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They can’t watch it if nobody covers it
Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller There’s a saying in politics that if it isn’t on TV it didn’t happen. But what about if it’s not on TV? This study is not heartening, but also not surprising. A University of Wisconsin survey of election coverage on local television news in nine Midwest markets found that stations in Springfield-Decatur-Champaign devoted an average of 21 seconds for each 30-minute newscast to election coverage. […] Chicago stations averaged 29 seconds of election coverage. Chicago stations averaged 2 minutes and 3 seconds for “Teasers, bumpers and intros,” compared to 1 minute 51 seconds for Springfield stations. Sports and weather got 6 minutes and 5 seconds in Chicago, and 7 minutes and 17 seconds in Springfield. According to the study, “In Chicago, 31% of the [election] stories aired focused on the gubernatorial race. In Springfield, 48% of stories focused on the gubernatorial race.” I’ll try to get the individual station-by-station breakdowns, so check back later. For now, the Illinois summary is below. Click for a larger image. You can also check out the other state results by clicking here.
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- Pat Hickey - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 8:55 am:
Robert Feder in today’s Sun Times offered a great caveat to all people who appreciate real reporting. Making Carol Marin NBC News Editor over Mary Ann Ahern? Come on - I’m tired of having suits live up to my low expectations.
I am not a fan of the corporate suits who pamper the tinsel and abuse the steel.
When I read Feder’s column today I almost gagged. Carol Marin is to news what Oprah is to real life. Real life can’t handle Oprah; Ms. Marin can’t handle the news. Ms. Marin’s apotheosis occured on the occasion of Jerry Springer taking a seat near her chair - no problem with old Mancow. That tells us why Ron Magers never made it to Olympus, he is a professional newsman and not tinsel trimming. Shortly before snitting about Springer, Ms. Marin reported that an elderly Irish couple were IRA hitmen and made a big national splash for herself. The problem was that they ( the Fogartys) were not and that the actual murderer of a Winnetka couple was , in fact, a neighbor and not two septuagenarian immigrants; Carol Marin never fessed up to that screw-up. Icons do not say ‘I’m Sorry.’
Marin’s skills are not that deep and Feder’s column admits to Marin having no problem thinning out those tools ( Sun Times, WMAQ, WTTW and what else? Harbor Country News perhaps?).
Mary Ann Ahern is the real deal. She is accurate, professional and honest - qualities that scare the suits. In time, the tinsel will lose its allure and steel will be called upon to fix what is ruined. Wait until you see with what Icon Carol does to political news. Mancow, lace up your Keds; you may be going in next!
- cermak_rd - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 10:29 am:
Does TV news coverage of politics really matter? There’s CSPAN and CSPAN-2 for the politically interested, talk radio (e.g. WCPT 850AM), web sites galore (including this one), CNN, FOX, MSNBC all of whom do a lot on politics. CLTV and WBBM for local politics.
- Fredbyrd - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 10:30 am:
In the SJ-R article, they let the WICS station manager get away with saying they have a reporter who “lives” in the Statehouse. That’s complete bunk. They haven’t had someone who actively works out of the pressroom since, get this, Rebecca Rausch. Sure, WICS does live shots outside of the gov’s office, but they only use their office as a tripod storage facility.
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 12:36 pm:
I would rather TV news not cover electiosn than to cover them badly.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 1:03 pm:
Chicago is blessed with some great political editors at the TV stations that get it. Ch. 2’s Mike Flannery, Ch. 7’s Andy Shaw, Ch. 32’s Jack Conaty (Hugh Hill and Dick Kay in the past). In fact, I think only WGN-TV does not have a dedicated political reporter anymore. They should get more time on air.
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 1:23 pm:
As of today, neither does WMAQ-NBC 5. They could have had a great one in Mary Ann Ahern.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 2:02 pm:
Hey Rich, How about a favorite political reporter question of the day.
- Gregor - Friday, Oct 13, 06 @ 8:55 pm:
The stations make millions playing political ads, but spend pennies covering the races and digging at the truth.
- Sad - Sunday, Oct 15, 06 @ 1:37 am:
I guess it isn’t surprising that WICS does more political coverage. They have to spend more time running glowing stories about local Republicans. That’s what they’re there for.