Oregon Media Insiders

This clip eloquently explains why I quit watching local news years ago. Well, except when I'm really sick and can't do anything else. Local news is anything but journalism. Entertainment, maybe, I guess.

This is what TV news has become in many markets, a place to fill time between the commercials. I will give KTLA somewhat of a pass as this was obviously from a morning or noon show, but still...

Notable, yes, only for the reaction of the guy in line who seems to have had enough of all the crap that passes for local journalism. Now that is classic. Almost as classic as the typical over-reaction of the anchors back at the desk who seem to be feigning shock and surprise that someone would react like the guy in line did. High School? Try Jr. High.

Couldn't agree more. News, in general, for the most part has gone to crap. Since when is the iPhone news? Or Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie's babies? Good God...this crap we accept as "news" is out of control. Networks and local affiliates alike really need to get a grip on just what journalism is. Sad thing is, they will never do it until we the consumers TELL THEM TO!

Seriously, I'm surprised they let the camera roll for that long...then I remembered it was KTLA.

What in fact is Pwned? Seriously I need to know. Everybody knows but me. I see it everywhere when I'm watching fight videos and skateboard ramp crashes.

is that as of now, none of the local TV news people who frequent this board are sticking up for their profession. Here we have folks claiming that this ridiculous KTLA clip proves that local TV news isn't worth watching. Of course that KTLA bozo is hardly representative of the work done by the better people in this, or any market, and yet the charge remains unchallenged that this crap is typical of what you see on local TV news. Really? That's not my experience, but I mainly watch KGW's "A" segments then hit NPR.

glory be.

When the guy with the glasses said, "This is journalism to you guys?" (Or something like that)... I died.

I still am giggling.

I love TV reporters who:

A. Think they are more hip than a certain group they are covering (e.g. star wars geeks, iPhone geeks, Civil War re-enactment people).

B. Do the stand up in front of a non-story and then try to act all hip about it. Drew Carey, I am looking at you.

I gave up on local TV news a year ago and haven't missed much. You can get everything off the web, pick what you want to see and you don't have to wait until the end of the newscast to see the dang weather. With streaming video, there's no reason to watch local TV news.

10 years ago. Seriously, there is rarely any real news on local TV. After you subtract the police news releases, which drive "news" portion of local coverage. sports and weather, what's left?

Before I quit watching altogether, I'd watch the first three to five minutes. Even that was a waste of time.

When something big happens, floods, super bad weather, a major disaster, sure, I'm there. But that's it.

...when we learn that "fresh" and "edgy" can mean "buffoon" and "jerk."

Anyone here, especially those in local tv news, ever watch "Making News Savannah" or "Making News Texas?" It's on the TV Guide Channel (episodes also available on YouTube). It's a behind-the-scenes look at life in a small-market tv news operation but much of what is shown is probably typical of larger markets as well.

The crime report is now the news along with government handouts. What is so strange is that public announcements are now paid announcements. It use to be part of the reason licenses were granted. Like #1 criteria was for public good, than doing public info bulletins, and commercial success was no concern of FCC. My how things have changed...money is #1 for being. So Sad. Just maybe TV news will go to the wayside as print has...hope so.

If it weren't for the demeaning, offensive attitude of the reporter. Since when was it a reporter's job to insult people who are just minding their own business without prior consent ahead of doing the live shot? Of course I'm not against the live shot or the hitting them up with a quick question on the spot without consent... but asking a question like that is just plain rude and mean.

Having worked in TV a few years, I'm not entirely convinced an iphone line up IS a story... but it is entertaining and can be fun.

But when it comes to insulting people, your viewers? Fire his ass.

This clip seems right on the money for virtually every local newscast in Portland. Drew Carney would be the poster boy for this kind of lame stupidity -- but I've seen this level of garbage on every channel.

...Drew and JoeV....how either 8 or 12 can air such daily drivel has me baffled. And the frosting on the cake is 8's weekend AM news, which recaps Drew's puerile antics the prior 5 days. Gramer really scrapes up the crap on Saturday and Sunday mornings....sends me heading to cable news or the Food Channel real fast.

And where is it written there be a daily "awwwwwwww!'.....animal story, ala Tracy B?

Gimme some NEWS! Cut the crap.

I'm a TV news guy and it was really, really an awful segment. Insulting, demeaning, and above all else---painful to watch.

We aren't defending the reporter because there is no defense. Even his later detraction was watered down by the blowhard male anchor.

are the shows staffed with journalists or entertainers? who is the "newsiest" in the morning? who has the best "real" reporters?

I won't defend KTLA's actions, but most likely it was inspired by stuff like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK5Nwob6AdQ

Sadly the KTLA video sheds light on the direction on how some news is brought to our homes. Living in a small market (Eugene) we tend to have the "up and comers" reporters. Here for a short time trying to move up. A few stay around but in general the young and inexperienced. The stories they bring are leaning towards the quick and easy and entertaining (tabliod style). I wish there where more of the investagative type of reporters or at least allow the reporter to dig the story out instead of talking to the special interest group that most likly sent them the news tip. News directors need to allow and mentor these people on how a news story is put together (if they know how a story is put together). If the stations don't wake up and understand why the only reason we watch "some" of the news is to catch the weather report they won't understand why their ratings will have a zero.

We don't need a diet of "sexy stories" we need a diet of "facts stories" without the stations managers opinion leading on how the story is run.

TV costs too much money, and stuff like KTLA is cheap. Make fun of someone standing on the street for a phone. Not cool. It's unfortunate that TV journalism has turned into all flair and no substance, but after all the "ratings" determine direction.... right? No thanks.

What's amazing to me is that there aren't more people taking journalists to task and saying, "that's a jackass question."

Perhaps they do but it's just not on a live shot.

Implicit in this clip is an arrogance held by many who work in TV. They believe that "normal people" will endure any kind of humiliation to appear on television. (Granted, the whole reality TV genre would seem to prove this, but they really don't pull from a cross section of the population... or I certainly hope they don't.)

Hats off to the iPhone fans for not playing along with this nonsense.