Sunday, August 28, 2011

Not Paid Enough

Hurricane Irene hasn't quite lived up to the hysteria that preceded. Even Shep Smith was having a tough time keeping adequately frantic. Certainly there has been a lot of rain, big waves, plenty of wind and brisk sales of plywood and emergency generators.

But it raises a question to my logical mind. Anyone watching TV news rather than reruns of Spongebob Squarepants knows that hurricanes involve wind, rain and rising tides. I don't need to see some fool in a blue plastic slicker doing a live shot on the beachfront to get the concept. Why do they continually demand that the junior guy on the news staff go out there? Isn't there a battle zone with bombs and rockets going off for him to establish his news cred?

Yet, even with the flooding (no pun intended) of the airwaves in hurricane live shots occasionally one will stand out as demanding more than simple attention. Try this example of reportorial excess:




"Organic material..." I really don't need any more information than that.

1 comment:

an Donalbane said...

Trying to be the next Dan [Carla] Rather.

Not sure if that's a lofty aspiration or not...