"We begin with 'TEAM COVERAGE"...as if simply telling viewers that "we have 'extended reports on this major story" wouldn't cut it, because simply stated, "team coverage" has now become the most overused, cliche-ridden, ridiculous opening in the business. It further erodes and marginalizes the concept of real, bonafide advanced reporting coverage of a truly major story, a sort of resemblance to the all-timer of late, "Breaking News."
This is not merely a SF phenomena --it has deep-seated presence in many other markets, but you'd love to see a big market town try to get it right, but everyone here, even the king, (KTVU) loves to proclaim, folks, we have "team coverage." Ugh! CBS5/KPIX is also a gross user of "team coverage", but at least they weren't the station that chortled the moronic "TC" a day before the first heatwave of our cold summer. The day BEFORE! (I'm not kidding.)
Let's try something real radical, like, maybe: "We begin the news with a big fire in San Jose, and we have extended coverage...or simply, "We have a series of reports...
For starters, viewers might be a bit more inclined to stay and watch, instead of being cynical like most everybody else and discover that "team coverage" is but merely one extra reporter on scene asking the neighbors when they realized the fire would drive them out of the house; or the proverbial neighbors who tell second reporter, "Lavernia Schmuck" that said serial killer was "real quiet, 'he never spoke to anybody."
New Rules, to steal from a popular show: "team coverage" is relegated to actual "teams"-- sports teams, "team" players that companies are fond of using. The Raiders are a TEAM. The Yankees "team" payroll is over $200 million dollars. Get it?
From now on, use "team coverage" and your entire newsroom personnel has to watch Rick Chavez for a week.
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Do you mean Rick Sanchez ? I actually like Rick's List.. a little self important fella... but good none the less.
ReplyDeleteRich,
ReplyDeleteDoes TV news overuse certain phrases? We cannot say yes. We cannot say no. One thing is sure: only time will tell. Tonight, we'll talk to the neighbors, live. The answer MAY surprise you.
Fair enough. But why pick on my old alma mater, KPIX, by running a screen shot from the SF Zoo escaped tiger story? That was team coverage at its best, literally. A skeleton news team working on Christmas night with fill-in anchors won that year's Emmy for best newscast.
Team implies something you have never been a part of or would have knowledge of because you're a loser.
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