Want a reality TV crew in your newsroom?
Cory Bergman October 21st, 2007
TV Guide Network has narrowed down six stations for the next season of Making News. So who would do such a thing? Well, KOSA in Midland, TX was featured last season (pictured), and GM Barry Marks said it was a good experience. “I think the emotional connection between the newsroom and the buyer brought in extra dollars,” he says. “It showed national clients a personality when we usually just do telephone deals.” But not everything was positive. “For some viewers, reporters lost some of the mystique they carry with them,” he says. “Some had the perception that reporters are perfect and polished all the time.”
8 Comments Add your own
1. Perfect and polished | October 21st, 2007 at 9:34 pm
I’m a reporter at one of the finalist stations . . . and I think it could be a positive thing. The series seems a lot more tasteful than Anchorwoman, anyways (and a little longer-lived.)
2. Anonymous | October 21st, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Reporters are supposed to have a mystique?
3. Brink | October 22nd, 2007 at 3:51 am
Tragically, the audience for this show could be measured with a thimble.
4. I agree | October 22nd, 2007 at 7:17 am
I am at a finalist station too.. Savannah.. what market are you in?
5. Rick Ellis | October 22nd, 2007 at 7:41 am
I wrote a review of the show early in the season (click on my name to read it), and I generally thought it was well done. I’ve worked at a network affiliate in a smaller market, and I recognized a lot of the dynamics I saw in the show.
The biggest problem is that it’s on the TV Guide channel, which means that they spend half their time recapping and teasing segments, in order to keep the audience from turning away.
6. Jason | October 22nd, 2007 at 10:44 am
I enjoyed the show too– tivo’ed through the recaps, it makes it about a 25-30 minute program. Although I wouldn’t want a reality crew in my newsroom. Just like my coworkers probably wish I wasn’t blogging about our newsroom…
7. Steve Safran | October 23rd, 2007 at 11:11 pm
I’ve maintained for years now that the best reality show is the behind-the-scenes happenings at every local TV newsroom. Why not shoot your own?
8. Barry S. | October 25th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I’ve been to far too many TV stations, including KOSA, KYTX (Stormy the Weather Dog should star), KSBY (they did a VH1 - stars play reporters for a day) and probably a few that are in contention.
The problem with the show is that it’s not terribly interesting and it shows people on basically their best behavior. (Plus the show schedule below is annoying.)
Why is it that my memories of small market news involve being screamed at by producers, talent sniping at the $7/hr tech working the audio board, long hours, and ENG links going down as we were about to go to them. (And then the comments about the f****** ENG link going down again)
The most interesting part of small market news? I met some great people and the directors track on the air checks were hilarious…. It was never something I’d want to see on the TV guide channel though..
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