Comments on: What’s your holiday news present wish list?

By: Chris Rooney

Chris Rooney — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 18:11:52 +0000

To never again hear snow referred to as “the white stuff” or to hear another Britney Spears story that begins with “Oops, she did it again…”

By: Alan A. Reiter

Alan A. Reiter — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 10:03:19 +0000

A big “ditto” to everyone who wants more foreign news. I’d love to get (and even, gasp, pay for) a package of news channels such as CNN Europe, CNN Asia, BBC World News, Al Jazeera (English), France 24, etc.

Whether it’s available on cable, as a streaming Web service or even on a cellular phone, I want it!

And, I’d love to see newscasts that have ** daily ** segments on important topics — science/technology, health, economics — rather than the daily reports by cliche-infected sports reporters.

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 15:47:41 +0000

Nancy Grace’s head in a box next to Bill O’Reilley’s. They both shout and accuse more than inform.

To never see another “Why washing your hands can be dangerous! Tonight at 11!” sweeps promo again. (Yes, I really did see a promo very similar to that last year in Boston).

And a partidge in a pear tree.

By: Mike Escutia

Mike Escutia — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 06:07:06 +0000

BBC World would be nice.

But what I’d really like is a 24/7 cable news channel that isn’t mostly talking heads like CNN, FNC, and MSNBC are. But maybe I just miss old-school Headline News.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:17:27 +0000

My two items:

1. For news personnel on all channels (cable, local, whatever) to quit asking me questions (”will it rain tomorrow? The answer after the break”) and wasting my time.. give me the answers and facts not the questions you wrote down to get them.

2. To get some government/political news in which all of the sources have names.

By: B. Madison

B. Madison — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:00:29 +0000

1. Developers / programmers who would develop web-related systems that would make sense and be easy to use for the end users and not other developers and programmers.

2. News development and programming that was dictated by news management and not sales.

3. The power to strike down with great vengeance and furious anger :

a. Any and all reporters who come from small markets and think because they got a leg-up in a bigger market and because they’re in front of the camera and not one of the minions behind the camera they’re you-know-what doesn’t stink.

b. Any and all news directors who hire anyone who fits into a.

c. Anchors that don’t take the time to read their copy before air-time, Heaven forbid a teleprompter goes out and leaves you looking like a buffoon.

4. For stations to make their news websites equally as important as their on-air news product.

5. And a plastic rocket and a pony.

By: Mindy McAdams

Mindy McAdams — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:38:36 +0000

Al Jazeera English is at the top of my list.

I would also like to get BBC International. Not the extraordinarily lame BBC America. Why do we have such garbage — when the rest of the world gets good BBC news programming and documentaries?

By: thedetroitchannel

thedetroitchannel — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:35:30 +0000

for safran to continue to refer to websites as “channels”.

oh, and nancy grace’s head in a box would be great too. the only question is “who has a box that large?”

maybe rosie o’donnell?

By: El Dangeroso

El Dangeroso — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 06:30:30 +0000

Nancy Grace’s head in a box.

By: someone

someone — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 05:53:04 +0000

Certain stations in Spokane to actually report local news instead of spending half their newscasts on college sports. Oh yea, unlike say, an accident blocking a major road, a coach’s new job isn’t “breaking news” and doesn’t belong in the alert sections of your website.

Fix the new Belo template. It sucks on dialup and there isn’t no cheap broadband out in the sticks.

By: Vinny

Vinny — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 05:41:29 +0000

A tazer that I could use on any news org that uses the following inappropriately:

Breaking News
Exclusive
Top Story

By: Darrien

Darrien — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 03:26:44 +0000

Al Jazzera English

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:00:26 +0000

For websites to become part of the news stations “canon”, as it were. The website shouldn’t just be a dumping ground for different stuff. And repurposing a interview or two and calling it a “podcast” doesn’t really count. It has to be real effort and should be a entire extension of the newsroom, not a print version of the evening newscast. Don’t make it cheap, make it canon.

By: Cory

Cory — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 23:34:12 +0000

TV news staffs that stop worrying about all the gossip in the industry and start worrying about the future of their own jobs if they don’t take responsibility for covering news online.

oh, and and an end to TV teasing, which treats viewers like idiots. instead, just give a quick summary of what’s coming up.

By: Jason Parker

Jason Parker — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:12:03 +0000

In a word: guts. Guts to try new things, to embrace new technologies, to challenge viewers’ conceptions, and to respect their intelligence. That’s way to much to ask, though.