This is nothing new but the hustle and bustle of TV and radio news can mean getting the story, losing the story, and missing the story nobody knew was out there.
That’s a puzzling if not overt statement left on its own but allow me to clarify a bit based on some recent observations.
While I still technically work in news to a degree, I’m no longer on the broadcast side so the deadline demands and time constraints are somewhat different.
Timeliness and relevance are still priorities but the “Triple-I Factor” is generally reduced by one with “impact” and “interest” pretty much eclipsing the need for “immediacy.”
With that stated, it’s fair to say that I go out and cover several local happenings that also garner interest from the broadcast outlets. Depending on the level of importance involved, a TV station may send an MMJ, a photojournalist, or a reporter and photographer team.
I can count on one hand the number of times these days that I’ve seen an actual news radio mic flag anywhere where news might be happening. Yes, I realize that varies among markets but no matter how you slice it, it’s a damn shame.
Generally, what I do see a lot of these days is a very quick visit by a sole photographer who based upon hurried manner and body language is present to capture not much more than a few frames and hopefully a soundbite or two before they dash off to another story location or depending upon the time, to the station or a vehicle to edit and offload the video.
The nature of news, correct?
Certainly, one could say that but the mindset of crashing a story count is not without its detriments, which as always leads to the age-old battle of content over quality.
For example, in just the last few weeks I’ve seen happenings in real time overshadow what was planned as simply routine story coverage.
Item one: A neighborhood street sign dedication well attended by the community, governmental leadership along with the command staff of the police and fire departments. I was there as was another print outlet and two photographers from the local stations. Both photogs did quick setups, caught some B-roll and soundbites and just as swiftly packed up and left the scene.
Just fine on most days but not five minutes later, the rising temperatures apparently got the best of some of the older people in the audience, with one individual collapsing to the ground. Not necessarily unusual except for the sight of the police and fire brass not immediately jumping into action but instead standing around in visible befuddlement as other annoyed community members rendered aid.
The crowd’s frustration was then elevated after it was they who called 9-1-1 for assistance, followed by a 15-minute wait for a patrol car and an ambulance to arrive at an event where the mayor and the public safety bosses were present.
The exit of the broadcast media representatives was suffice it to say, unfortunately premature, where a municipal leader was clearly seen dressing down his departmental officials after a less than stellar emergency response in a very public setting.
Item two: A similar scene of a public commemoration observance recognizing local and national heroes, once again attended by the requisite community leaders, officials and residents. A singular MMJ at the location, hurriedly grabbing an interview, soundbites and B-roll before dashing off 15 minutes into the program.
Not minutes later, a police encounter with a pedestrian shouting and cursing into their cell phone directly in front of the ceremony quickly unfolded. It escalated and you can pretty much see where this tale is going. Nothing but the random cell phone to capture the action.
There is a point to be made here and it’s about commitment and discretion in story coverage. On the one hand, sometimes a sampling is better than nothing when trying to feed a news rundown but there is also something to be said for letting a story play out before the frantic dine and dash.
While in most cases, the aforementioned and extraneous incidents are not going to happen on a seemingly routine assignment, there is usually a likelihood that human beings will do human things. Officials will speak off-topic, board members will become mutually conflicted, and impassioned parents and residents will let acrimony get the best of them.
Ever seen a simple town hearing or school board meeting escalate into a different kind of news story because of the intense reactions of those in attendance? It’s generally because the news stations committed their crews to covering the entire event. When it’s missed, it’s usually because they did not.
Not everyone is going to have their cell phones out and recording when the voices get loud, the punches get thrown or the unexpected happens but really, whose job is it to cover what’s happening? It’s nice to get lucky with the public’s help but the responsibility is still clearly placed.
Tough decisions are just that but even worse is half a story or as is more and more common in local TV news, a succession of half stories told with abrupt video elements and storytelling full of holes. One well-told report is worth more than three fragmented tales that necessitate a Google search to make heads or tails of.
Less is more according to those who are keeping the financial ledgers these days, at least trying to make more with less seems to be the philosophy. It’s probably time the news rundown followed suit.
Bill Zito has devoted most of his work efforts to broadcast news since 1999. He made the career switch after serving a dozen years as a police officer on both coasts. Splitting the time between Radio and TV, he’s worked for ABC News and Fox News, News 12 New York , The Weather Channel and KIRO and KOMO in Seattle. He writes, edits and anchors for Audacy’s WTIC-AM in Hartford and lives in New England. You can find him on Twitter @BillZitoNEWS.
