Tuesday, August 21, 2012

When it's real Breaking News, Wake me up

BREAKING NEWS

Really now.

Remember the time when, indeed, it was "Breaking News?"

Not any more.

Fact is, Breaking News has lost its brand, its luster. Of course there really is, from time to time, Breaking News, but like everything else today, the idea of real cogent, factually Breaking News has generally been marginalized. Lost in the wilderness of the 24/7 news cycle that is more manufactured than ever.

Breaking News might as well be "Update central." Too bad the cablers have abused it. CNN is real bad here and Fox News too.

16 comments:

  1. Rich, ABC7 opens every newscast with breaking news! I don't know what's really breaking 9/11 type, or a traffic stop in Los Altos.

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  2. You can't help but sit up and take notice when you see BREAKING NEWS!, on the screen. But it's usually a traffic tie-up on 880, or a grass fire by the side of the road that's already been contained.

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  3. BREAKING NEWS: I just cut a fart while watching the news.

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    1. Well, wow..that IS breaking news...;-)

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    2. 9:39--Your post struck me as crude BUT THEN I read 1:05! LOL!

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  4. Right, South Bay Bob.

    In the morning, the "Breaking News," of the house fire that was already out by the time they FIRST aired it, continues to be "Breaking News," that leads every cut-in to Good Morning, America."

    And, I'm convinced that "Mornings on 2," is incapable of going on-air, at all, WITHOUT a house fire to report.





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  5. How about when newscast opens with, now this exclusive news you will only see on this station. I always say ....wow my lucky day.

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  6. South Bay Bob is right on the mark. KGO TV blared that it was "Breaking News" about a recent fire up north the morning after it and all the other local channels had covered it in their late evening news.

    So, um, KGO TV, you can break news 8 hours after you first broke news? Can you (KGO TV) define what "breaking news" means to you? Doesn't seem in line with what your viewers think.

    KNTV has gotten better, as has KPIX. They call an ongoing story "developing news," which I can tolerate. KTVU, it seems, has always been pretty sober about "breaking news." Not sure about KRON.

    KGO TV has to stop crying wolf...or "Breaking News." (Hint KGO TV: you break news once.)

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  7. The worst offender is Wolf Blitzer in the SITUATION ROOM. Everything is breaking news on the bearded one's show...anyone know if Jackie Bennett went through with the marriage?

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  8. The "news" has been broken for quite some time now...

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  9. KGO TV's constant BREAKING NEWS is an affront to Broadcast Journalism.

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  10. In the words of Homer Simpson, ' Thats infotainment!'

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  11. "BREAKING NEWS! COMING UP NEXT, We have a DEVELOPING STORY which you'll see ONLY ON (insert call letters here), because WE WERE THE ONLY CREW ON THE SCENE." BUT FIRST....here's Biff to tell us WHAT YOUR MORNING COMMUTE WILL LOOK LIKE."

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  12. Don't forget the "team coverage".

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  13. ABC 7 is the worst offender. Every morning, coming back from every commercial is "BREAKING NEWS" in a flashing red. They were using BREAKING NEWS for the refinery fire 2 days after it happened...

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  14. posting on Tuesday Sep 4: @ 6:32 pm, Cheryl Jennings said, "a breaking news story we've been bringing you since this morning..."

    HUH?!?!?!

    Is the marketing director or sales vp running news? Is there a news director?

    Absurd!

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