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Do we really need 4-5 news channels for Mpls? (1 Viewer)

Drew Bethel

Screenwriter
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Nov 22, 1999
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1,209
I just find it funny that you can flip between four news channels and find the EXACT same news coverage. AND they all go to the weather segment within seconds of each other. Am I missing something or is this just plain silly?

Apparently they're all salivating now that they have news to report about the alleged pipe bomber - a Minnesotan.
 

Leila Dougan

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
1,352
Am I missing something or is this just plain silly?
Could be either, really. Maybe some people like the hairstyle of one woman better, or think the suit a particular anchor wears looks best. Maybe someone prefers the cheery dialog on one station better? Maybe that 1/2 second makes a big difference? And maybe, just maybe, one station happens be on someones favorite number.
There are various reasons why people will pick one channel over the other. I personally don't understand them since they rarely have anything to do with the actual "news". But to each his own, I suppose. I avoid the TV altogether and get my news via websites since it makes it easier to wade through the fluff and avoid the bad jokes. :D
 

Bill Balcziak

Supporting Actor
Joined
Aug 4, 1999
Messages
871
The alternative, you know, is that they drop news and fill the slot with drivel like "Real TV" or "Family Feud" or "Entertainment Tonight", etc. In consideration of that possiblity, I am delighted to have five stations carry the news at that time. :)
Now as to whether the weather is anything other than 10 seconds of information expanded to fill a four-minute hole...
 

Michael*K

Screenwriter
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May 24, 2001
Messages
1,806
The alternative, you know, is that they drop news and fill the slot with drivel like "Real TV" or "Family Feud" or "Entertainment Tonight", etc.
Right! The CBS affiliate here dropped one of their newscasts years ago and began airing "Hollywood Squares." Ugh! I love reading and watching news, so having 4-5 news stations in town wouldn't bother me a bit. Hopefully at least one has a quality broadcast. I know when I lived in the Baltimore area (in the pre-Internet, MSNBC, etc. era), I was really annoyed that on the three network affiliates, I couldn't see any solid newscast that covered local news, much less national or international. Every "news" show was chock full of fluff and human interest stories. :angry: Moving back to Chicago was a breath of fresh air.
 

Kirk Gunn

Screenwriter
Joined
Aug 16, 1999
Messages
1,609
Drew - the reason you have 4-5 clone news stations is that their sources for national/international news are all the same, which is why so many people claim their is a strong bias.

Newspapapers are the same way. You can pick up a newspaper in Omaha, NYC, LA, Boston, DC, etc and find the exact same, word-for-word stories from the same sources - UPI, Reuter, AP, etc. With the exception of local and special interest stories, we are all being fed the same lines.

The most comedic news moment I recall was on the BBC Sci-Fi SitCom "Red Dwarf" where they had a hologram reading the news.... Can't wait for this to really happen. Would save these TV stations a lot of salary money, and probably gain viewers !
 

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