Last week in class when we were going around the room sharing ways to save journalism, I couldn't help but notice the general sense of disdain for TV journalism. I got the feeling that as a room full of print journalists, we looked down on TV journalists as perhaps a "lesser" form of what we do. There is no question that I'm taking liberties assuming the feelings of our class, but I think there is something to be said about the status of TV journalists. Why do print journalists dislike TV journalists? What is it about TV journalism that bothers people?
1. All soft news, sensational news, or biased news
My issue with TV journalism is that if often crosses over into commentary, which is not reporting. A huge focus is placed on stories purely for entertainment or even legitimate stories that should get 10 minutes of air time, not a week. If that's not the case, the news source is labeled as conservative or liberal, limiting the stories aired and the angle placed on them. On TV, I have a hard time finding straight, relevant new.
2. Hair and makeup are heavily involved
Another problem is that being on camera requires a certain image to be maintained. Hair, makeup and wardrobe are all important. As a female journalist, sometimes I can't help but wonder if a female anchor is chosen for her appearance more than her ability. As a journalist interested in print, I can see how the perception of TV news as an image-based job not a skill-based job irks a lot of people.
3. Faltering as of late
TV journalism needs to slow it down. Take CNN for example, once a source that I highly respected has now gotten things wrong for the sake of being the first to break a story or aired stories that seem so trivial in light of serious, world news. Journalism is much like medical practice in the way that one mistake is all it takes to ruin a reputation.
If TV journalism has so many problems, image and content alike, why not just scrap the whole thing and focus on print and radio? The truth is, TV is a tremendously useful source. One of the best ways to alert the public and hold their attention is via the television. A lot can be said for the way some news anchors break down a story or use graphics to help the public understand. TV is a great tool. The question is, how to fix it?
My top solution is to alter the kinds of stories that make the big news sources. Even if biased station report in their preferred angle, at least the public is getting a chance to choose what they identify with. It may not be happy and it may not be light, but talking about what's going on benefits everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment