This Week in the Mercury

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Monday, June 11, 2007

Media A Tale of Two Newscasts

Posted by Wm. Steven Humphrey on Mon, Jun 11 at 9:29 AM

Want to see something hilarious? Check out the way two local newscasts covered the exact same story. All the local news teams were there on Friday night when we did the Great Pre-Parade Tape Rip-Up of 2007. However, KATU (Channel 2) and KOIN (Channel 6) took two wildly divergent paths when reporting the story. First up is KATU, who was obviously NOT VERY PLEASED with the Mercury’s plan, and were barely able to disguise the bile rising in their throats. (Not that it’s a big deal, but they got the number of participants wrong, only followed us for four blocks before taking off, and never really explained what we were trying to do. On the upside, they managed to find the only British person in town other than Matt Davis—kind of like the Anti-Matt Davis.)

Then there was KOIN who not only took the time to inform viewers what we were actually up to, but they also get extra points for super yummy anchor Kelley Day! Man, is she Ca-UTE! (Unlike the KATU anchors who look like a Christian couple who accidentally sat on an open box of corkscrews.)

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Comments

I hate being on the news and was avoiding being on camera during the entire clean up, yet some how I managed to be in two clips on both stations right in the frame.

Oh well...

(I was the kid with skateboard on his back by the way)

I thought we did a good job and the only way it could have been better is if we had more people and a pressure washer ;)

Posted by Dex | June 11, 2007 9:54 AM

My favorite part? The woman clutching her baby tightly while talking about how scared she was.

That's the FOX News philosophy in a nutshell, isn't it? "When in doubt, imply an imminent threat -- preferably a threat to children. Even if it's a story about people peeling up tape."

Posted by Beaton | June 11, 2007 10:06 AM

Retraction: KATU is an ABC affiliate.

I guess I just assumed they were FOX -- what, with all the "folks messin' with tradition" talk.

Posted by Beaton | June 11, 2007 10:16 AM

I'm just surprised Katu didn't send their chopper out to buzz us.

Posted by Matt Davis | June 11, 2007 10:33 AM

Actually, the Fox affiliate didn't make too big of a deal about it. They were more like, "Huh… how about that." Another thing I thought was interesting was that though KATU was all "Tut, tut. Tsk, tsk, tsk" during their evening report, their noon broadcast was really informative and kind of funny. Different reporter, different producer.

Posted by Wm. Steven Humphrey | June 11, 2007 10:35 AM

I used to watch the TV newscasts both morning and evening. When KGW put that clown Drew Carey on the "out and about" segment in the AM I turned the local TV news off and haven't turned it on since. I get my AM news off the radio and my evening news from Jim Lehrer.

The local TV newscasts are useless.
They take a fifteen minute interview and synthesize it into a five second sound bite that spins it whatever way they want.

Posted by Dave Lister | June 11, 2007 11:54 AM

AAAAAHH! What a bunch of fucking retards!!!!! (parade watchers)

Posted by camarorush | June 11, 2007 2:25 PM

Favorite part for me was the lady saying how she'd been here 64 years and "it's been a tradition for people to come down here and camp out and meet people"...and completely missing the point that that's what we're trying to bring back. You can't get that experience by showing up the morning of to claim your taped off spot. Bet this is the first time she's come down the night before to sit along the parade route.

Posted by Iron Fist | June 11, 2007 8:14 PM

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