IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER INSANE MINUTIAE BAY AREA TV/RADIO PUT FORTH, WE NOW HAVE A DOCUMENTED WEATHER OBSESSION ...Seriously, this is INSANE!Almost all the local TV News outlets led with the weather on Wednesday evening's newscasts, mind you we haven't even had the Main Event that is due to hit the region today (Thursday) and every weather geek says we're in for a "moderate" storm, and the proverbial, "It'll be 'really bad' in Marin."
When it comes to rain, isn't always bad in Marin? I mean, it has come to the point where Marin people know what to do, that's why they live in Marin. Maybe they too love this weather obsession otherwise they'd live in Fremont. So, please, why are we reporting this? Is it because of the drought? We'll we've been hearing about THAT for over five years now. It's old news. I'm already over that; California has draughts, so get the hell over it. Anybody in for some real news?
KTVU, in particular, has made weather and even non-weather events into a cottage industry with their 4000 weather updates every hour on the hour. WEATHER AUTHORITY has never looked so foolish as it does now. Bill Martin has more teases than a Broadway strip club. And mind you this is WITHOUT any sort of weather to report; imagine if their was LEGITIMATE weather to talk about and report!
KGO-TV too has a weather obsession with the 3000 reports on a daily basis outside on top of the roof. Perhaps they cut a secret deal with the chamber of commerce to get a camera on the Bay Bridge. And KRON, they obsess on weather which allows their weather women to promote themselves and split town for gigs in LA so OK, in this one instance its great that this weather fetish is good for KRON's staple of weather deserters --good for the economy.
FRANKLY, I'M SICK OF THE WEATHER OBSESSION. I haven't even mentioned radio. We're such PUSSIES! Go the east coast and see REAL WEATHER! Could you imagine if the Bay Area ever experienced the blizzard conditions last winter affecting the North East? Bill Martin would have an eternal orgasm; Sandhya Patel would have to be restrained; Paul Deanno's sideburns would enlarge.
The amount of time and resources we WASTE on weather and NON-Weather events is ridiculous. We hear the excuses: "Well, Rich, people like it, they expect it." Really? They like it? They expect it? NO, in actuality, they expect "it" because its been PUSHED down their throats for the better part of decades. Now, It's out of control.
HELLLLLLLOOOOOOOOO MISFITS!
KGO is way worse...you see their new 5-level forecast...First off...we get rain...that's it...we don't get snow or tornados...yes flooding happens but usually isolated and once a decade in most areas...
ReplyDeleteYou probably won't post this because it's against your biased narrative, but the stations won't move on because weather brings in the ratings. And ratings equal money. You know this, Rich. The only way stations can get people to watch is by covering weather as nauseum when we get even drops. Is it too much most of the time? Sure. But tv is a business and we need to give viewers what they want. And that, unfortunately, is weather. This isn't some consultant bullshit, and believe me they spew a lot of bullshit, this is fact. Any station could show you the evidence as justification. Especially on a slow news day. So maybe check your facts before you go on a rant.
ReplyDeleteWow, you posted this rich. It's funny you only post comments against your view point when someone calls you out for never posting them...
DeleteI love the 1 through 5 storm rankings. Friends and co-workers from the midwest and back east laugh at anything higher than a 2.
ReplyDeleteMe too, but they really don't need to explain the 1-5 ranking EVERY time they refer to it. We get it!!! Meanwhile, with more storms coming I guess we will see more reporters standing in the rain. Apparently it's the only way to tell us that it's raining outside.
DeleteIs that a photo of Lloyd Lindsay Young?! Your, "HELLLLLLLLLOOOO MISFITS" reminds me of how he used to do the weather; he used comical pointers for the map. As a kid back then, he made it entertaining to watch the weather reports.
ReplyDeleteMy rant today is that Gasia is a femme-bot whose volume is too high!!! I forgot about the hideous "THE NINE!" FAUX programmed this woman to shout, wave her arms around, and phoney smile and nod like a crazed bobblehead! Do not let Gasia have any caffeine!!!
She was fine, until she was FAUXIFIED on MO2.
I Keep hoping someone there gets a clue, and they take it down a notch, but nope.
Since Alex Savidge was extremely close to losing his life, I hope it makes him rethink it...and go to a station that doesn't turn people into obnoxious trained monkeys as FAUX, and the others do. He's a solid reporter with a Gavin Newsome hair thing going on, and it works.
At least the car that nearly hit him wasn't a used Bentley ;)
> I hope it makes him rethink it...and go to a station that doesn't
Delete> turn people into obnoxious trained monkeys as FAUX
He was doing a roadside standup. Show me a station that does not have reporters doing roadside standups.
Yes, that's Lloyd Lindsay Young. I remember him from WOR that was carried on cable systems all over the east and midwest. GREAT movies.
Delete@1:51 What does a roadside standup have to do with my post?
DeleteI was referring to the fact that he's too good for KTVU (Because FOX is ruining the once respected station).
My point was that life is too short for a talented person to waste at a place like that.
Agreed, 7:00 AM, KGO's 5-level 'system' is overkill. So is Drew Tuma.
ReplyDeleteAs I've mentioned before, they do all the weather because they can then lay off writers and producers and photogs and editors who assemble real news but cost money. The weather reports are basically the same thing, just teased out longer and longer each time, so basically they can fill 1/4 to 1/3 of a nightly broadcast in one stroke. It's all about the Benjamins, Richard.
ReplyDeleteWith "El Nino" forecast for this year, it was inevitable that we were going to be over hyped by this event. Bottom line, it that this a "normal" winter weather pattern, something we haven't seen in five winters. In fact, after this weekends storms, we will finally have more rain than last year on this date because of a very wet Dec. 2015. Its the snow thats very important. Anyway, there is no manual for weather reporters, so everyone is doing their thing. I would do it differently. Just my two cents. Good observation Rich.
ReplyDeleteWeather is big in South Fla, a lot of pretty blonds with fancy sets. I believe the Old timer's like to know the Weather. You can be wrong 90% of the time and you still keep your job.
ReplyDeleteLloyd Lindsey Young for the mother-effing WIN ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to LL Young ? His performance was comical. After his weather report, I didn't recall what he said since his delivery was so hilarious.
DeleteIt IS him!!! Thanks for confirming! Loved watching that guy!
DeleteWe can largely thank The Weather Channel for the weather obsession. They've created a blueprint on how to be profitable. It's gone from a cottage industry to an all-consuming industrial juggernaut and most all local news stations must now follow.
ReplyDeleteI agree - as someone who grew-up on the northern plains. It's absurd when even a few scattered sprinkles is referred to as "a storm." Every single weather system that approaches the Bay Area is a STORM! STORM CENTRAL! STORM WATCH! We're your fucking STORM AUTHORITY and we're all DOOMED!
All of this weather hype started with Katrina back in '05 and the blueprint was set in place during and after Sandy in 2012. As everyone who reads and comments on this blog knows, we live in an age of uncertainty, fear and apprehension, largely thanks to media amplification. It's always about ratings and money and there's always gonna be another storm coming.
What bugs me about the weather is when I turn it on they are already talking about the forecast a few days ahead rather then now. All of this when their current forecast is wrong about half the time.
ReplyDeleteI admit when watching Brittany or Lisa I don't listen to the forecast. I wonder what Spencer does for a living he is on maybe one time in a couple of weeks and that is it? He must have some side gigs or a good contract...
Another thing for PIX or KTV - U? Forget the Facebook weather watchers - Who Cares about Bud in Healdsburg?
Everybody talks about the weather but no one does anything about it. Not even the WEATHER AUTHORITY.
ReplyDeleteDue to today's storm it appeared KPIXs newsreaders might have to pronounce 'Guerneville' and 'Yountville'; perhaps even 'San Francisquito'.
ReplyDeleteWisely, they asked Liz to stay home.
Hello Sacramentoo ! Hey ya know , we really do need the rain... If I hear that ONE MORE TIME!!!
ReplyDelete