Do any of your local TV news programs use their time to promote network television shows?

[Pendrench]

Last night I was watching our ABC affiliate (WMAR-Baltimore), and I noticed they spent a good portion of their broadcast talking about what happened on "Lost" (they even brought in a morning DJ from a local radio station to talk about it). I've also seen this on WBAL, our NBC affiliate when they were promoting "ER".

You would think that with so many things of greater importance happening in the world they could fill 1/2 hour with real news.

Is this a recent trend, or I have I just not noticed it before?


Thanks -


Tim

[Just-plain-Kathy]

1. When "24" is on, the following news broadcast has people writing in about the show.

Then they constantly talk about Ameircan Idol.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Local News? Surely Ye Jest...

Most local TV station's make a lion's share of their revenue on their "local news". Well, more specific, 5 minutes of news headlines and 25 minutes of ads and filler. News Directors and Sales Managers have gotten adept at the art of using those newscasts for promotion and generating revenue. Living in a major market, all my local TV stations are nothing more than plug machines for their parent network...using pre-packaged and coordinated marketing efforts in their "news" to promote network shows.

Even more stealth are the special segments. My favorite is the "Restaurant critic"...be assured the restaurant chosen has either signed some type of advertising deal or threw some bone at the station to get "reviewed". Or isn't it amazing how a popular star will be interviewed just as his/her new movie is opening (and produced and distributed by the network). Inversely, I've seen where "news" departments have either skewed stories or avoided them when it involves a major station advertiser.

The "selling of the news" has been going on since the newspapers put the first radio stations on the air. One hopes the consumer is wise to these tricks.

[Pendrench]

3. I agree - local "news" is an oxymoron. n/t

[KharmaTrain]

4. An Example...

I am a White Sox fan and have to endure a number of games on WGN...owned by the Tribune and a major owner in the CW network. During the game, WGN promotes their "Morning News". Invariably this promo is nothing more than a fluff piece showing a "morning zoo" news crew shown laughing, interviewing celebrities, eating at restaurants, on the cruise ship (paid for by the cruise line) and everything and anything BUT News.

The use a lot of pre-produced bits...some that included propoganda PR pieces done by the booosh regime to distort their spin in the guise of a "legitimate news story".

Cheers...

[Neecy]

5. oh, I've noticed it

I watch the news on my local FOX staion in the mornings and they run full stories at least every half-hour about American Idol. It's like one long, stupid ad. I don't watch the show and I could give a damn.

A couple of years ago during one the the major war protests they ran a ten-second snippet of that and at least 20 minutes of American Idol crap. Pissed, I wrote the station to complain and was surprised when the news director wrote back and admitted they'd made a mistake. They still run almost non-stop "stories" for American Idol, though, like nothing else is happening.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

6. yep

our local ABC affiliate pointed out that one of the couples on this week's Wife Swap (last Monday night) was a punk rock couple who lives in Brenham (Up the road a ways to the NW towards Austin, where they make the Damn Fine Blue Bell ice cream).

Of course the local news goes from 6 to 7, so it's a straight lead in to the show.