Award-Winning Show, Weak Website
Michael Gay May 27th, 2008
An RFK Memorial Journalism Award is being given to HDNet’s news program World Report for their story titled “A Silent War, A Violent Peace,” about Uganda’s civil war. The award is a great honor for the program seen on a network many people can’t watch. But I pose this question: If your show can’t be seen by everyone, shouldn’t your website make up for lack of audience? This show’s site has no video, not much information about the show, and a weak TV schedule. While the TV program might have been exceptional, I don’t believe any awards should be given out anymore to content that lives in only one medium.
9 Comments Add your own
1. fleetwood mack | May 27th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Time then Mr Gay to cancel the Emmy, the Pulitzer and the Dupont?
Save us, please, from the blindness of the purist.
While we live in an increasingly multi-dimensinal media environment, there still needs to be room for recognition of one-dimensional excellence I would argue.
2. Jonathan | May 27th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Mark Cuban’s decision to restrict HDNet’s distribution to high-def televisions is a (controversial) business decision. The RFK Memorial Journalism Award, to quote its website, “honors the outstanding reporting of the lives and strife of disadvantaged people throughout the world.” I don’t see how the former should impact the latter in any way.
3. discreet_chaos | May 27th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I’ve watched a couple of the “Dan Rather Reports” via their website (click my name), but I’ve also found that I’ll often see a preview or print synopsis, then because of the delay-to-post, I’ve forgotten about it until much later, when I return because there’s something else that I’d like to see.
4. discreet_chaos | May 28th, 2008 at 12:01 am
BTW: We need a descriptive term.
The Dan Rather shows aren’t posted immediately after they air; I’m about to watch an 8-day old episode of “House” because of Fox’s delay; This past season, one of the shows that I’d watch “on-demand” was “Reaper”, I don’t know when they actually aired, but I’m pretty sure they were much prior to the CW getting them online on Saturday.
I halfway want to call it “embargoed”, but that’s not an accurate description, so maybe we need a new word (or a movement to get these things online, quicker).
5. discreet_chaos | May 28th, 2008 at 12:09 am
OK — I’m going to shut-up, but before I brought-up “House”, I flashed over to TVNewser and saw a link to the award-winning report. Just like the Dan Rather thing, it’s actually served by Google Video and I have no explanation for it not being obvious on HDNet’s website, but if you’re interested, click my name.
6. Mike Orren | May 28th, 2008 at 9:07 am
HDNet’s whole site is laughable, considering their techie roots. But, they arten’t necessarily on the ball in general (see name link).
7. Brink | May 29th, 2008 at 9:05 am
HDNet is so busy trying to tie its own shoes (figuratively)m I’m surprised they have a website at all.
8. Amanda E. | May 29th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
How about expanding online with big stories instead of some text and video?
Take the recent Spokane/CDA flooding for example - there’s a lot that can be dumped visually into a Google (or Yahoo) map for online visitors to explore futher:
Both NOAA and the Army Corps of Engineers offers XML feeds of data at river gauges - that can be parsed and mapped to show river heights. Where the heck is Upriver Drive for the new Spokaneites who don’t know where everything is - closures due to water on roadways can be mapped. Google Maps API offers a way for visitors to post data to a map and database - why aren’t photos and local reports from residents being solicited?
I see at least one story on a newscast every day that could be expanded further online - not just special shows (and Contriarian, look, my ideas are “news related”)
9. Anonymous | May 30th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
HD? Isn’t that some TV fiasco thing that they left in the ‘capable’ hands of NAB to promote?
Yeah, that works.
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