This Is News? 11.13.2006 | 0 Comment(s)

KSDK Channel 5 hits a new low with a hard-hitting investigative story about spouses who cheat...and why you could get in trouble for snooping on that low down dirty dog! Everytime I saw the promo this weekend I kept expecting the announcer to lead in with "Next time on Hard Copy!"

I always laugh when I hear that the "I-Team" is on the case. I mean, "I-Team", give me a fucking break. You're reporters, not private investigators...although Lisa Zigman, in the right light, could make a believable Inspector Gadet. Style trumps substance every time in the local news game.

Local media has the audience and influence to make the residents of our City & region a more informed bunch, but stations waste their unique position of influence by airing fluff pieces that either scare, bleed or horrify. Do people really tune into this stuff? Sadly, the ratings must be there to support the tabloid nature of the news in this town, but is anybody demanding anything better?

I actually wrote KSDK a letter asking for more stories that focused on City issues, since I find most news outlets ignore the City unless a murder or some other crime or intrigue has taken place. I made it clear that I understood the City is just one municipality inside a much larger region, but there's 350,000 citizens who would like to hear some "news" about what's going on in their neighborhoods.

I never received a response. I didn't really expect to, but, still, I was hoping I would.