As an aside to my commentary below regarding the decline in local newspaper coverage of the high-school sports scene around here: Last night I prepared the videotape to capture the local tv sports reports from the first night of tournament action. As with the other types of media, I have accumulated approximately 10 years of footage -- including my ugly mug in some of the stand shots.
As if I wasn't down enough on newspapers, the local tv reports were another blow to my already reeling trust and confidence in AmeriKa's news media. We have three regional stations here (CBS, NBC, and ABC affiliates) out of the region's major city (Springfield). ONLY ONE COVERED the GAMES AT ALL, and they ONLY COVERED the girl's division one games! They COMPLETELY IGNORED the OTHER TWO DIVISIONS and THEIR EIGHT GAMES of the night! As my tape was on pause during a mid-segment commercial (?), I frantically bounced back and forth between the other two local news stations, waiting and expecting a sports reporter to show up on set next to the anchor.
That moment never came, and as incredulous as I am about newspapers, I was in for a stunning shock. There ARE NO MORE SPORTS REPORTERS on the LOCAL TV STATIONS! That is HOW BAD the $$$ and viewership has become, and that is the bottom-line profitality that is destroying "news" coverage everywhere. They CAN'T EVEN GET or GIVE you a DECENT SPORTS REPORT ANYMORE!!!!!
The first 15 minutes of newscast used to be devoted to the national, international, and local stories -- not mush and weather three times already!!! Then there would be 5 minutes of weather (they still keep that), and 5 minutes of sports after that and before the last five minutes of wrap-up. The sports report would have at least given me scores (not last night), and they still would have worked in some college and pro games (what the lone channel did after the mid-segment break, which still confounds this long-time -- though flagging -- news consumer.
When I remember the newscasts used to be only 30 minutes, not 35, my heart sinks that much more. Well, it's off to get the local for the ball scores. Thanks for stopping by and reading my daily trivialities today, readers.
