Joe Flint: News Anchors' Cameo Roles Could Dent Their Credibility

[question everything]

The Wall Street Journal

February 2, 2005

THE SMALL SCREEN
By JOE FLINT


News Anchors' Cameo Roles Could Dent Their Credibility

Playing a Journalist on Television Presents Dilemma for Newsrooms
February 2, 2005

John Beard, the lead anchor of the 10 p.m. local news on Fox-owned television station KTTV Los Angeles, has been moonlighting lately. In two shows on the Fox network, the hit drama "24" and offbeat comedy "Arrested Development," he appears in cameos as a newscaster.

(snip)

Tim Iacofano, a producer on "24," says the program wanted Mr. Beard because it is easier than training an actor to act like a reporter. "You're going to be paying somebody to do it, might as well be paying someone who knows how to do it," he says.

Interestingly, while Fox News has no problems with "24" using its logos, it drew the line at offering up any anchors from its cable Fox News Channel, which is available nationwide. Conversely, Mr. Beard's boss at KTTV didn't object to his anchor's extracurricular activities, but he would balk at having the station's news logo pop up anywhere outside one of his newscasts.

The different approaches underscore the headaches that surround a news anchor's appearance in works of entertainment, as well as the gymnastics that news outlets sometimes employ to skirt potential conflicts. Fox News gets a nice plug in "24," but feels it can keep its hands clean by barring national anchors from appearing. And KTTV can claim that outside of Los Angeles, few people know Mr. Beard.

(snip)


Write to Joe Flint at [e-mail]

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110727562540642408,00.html


TV TALK
Should news anchors accept acting parts as journalists? Write to Joe at [e-mail]

[Nailzberg]

1. I didn't think John Beard had credibility to begin with.

Honestly, outside the occasional mudslide, the LA news is car chases and celebrities.

But I know from other times I've seen, with credible reporters, it hasn't bothered me. So what, they're taking a day off to go work on a movie. An exciting thrill for them, a change of pace. And, yep, the production doesn't have to spend time casting someone and hoping they can pull it off.

For instance, John Drummond and Pam Zekman appeared in the Fugitive, and not for one second did it hurt their credibility with me. Warner Saunders has played a new anchor on ER and West Wing. Don't bother me a bit.

[question everything]

2. Same here and I remember many who appeared on Murphy Brown

also, I am quite certain that Fox News anchor - Shepard something? - was on 24 in previous seasons

[prodigal_green]

3. What credibility?

Local anchors in New York spend half their time promoting product or local businesses (we're reporting live from Fat Jim's Barbeque! or whatever). What's the difference?