| Topic Name: |
What's the solution to the "dead wood" in broadcasting |
| Message Name: |
GMs and NDs are often "Dead Wood" |
| Date Posted: |
06/12/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
Before about 1990, newsroom meetings were common. People would come in on their own time and would talk about station philosophy, reporting techniques, ethics, etc. Haven't been to such a meeting in about 15 years. About the same time, management started relying on committees and research to make EVERY decision. This way no manager was sticking their neck out for any decision. Cowards! Of course, any decision by committee is usually nothing but crap. News directors are now concerned about making anchors look good, and promoting the show. When is the last time you ever heard a ND mention content? The big problem is ND's coming from the producer ranks. These are people who have never covered a news story in their life and wouldn't know one if it bit them on their fat ass. They are more concerned about pacing and the "look". Until journalists start running newsrooms again, we are going to continue tailspin. |
| Message: |
I find it funny that some folks get to be News Directors or General Managers without having any concept of "ideas and strategy". It used to be that a station which was dead last would hire a thinker/strategist to elevate the ratings. Herb Dudnick of 1990-era KRON fame is an example. Now loser stations hire people who drag them further into a quagmire!
Station owners need to look at what is happening to their properties more intently. With all of the dollars at stake (and people, too), they should listen to what some of their executives have done, or will do. Namely, if the person's station was last for the 5 years or so the manager was in charge, then it is not a wise idea to hire that individual.
But face it: in any business there will be functionaries and schmoozers who are incapable of a credible action (look to CNN, WUSA-TV, WPIX-TV for examples), and yet get great jobs that can last for years. I guess some companies really don't care about making money or hiring good people.
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