1. "Team Coverage"--utterly over-used, pretentious, and about as cliche-driven as ever. Would it be against the law to use the phrase, "comprehensive" or "full" coverage by our team of reporters, say?
2. "Our Science Editor."--oh please, stop it! Your science "editor" is a reporter. Editors edit, reporters report, last I checked.
3. Weather anchors that repeatedly emphasize a "strong cold front! and/or a "band of high pressure." We've heard that about a million times and we're sick of it. How about just telling us it's gonna be a really damn rainy day or hot as hell outside. Cut to the chase, we're not interested in your damn on-shore breezes.
4. "Breaking News"--We're repeating ourselves here but the more and more you hear it, they, (the TV people especially and their editors), must be reminded that the more they routinely blurt out this increasingly marginalized news sounder when there really isn't breaking news, the more they lose credibility with their increasingly irritated viewers. Worst abusers here: KTVU, KGO-TV, KRON. Nationally, CNN and Fox News.
5. "At the end of the day." --Without question, the #1 WORST, most hideous, lazy, insipid and pathetically overused phrase on ALL American television. The worst abusers: radio talk-show hosts, politicians on the Sunday talking-head shows and analysts on TV who shoud be automatically sent to Gitmo. Athletes have taken to this cliche too and it's clearly the "Ya-Know" of the present decade.
6. MOS Live Shots at the, A. Walnut Creek fountain, (too many white people), B. Bay Bridge Toll Plaza, (talk about stupidity and not even mentioning a good way to cause an accident), C. The Golden Gate Bridge, (we've seen it a billion times and when it has ZERO to do with story, why?) D. kiddies at the ice-cream store when it's a hot day --oh, and let us not forget the usual banal idiotic question to the roofer in Livermore when it's 104: "Hey, must be pretty hot up there, eh?" Roofer: "Uh, yep, sure is." I say immediate execution to reporter.
7. Sports anchors that get cutesy with the highlights: Just give us the damn video and STFU. We don't need your verbal gimmicks and histrionics --With Authority!
8. Anchor to reporter after package: "Thanks Bill." Thanks for what? Here's a radical idea: How about after Bill is done with his report, you just go ahead on to the NEXT story! Damn, what a concept.
9. "Developing Story"--It's developing when its actually developing, but oh hell, why bring that up.
10. The insincere horrified look from reporters on scene at terrible accident or a natural disaster, say. First off, give us news and the information--that's why you're THERE!, on the scene. If it's that terrible and horrific then tell the assignment desk so they can get a real reporter on the scene to give us the NEWS! we so direly want and need. Sure, at times, we're all human but way too many correspondents who should know better are either too timid or are just incompetent --if you can't stand the heat...I rest my case.
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