Why do local newscasts have to be so annoyingly phony friendly?

[terrya]

So, I'm half listening to the Channel 7 local news (the ABC affiliate here in Chicago). And....fuck, knock it with the stupid jokes between the anchors. Knock it off with the stupid, unfunny banter. It's forced happiness. I'd rather that they would just read the freaking news off the teleprompter and stop pretending that they're one, big happy family. It's stupid. And just nauseatingly insincere.

[AngryAmish]

1. It makes for better ratings

People like happy people.

Another pet peeve of mine is the length of local news. It should be ten minutes for news, three minutes weather, 10 minutes for sports and the balance for commericals.

[terrya]

3. I'd get rid of the weatherman completely.

If people want to know about cold fronts and such, watch the Wwather Channel. Otherwise, the anchorman could just announce the forecast.

[AngryAmish]

6. I could kiss you

If female. Otherwise maybe shake your hand. People care too much about the weather.

However, Tom Skilling is performance art. It is cool to watch every once in a while.

[terrya]

8. Well, I'd be glad to shake your hand. :-)

I do agree with you about Tom Skilling. He is a genuine meteorologist. Very knowledgeable about weather...he also writes a column about weather for the Chicago Tribune.

Meanwhile...I'm listening to Mike Caplan on Channel 7. He...certsinly knows how to read off a TelePrompTer.

T

[Cuban_Liberal]

2. Some times it's funny, though.

One of our local stations has this female anchor who's pretty hot, and she's always semi-flirting with the weatherman, who happens to be a cloested guy I dated before I met Paddy. Every time she does that, I think "Here's $20--go buy a clue".

:P

[donheld]

4. Maybe you want Marge schott's to do the news

:evilgrin:

[supernova]

5. Ours have been together for a long while

We both an overly excitable weatherman and a traffic guy. One gets exited about cold weather and the other gets excited about orange barrels. LOL!

[Dora]

7. Because they have no real news to speak of

The local news is handled by their "on the street" staff, national news is fed from a wire.

Local news talking heads are nothing more than shiny-toothed rejects. There's nothing newsy about them or the work that they do, and management has determined that their function is to entertain the audience. Who needs 'em? Keep it on the street and off the wire.

The only people who are actually working (not saying how hard) in front of the camera on local news shows are the weather-person and the sports-person.

But what do I know. I don't watch ANY television.

[Mabus]

9. And those friggin' teasers

What happened to: "there's a pile up on I-70, near the 207 exit, we'll be back with details and footage later."

Instead, we get, "why is traffic being re-routed on I-70 and what it means to you!" Why can't they tell me where the traffic will be rerouted BEFORE 5:00 o'clock? Is there something special going on that they aren't able to tell us ahead of their scheduled time?

I hate the ones that say "Guess who we sprang the camera on this week and why." Then they show their camera men chasing someone down the street ala Cops. It doesn't make me want to watch it because I don't know what they're talking about. If it's that earth shattering than break into the regular programming to tell me otherwise I don't want "gotcha" journalism.