Making News – Texas Style Has Got Me Worried

A friend emailed me the ad you see on the left. It’s for a new reality program on the TV Guide Channel, “Making News – Texas Style”.

Yeah, it surprised me too. I thought they only ran character generated listings.

The ad scared me. Some people already look upon us TV types as shallow or trivial. This won’t help.

“Meet Jay, the station’s future anchorman and “Star of West Texas”; Bill, the longtime anchorman who worries about his recent demotion to reporter; Melissa, the reporter with a sense of humor, who’s out to prove she’s great at her job; Kara, the feisty young reporter who’s always up for a challenge; Tatum, the anchor and former Miss Texas who balances family and her career; and Jose, the news director pushing hard for his team to be #1. This news team will do anything to get their stories on the air and beat the competition.

That ad represents everything superficial TV news can be with none of the substance. I’m not saying we’re teaching college level courses on-the-air, but there really is more than pageant winners and cat fighting in the newsroom.

Actually, I can’t guarantee the ad’s copywriter saw the show, because “Making News – Texas Style” was a lot closer to this reserved blurb in a TV Guide press release.

4 thoughts on “Making News – Texas Style Has Got Me Worried”

  1. I just created a season pass on my DVR.

    This is going to be an freakin’ riot!

    Thanks for the heads up.

    Hope your foot is feeling better.

    You should try swimming… great workout, much easier on the body.

  2. I’m not surprized. If the Hilton debacle merits days of coverage, and we can’t find enough local CT stories for a half hour evening news program, then, with all due respect to you and the team, Geoff, it’s all a reality show. I now only watch TV news coverage to see the local weather, even if I can get it on line.

    Someday, maybe some ND will have the stones to make a local news show worthy of the name. I’ll be all over that if it happens.

  3. What passes for “compelling stories” in my current market, which is not a small market:

    Someone stole some flower bouquets from an apartment complex and they had it on video. PLEASE LET ___ POLICE KNOW IF YOU RECOGNIZE THIS WOMAN. IMMEDIATELY!

    Teased at 10pm and 10:30pm. Second story on the news, behind a murder and in front of Iraq.

    What the hey, Geoff? Was I spoiled being raised in front of the CT stations?

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