Oprah takes on “truth in America”
Stephen Warley October 12th, 2006
A friend called me today to tell me to watch Oprah because she was discussing “truth in America”. She was interviewing Frank Rich of The New York Times about his new book “The Greatest Story Ever Sold”. It was a very well done town hall discussion about getting Americans to think more critically about the information they consume. Then the ABC affiliate in Boston delivered a perfectly timed example of “infotainment news” by breaking in with a live FAA press conference in New York about the Cory Lidle plane crash. Yes, it was a horrible tragedy. No, it’s not breaking news. It’s not even a local Boston story! If only Oprah and Frank could have commented on it! Didn’t anyone in the newsroom check out the topic today on Oprah? This is one episode of Oprah every journalist should watch.
17 Comments Add your own
1. Archana | October 12th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
I thought it was an outstanding episode of Oprah too - too bad she anticipates such hate mail! I thought it was balanced and respectful. Good for her for getting America to talk and think critically…
2. Anonymous | October 13th, 2006 at 7:41 am
Everyone knows that in the Boston local news market, anything and everything is “breaking news.
3. anonymous | October 13th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
You have a very wise friend!!
4. Dan | October 13th, 2006 at 6:49 pm
The thing that’s depressing about the state of local broadcast stations today is, That Oprah Show (which I watched today on my TIVO) is exactly the type of thing
local stations could be doing nationwide. It’s so sad.
Democracy will be strained to the breaking point if
all our politics become national, simply because
local media outlets don’t understand the craving
citizens have for hashing out what needs to be
focused on and accomplished on a local level,
and of course nationally too. But we already know
the national media (networks) are not going to do
anything more than the horse race…. not issue discussion. )
Oh well… it’s not like I own a station and can
do something about it.
The thing is, if local stations did programs that
did a similar thing as Oprah, they could sell the shit
out of it. But they just don’t see it anymore.
Dan
5. Rick Ellis | October 14th, 2006 at 4:59 am
Let me take a slightly contrarian view.
I agree that live coverage of the Liddle crash–at least in Boston–might be overkill. But is argueably a story that deserves at least a break-in locally. A Yankees player flies (or his instructor flies) his small plane into a NYC high-rise. I’m sorry, that fits the definition of an important local story. At least on the East Coast.
I think carrying the FAA press conference live isn’t necessary. But it’s the perfect thing to stream live on your web site, with an on-air crawl pushing people to the web.
6. Steve | October 15th, 2006 at 9:38 am
This is the same woman who helped shill for Pontiac in that big car giveaway a year or two ago? Talk about being more critical of what you consume.
7. PAM | October 16th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Hello…are all your memories so short. The story was breaking news because of flash back of 911 which, should have been on everyone’s mine the minute it was reported. So what was the media to do then down play because it wasn’t a terrorist attack. Because of the story new rules have been implemented regarding air space over the area which, should have been done 9/12/2001
8. Hart | October 17th, 2006 at 4:16 am
Yes, a plane flying into a New York City building is national breaking news.
It’s easy to be cynical and burned out on “breaking news” flashes, banners and crawlers, especially on cable news. But when the wires send alerts about a small plane crashing into a New York City building, you simply are not doing your job as a national news editor or producer if you don’t crank up your coverage.
Remember that, five years ago, we all thought the first plane to strike the twin towers was a small plane. There’s an emotional history we all carry forward, not only as editors but as citizens, about these kinds of things. In this case, it was “oh no, not again.”
As the afternoon unfolded, it became clear that the crash was an accident. And then it became clear that the plane belonged to a pitcher for the New York Yankees, and he was dead. The tenor of the story changed, from one of relief that the crash wasn’t linked to terrorism to curiosity about what happened to Cory Lidle.
Carrying that newser live, or streaming it, was a perfectly logical and understandable decision.
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