Tuesday, May 8, 2007

New Baseball Stadium Is 'News' to WOWT Viewers

Advertised as "New Tonight," WOWT (Cox Channel 8) led off its 10 p.m. newscast with reporter Sheila Brummer's story on the revival of a debate over a new baseball stadium.

Sound familiar?

See this copyright story on the front page of Sunday's editions of the Omaha World-Herald.

Competitors KMTV (Cox Channel 5) and KETV (Cox Channel 9) led off Tuesday night with the fight to hold back floodwaters in Southwest Iowa. WOWT spent 37 seconds on that story immediately after Brummer's live report from Rosenblatt Stadium.

And this is the May ratings period?

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

You mean it wasn't Breaking News?!?!?! Or was it just Live and Local???

A story about a baseball stadium that might never be built or a story about regional flooding and the impact to residents.

Hmmm... tough call for the news director. What?!?! No update about Anna Nicole's baby?!?

Anonymous said...

I just saw a promo on Channel Six for all their coverage of the flooding.

They must have grown tired of covering it. After all, their viewers watch EVERY SINGLE NEWSCAST right?

Former TV Guy

Anonymous said...

Channel 6 gets dumber every day. They need a major shakeup at the top if they want to break out of their rut.

Anonymous said...

The gofer at Channel 6 must have forgotten to pick up a copy of the Sunday Weird Harold...otherwise this would have been breaking news on WOWT on Monday, instead of Tuesday.

Maybe if the management would spring for a subscription to the paper, the Channel 6 news team could provide more up to date news coverage and not have to bother their talking heads with being actual journalists...

Anonymous said...

I thought Sheila had more integrity than this. Four or five years ago, she would have told management where to put it if they had told her to do that story.

Anonymous said...

WOWT has some of the worst reporting I've ever seen. 95% of the time their stories are about some local whiner who calls in with some kind of complaint, "The city ruined my grass!" or they'll cover a spoon-fed story like a press conference or cover stories that they pick up on police and fire radio scanners.

They just sit and wait for the news to come to them.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps there was so much time devoted to flood coverage that this story didn't warrant any Monday air time.........
Then again, with so few people who actually subscribe to the W-H, I'm sure it was the first many heard of it!
Surprising that all of you Mensas don't work in teevee with all of your fantastic ideas! Guess DQ had better benefits, huh?

Anonymous said...

Molly:

This is exactly the reason you TV types don't get it.

Why do you insist on pounding a single story at us? It happened with the Christopher Edwards trial, with the weekend flooding and with Husker football anytime there's a home game.

If we don't care a hill a beans about the "BIG" story, we're apt to tune out or tune off. Give us more than just that one story. The other stations mentioned the Rosenblatt controversy Monday as well as provided flood coverage.

So go back to your cookie-cutter newscast that's guided by some faraway consultant who has no clue what the viewers in Omaha would like to see.

Anonymous said...

"the other stations" did this.....whatta you do, sit & DVR all the newscasts so you can compare the story lineups? Nah, that'd be pathetic wouldn't it?
Sounds like you want all the stations to cover all the same stories - if that ain't cookie cutter then what is? Would you like them lined up in the same order as well? I realize that the employees of the local newscasts would probably be crushed if they knew that you weren't watching.
You want to program news, get a degree from Metro, UNO etc. and get a job in broadcasting. If not, you can always change the channel, read a book, take a walk.
Or maybe we could just appoint YOUR view as "what Omaha wants to see". Of course, you'll have to post pretty early each day so that crews could be sent to cover what YOU think is important.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...Here's an example of what Omaha does not want to see.

On Saturday night's 10pm news. The other stations were still keeping track of storms and beginning to report on damage.

Except for good old WOWT. They were yammering on about Spiderman 3 having the biggest weekend or whatever and then giving us the all-important winning powerball numbers.

Anonymous said...

Seriously,

I think President Bush could be stabbed by terrorists in the bathroom at the WOWT studio. And another station would be the first to break the news story and old Channel Six still wouldn't break from their pre-planned format.

"Yes. It seems the president was killed in our bathroom. But, first, at 6:42, we'll do a check on traffic and at 6:44 we'll have Heartland First Birthdays!"

Anonymous said...

the stadium has no impact to viewers last night.. the floods did.. that should have been everyones lead story.. I about crapped myself when i saw they led with that stadium story.. talk about not what people care about!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad this site doesn't nitpick as much as Ted Brockman did on his Omaha TV news webpage.

However, this is one time when I'm glad someone pointed out that Channel 6 was not thinking straight when it ran a recycled story in favor of a serious situation.

Anonymous said...

You guys are disgusting. My God, WOWT isn't half as bad as ACTION in yo' face news or the scanner traffic reporting Channel 7. Give me a break, a flood is a flood, how does it affect you viewers in Omaha if it's several miles away? The rains are done, nobody was injured, people got out safely, good lord, let's move on folks. The flood coverage is tiring and was blown way out of proportion. Give me a break, get over it people!

Anonymous said...

Yes. By all means, dump the flood coverage and go back to the stories that really matter.

I'm dying for an update on that poor woman who says the city ruined her lawn. How does the mayor sleep at night??

Anonymous said...

a flood is a flood. A hurricane is a hurricane. A tornado a tornado.

Good observation and definitely an indication we should stop covering the 100s of people not able to get to their homes for a story about a freaking baseball stadium that may or may not be built.. and I story ripped striaght from the newspaper to boot. I dare you to head to Mo Valley and tell all those people to get over it. idiot.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

You guys are disgusting. My God, WOWT isn't half as bad as ACTION in yo' face news or the scanner traffic reporting Channel 7. Give me a break, a flood is a flood, how does it affect you viewers in Omaha if it's several miles away? The rains are done, nobody was injured, people got out safely, good lord, let's move on folks. The flood coverage is tiring and was blown way out of proportion. Give me a break, get over it people!

May 9, 2007 2:32 PM


Y'know, if this were the Lincoln station and their signal only extended, well pretty much to the edge of Lincoln, you might have a point. Unfortunately, the point appears to be on your head and you're as clueless as most people in this viewing area.

3 and 7 are covering the flooding because it is news for a larger section of their viewing area. Simple as that.

Anonymous said...

So this begins to be confusing. Was the gist of this to point out that the baseball story wasn't aired quick enough after the W-H printed it on Sunday or was it that after 72 hours of flooding coverage it wasn't yet time to talk about anything else?
Apparently, it's an ambiguous enough question for Sean/Ted to throw out for the lemmings to begin swarming. After all he can't just reprint press releases here ALL the time.
At what point is the flooding a known enough event that one can go back to "normal" programming and begin showing the house fires and seemingly nightly north O shootings? Well, it stormed Saturday Night, flooded Sunday, flooded Monday. By Tuesday if you didn't know it had flooded you probably are a moron. But there are more pictures of flooded fields to show again. There are more shots of families taking stock of their ruined possessions.
What new was shown out of SW Iowa Tuesday at 10 PM that was any different that had been talked about in the previous 3 days?
I'd wager that you could pick any newscast any night of the week and nitpick something that one did that the others didn't. But it's more fun to single out one station that you seem to be fixated on, or is it one reporter at that one station?? In any event, there are only so many independant newspapers yet to write columns for. Just a matter of time.

Anonymous said...

WOWT was the same station that touted Pat Persaud's retirement for MONTHS so they could milk it for every last drop.

But a story about flooding becomes something viewers grow tired of?

Ooooooookay.

Anonymous said...

There was new information Tuesday night..rising water forced Iowa to shut down southbound lanes of I-29..pertinent information for any Iowa or Nebraska residents who may commute to work or might have been using that route.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I saw that too Tuesday Night ---- on WOWT! Whatcher point? Guess every news outlet mentioned it, huh?
I guess if Joe Trucker didn't watch ANY news before he left for KC, he just had to follow the detour signs & get there 20 minutes later.

Anonymous said...

If I were writing this, there'd be a helluva lot more about WOWT than Sean has heretofore included.

When Barry's Pharmacist says "you could pick any newscast any night of the week and nitpick something that one did that the others didn't," he's right. But there's one difference: with WOWT, you can pick forty or fifty things they did poorly in every newscast on any day of the week and just barely scratch the surface.

No station in Omaha is as consistently and predictably bad as WOWT. Even with KPTM/KXVO, they screw things up differently from night to night. With Channel 6, they keep doing the same stupid stuff and no one there seems to notice or care.

Anonymous said...

Burp

Anonymous said...

One little detour from the flood coverage and you guys are all over WOWT. When 7 or 3 does something different or deviates from special coverage you guys praise them. What's with all the picking on WOWT? I trust there news more than the trash that comes out of KETV or the action from Action 3.

Sean Weide, you shouldn't be posting on your blog under two different names, cough, cough. Ted, or should I say Sean, give it a rest. Your mumbling is as lame as your image. We all know it's you Sean. Get a life!

Anonymous said...

And it's interesting to note that all of the entries on Sean's new blog are slanted in favor of the competition. I have seen nothing positive about WOWT, everthing has been negative and yet nothing about the three other stations in town. It's quite interesting, given the fact that Ted (Sean) used to work at Action 3, his columns usually have been in favor of the Action station, everything positive.

You call yourself an "accomplished" journalist but most of your entries have been biased and slanted, you obviously have an axe to grind, with it pointed mostly toward Channel 6. Could your bitterness be a result of growing old or the fact that no television station hired you after your stint at Action 3. Get over it and find a new profession, your words and PR mumbling is getting old along with you.

Anonymous said...

You may not want to call him accomplished. But he's got a website that you seem to be reading on a fairly consistent basis. He's accomplished that much.

WOWT is archaic. They've been churning out the same formulaic newscast for about 150 years now. You can set your watch by it (well except for the Sports in a Minute, which never seems to come in under a minute).

I can't imagine anybody working there and not being bored senseless. Except for the guy in charge of the yearly blooper reel. He must be working 60 hours a week.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Wow! Must by off meds again.
Sad......

Unknown said...

In response to the comment posted by "anonymous" above, a number of close friends who work in the TV news business have asked me why I rarely respond to criticism directed at me that is sometimes posted in the comments section of this website.

The City Weekly Media Watch column is just that - a column. A forum in which the author expresses his or her opinion. On the flip side, readers are welcome to post their comments and feedback on this site, with few exceptions (allegations that cannot be verified, slanderous remarks, etc.).

More than one local news media outlet has complained of the format of this website that allows visitors to post comments. But I am a firm believer in allowing feedback and thoughtful discussion to occur.

Rumors persist that I had involvement (or was responsible for) the omanews.blogspot.com website. First, I had nothing to do with the site. Secondly, why I would spend time expressing myself in an online forum when I already had two outlets for my media opinion (The Reader newspaper and its online counterpart, www.thereadersmedianotes.com) is beyond my comprehension. I have five children (under the age of 10), a full-time job, two websites to manage, a weekly column to write maintain. Why would I possibly spend time on another website?

It is also very apparent to anyone who knows me well that I am not a mean-spirited person who levies personal attacks against media talent or management.

The point was made by a poster above that they "have seen nothing positive about WOWT." This is far from the truth. Consider that in the last seven days alone, a mention was made of Dave Webber's honor by Girls and Boys Town and a good deal of the print edition of the City Weekly Media Watch column was devoted to the long hours put in by the station's meteorologists during last weekend's storms.

The same poster accuses me of writing "everything positive" about KMTV, for which I worked from 1998 to 2003. I would ask that you pose that question to the station owners and management. They are the true judges of what is being written in this space and in the print edition of The City Weekly.

And yes, I am growing old. I believe we all are. But I am far from bitter about anything to do with TV news, radio, Internet or print media. Rather, it is my intention to inform and provide "food for thought" about issues and matters which occur publicly and behind-the-scenes in the metropolitan (and when applicable, Lincoln) area in the news media industry.

Anonymous said...

Check the writing styles people. "Ted Brockman" and Sean have very different styles.

FBI Man

Anonymous said...

Sean, I think the comparisons to Ted come because of your obvious obsession with local media. Ask yourself why someone with the responsibilities of 5 young children would devote so much time to this. Not only do you write the columns but you must be TVO'ing and watching newscasts to critique.
Spend some time with the kids and forget this blog stuff. I don't know if you are "Ted" or not, but your explanation of why you are not has the same impact of "Ted's" frequent protests that he had never worked in the business.Something just ain't right.

Anonymous said...

Tedbaxter:

Apparently there are a lot of people out here that are as "obsessed" with the media as much as you claim Sean is. Most of us just want our voices to be heard because we are tiring of the drivel that continues to assault our senses night after night and Sean gives us an outlet to let our discontent out. Thanks for the outlet Sean.

Alan M.

Anonymous said...

Or maybe we do it to irritate people like you tedbaxter.

Anonymous said...

If you don't like what you see, move to a different city, Alan M. I'm tired of your drivel that continues to assault the local news media. If you think you can do a better job, why don't you get a college degree and break into the profession.

I love it how people like you who have no understanding of the profession sit back and make uninformed comments and opinions, it's great to have an opinion--but know why you have it. Give me a break people, grow up and get a life! Sean Weide needs a life, other than the one he has at the moment. Quit your PR mumbling and find something more productive to do! Good grief!

Anonymous said...

6:55 AM:

If you don't like the drivel that's on this post; why are you reading it? I'll answer for you; because you enjoy getting your dander up. If you don't like the drivel being splashed across this blog, don't read it. Hell; I don't like half the crap that comes from my idiot box that people like you spout. Guess what? I don't watch! Why don't you do the same. Fool!

Anonymous said...

6:55 AM

FYI I was in the media for several years and therefore it gives me a better viewpoint than most. Watch who you insult by shooting off your mouth. You haven't a clue who might be posting on this blog and what their background is.

Alan M.

Anonymous said...

Westside TV doesnt count Alan M

Anonymous said...

Just to set the record straight 2:51 PM. I worked for all three major NETWORK stations in this town some time ago. So yes, that does give me insight into the media in this city, and quite frankly, jounralistic integrity and work ethic have gone completely down hill. I blame this more on the consultants and the producers than I do the news folks just following orders.

Alan M.

Anonymous said...

Everyone THINKS they're a comedian nowdays, don't they 2:51 PM. Go back to your sugar coated stories and the mind numbing claptrap you call news and turn the computer off, kay?

Anonymous said...

Phfft

Anonymous said...

Alan M. Give me a break. You Westside Warrior you. Your bashing and defensive writings only make you seem superior to others which you are definitely not. I cannot stand how people who claim to work or have worked in the media act like they are above everyone else. Just because you may have inside information from working in the media does not give you a badge of honor to strutt your stuff. People like you fit the definition of complete moron. Close your claptrap and do us all a favor and shut up!

Anonymous said...

6:56 AM

Do you media people just work at being DH's, or does it come naturally? At least I would pay more mind to Alan M. than I would your senseless idiocy. Go back to your hole and find some mind numbing story to placate your befuddled masses with. Or perhaps you would like to give us a resume of your limited journalistic experience. I don't call any of the stations in Omaha big time experience. So perhaps as you so succinctly put it, YOU should close your claptrap and take a nice warm glass of shut the hell up. :)

Anonymous said...

6:56 AM

Why are you so angry? Why are you attacking Alan M.? At least he has the guts to put his name to his mouth. If you are such a media authority; why don't you put a name to your posts? Take credit for what you post. You seem to know so much more than the rest of here. I'm calling you out; give us your name if you aren't a coward. Then, perhaps we will see how you can be such an authority on the media. See...I'm not afraid to post my name.

William Benson

Anonymous said...

1:31 and William Benson:

Thank you for your support; however, I can fight my own battles. Sadly, it is because of the misinformed above poster that the media is in the poor shape that it is in. They actually believe that they can do no wrong and instead of seeking the news, they have decided to make the news, or be a part of the news. Unfortunately it is now more about entertainment than information. It is now more about personal attacks than it is about dignified conversation. Sadly, it is the mentality exhibited by the above poster that has contributed to the demise of the media.

Alan M.