same-sex episode draws 200,000 letters" in favor of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings' boneheaded complaint about a children's TV show featuring a family containing two lesbians.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/06/2005 02:43:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Grrrrrr from Attleboro

The Sun Chronicle's Larry Kessler: "Here's a memo to U.S. Secre tary of Education Margaret Spellings, whose criticism of a children's program, `` Postcards From Buster,'' led to a decision by PBS not to distribute an episode where Buster visits a family in Vermont with two mothers: Grow up!"

I was probably working the day that know-nothing Margaret Spellings was in Cranston talking with the mayor. If I'd had the cojones and the time and wherewithal maybe I could have thrown myself at her feet and said "Go ahead! Tread on me, bitch!"

Or at least spit on her.

But then somebody with a video camera on scene would have gotten it all over the country and I'd be thrown away as a wacko political activist.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/03/2005 02:05:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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"Oooooooooo I just love The Plaza"

Newsday.com: Plaza ready to dim the lights: "The storied Plaza Hotel close[d Saturday] - the first time in its 98 years - for a controversial 18-month renovation and condo conversion."

For many little boys and girls, Eloise was one introduction to New York City, and The Plaza Hotel. Will it ever be the same?

Another thing I missed recently by not living in New York (the first being THE GATES). Of course I haven't had my Regis and Kelly fixes by being at home at 9:00 in the morning (thanks to WHDH and rabbit ears), so I haven't heard them talking about it. Tch, tch, tch.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/03/2005 01:53:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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Locally-originating programming rocks!

Melanie McFarland: Seattle TV stations are finding that the season is ripe for localized shows

Hey, if you've got the name Cashman in Seattle, don't be surprised if you get media people looking at you funny.

Labels: Originally published

... Scribbled by Bill T ... 5/03/2005 01:43:00 AM ... Email this entry ...
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