Sweeps Story Gone Bad?
This from a tipster: KFSM started a health scare Thursday night. Mary Marsh reported about
a leprosy "outbreak", only to have the health department send out press releases talking about how untrue it was.
KNWA, 40/29 and FOX all ran stories about the erroneous report,reminding people "the other station" was wrong, and there's no outbreak at all. KFSM on the other hand, seemed to blame the doctor they interviewed for the mistake.
Noticed Drudge Report picked up the link to the story on the station's website. The story was removed from KFSM's website Friday afternoon. A story reporting the Arkansas Department of Health debunking the claims appears now on Channel 5's site.
posted by ATN @ 12:47 AM
138 comments
138 Comments:
What is going on over there at 5? The Chaffee story wasn't big news? The tornado outbreak was only worth running the same package over and over? And now you've created a panic with false reporting of an epidemic?
This from the station that won a Murrow Award a couple of years ago?
Shameful.
In case you missed it, the "false" report is on YouTube:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3nexwbL4xMY
I can't imagine this as a sweeps piece. There's barely enough video to work with. And when 5 gave the update to talk about the "misinformed" doctor, it was just the same few shots over and over again.
Will someone at 5 please explain how this story came about? I for one am curious, along with many others. I'm sure Mary wasn't the only one to blame here.
And I'm curious to hear the doctor's side of this. I hope one of the newspapers or other TV stations picks up her side of it. Anyone know if she contacted 5News or any of the other stations following the backlash?
Hmmmmmm...if the reporter doing the story had thought about contacting the health department before running the story, or contacting one of the medical schools, this "retraction" may not have had to happen in the first place. And it has to make you wonder what the editors and the news director is doing letting something like this get by. It's another example of local news giving the audience short-shrift by cutting corners and getting a single source (which nobody is supposed to do anyway) for a quick and baseless piece of hype. This kind of approach to reporting is also what gets people sued for libel. You might remember KNWA had a news department many years ago that shut down after a reporter jumped the shark on a story about a U of A basketball player and criminal activity, without having any facts to back up the story. It's happened before, it'll happen again unless wiser more experienced news management (there are some of them still left in NWA, right?) take a guiding hand to some of the younger less experienced "reporters" in the market. I'd almost say this is funny if it wasn't so sad, and if Mary wasn't such a nice gal. Someone should bitch-slap the news director in this case.
I also feel sorry for Mary. I hope KFSM doesn't try to save face by making her the scapegoat. Anyway, it's yet another blow to the credibility of KFSM 5. Can they just pull the plug? Hopefully viewers have learned their lesson by now. There aren't too many examples of great TV journalism in NWA, but 5 News shouldn't be considered an option even when channel surfing.
Mary is one of the nicest people in this business. They better not throw her under the bus for the news directors mistake.
This has to be the worst bit of journalism I have ever seen locally. This whole month has been one long screwup for them. The Northwest Arkansas Community is in a near uproar over the near panic this story started. KFSM throwing the doctor and reporter under the bus just make the situation that much worse.
Their scanner must have broken and there were no police cars or fire trucks to chase.
There's a lesson in this: verify breaking news, otherwise get out of the kitchen and don't post it.
If you're a drudge fan: drudgetracker.com
To 2:09 AND 3:44....
I don't know Mary. I don't know anyone at the station. But to NOT hold the journalist responsible for the story accountable is in itself bad form. Of course the news director--and any producers who looked at the story, are also responsible for the screw-up. But let's not play the "poor little scapegoated reporter" card here. The lead journo should be held accountable first and foremost. She was out on point. If she had concerns she needs to make them clear to her bosses ASAP. And if they don't respond, that's what a GM is for.
And 5:14 can learn a lesson about professional journalism as well. You guys act as if the reporter had no hand at all in putting this piece out there. As if a gun were held to her head to do the story.
I have been a journalist for two decades now, and I guess I'm going to have to give a primer on journalism:
1. Before delving into any story, research what has been reported. In this case, the news of leprosy in Arkansas isn't new. This story was written in the Morning News in Springdale in December. They reported their facts correctly, and the story went by without any mass hysteria.
2. If a doctor, or businessman, or anyone who isn't connected to a government agency starts citing statistics, verify it. This is really, really basic.
3. It's not clear to me if Dr. Bingham is stating there's a leprosy problem or is responding to reports about leprosy. The latter comes across as so.
4. Who are the other doctors and specialists? Where there any at all, or was the "reporter" allowing the doctor to speak for others. Again, lazy journalism.
5. Did this doctor EVEN KNOW the TV station was going to attribute her as the sole source? Had she known, maybe she could have directed the reporter to the Health Department or CDC.
6. If you're going to be so lazy by not admitting you didn't do your homework, don't blame it on a source you interviewed AND NOT FOLLOW UP WITH A COMMENT FROM THAT PERSON TO GET THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY. This was reprehensible, and KFSM could very well have a lawsuit on her hand for defamation of character.
6. What makes me sad is that Mary Marsh stammers and stutters through the entire report just reinforcing she's still green. She may be a nice person, but she has to learn now that you can't run with a story without verifying your facts. Nice people have ruined lives by not doing something as simple as picking up the telephone.
And as to the above comment, I realized I put No. 6 twice. It's still early, and there's no "edit" button on this thing.
KFSM bad reporting,KFTA no Super Bowl,KNWA having on air NBC from NY and Little Rock on satellite and KHBS with horrible Cox cable problems......what's next? It looks to me that no station should be throwing stones and clean their own house before pointing out others issues.
The story in the Dem Gaz shows no mercy to 5 News. The ND doesn't appear to take any responsibility for this.
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/216211/
SPRINGDALE : Officials: Leprosy story false
BY TRACIE DUNGAN
Posted on Saturday, February 9, 2008
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No outbreaks of leprosy or tuberculosis exist in Springdale or elsewhere in Northwest Arkansas, state health officials said Friday in an attempt to allay fear following a TV station’s report Thursday night.
While there are nine reported cases of leprosy and 21 cases of TB in Washington, Benton and Sebastian counties, none is a recent infection, and the two diseases are not believed to be highly contagious, officials with the Arkansas Department of Health said.
“There has never been an epidemic of leprosy,” said the Health Department’s branch chief of infectious diseases, Dr. James R. Phillips.
“Ninety-five percent of the population are genetically resistant to leprosy,” Phillips said. “And flu is magnitudesmuch-more contagious than leprosy.” There is no clear-cut definition of “outbreak” outlining a minimum number of cases, or a time frame, for a disease, he said, but health officials generally consider a “sudden or significant” increase of a particular disorder to qualify.
A version of the report broadcast Thursday night by Fort Smith / Fayetteville channel KFSM-TV, Channel 5, reported that Springdale’s “medical community” was warning the public that a leprosy outbreak “could blossom into an epidemic.” A version of the story appeared Friday on the station’s Web site, www.kfsm.com. Phillips and Health Department spokesman Ann Wright said the story led to a flood of calls to the Health Department, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the governor’s office, congressional offices, and the Springdale mayor’s office.
By Friday, national Web sites such as The Drudge Report carried items about reported leprosy in Arkansas.
The story sent the chambers of commerce in Springdale, Rogers and Fayetteville scrambling to dispatch news releases Friday denying the existence of a leprosy outbreak in Springdale.
“You may be aware of a media report that is suggesting there has been an outbreak of leprosy in Springdale. This is not true,” wrote Perry Webb, the Springdale chamber’s president and chief executive officer.
“The Chamber has been in touch this morning with Gov. Mike Beebe, Congressman John Boozman, the Center for Disease Control and the Washington County Health Department. Each of these entities are fully engaged and are reporting to us that there is no ‘outbreak’ of leprosy in Springdale or Northwest Arkansas.” Webb said the television station was pulling the story from its Web site Friday afternoon, a claim that KFSM News Director James Warner denied. The story had been removed from the station’s Web site as part of its follow-up reporting, he said.
The station stands by its initial story, he said.
Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease usually affecting the skin and peripheral nerves, “but that has a wide range of possible clinical manifestations,” according to the CDC. A milder form can cause “hypo-pigmented skin macules” while a more serious form can include skin lesions, nodules, plaques, a thickening of the dermis and nasal congestion. People receiving antibiotic treatment or who have completed treatment are considered free of active infection.
KFSM’s story said it based its report on statements by “local doctors,” but the only doctor it identified by name and quoted directly was Dr. Jennifer Bingham, a Springdale internist.
Bingham attempted to return a Democrat-Gazette reporter’s telephone call to her office early Friday afternoon, but return calls placed to her cell phone later in the day were not returned. “Springdale is also reporting over 100 cases of TB,” the television station reported, without further elaboration or attribution. During its 5 p.m. newscast Friday, KFSM attributed Thursday’s report to bad information supplied by local doctors.
In December 2007, state lawmakers heard a report that there were eight cases of leprosy from 2000 to 2005 among Washington County’s Marshallese population, which is concentrated in Springdale.
“We have had leprosy in Arkansas since forever,” Phillips said. “Some people get the idea that leprosy just came with the Marshallese. That’s not true.” Roughly 75 percent of the leprosy cases in Arkansas and the United States during the last decade have been among “foreign-born individuals,” including Marshallese, Hispanics and others who have moved to this country, but they did not introduce the disease here, Phillips said.
“Every year, there were cases among native-born Arkansans — before the Marshallese ever arrived,” he said.
When it comes to TB, the percentage of foreign-born residents with the disease was smaller in Arkansas overall than elsewhere in the country, where more than 55 percent of cases were among foreign-born. That compared to 28 percent of Arkansas cases among foreign-born residents.
Medical schools don’t teach much about leprosy since there’s not much chance doctors will run across it, Phillips said, but infectious-disease specialists track it.
Most cases are contracted among family members who live in close contact for extended periods of time.
If you are someone in the 5 percent of the population who is susceptible to leprosy, “it is possible that you could walk into somebody’s [contaminated ] house, walk out in 15 minutes and be infected,” Phillips said.
“That’s theoretically possible — but statistically, not likely,” he said.
I think from the reporter, ND, Assigment Manager, down should be held responible for this story.
It seems that no red flags went off for anyone.
KFSM didn't even follow the rules of journalism. Last time I check the Washington and Benton Counties Health Departments were listed in the phone book.
Here's another clue.....there's a web site called google.com. It's an amazing tool.
That news article someone posted makes 5News look very very bad. According to this article, the governor's office knows about this "false" story first hand.
How could 5 defend a story that's false? I know for a fact the Arkansas Health Department and every local hospital are excellent with returning phone calls, and always eager to help with stories. A simple call to them could have prevented this.
I'm still waiting for someone from Channel 5 to post how this really went down. The doctor may have been misinformed, but I doubt she initiated contact. I bet 5News came to her and told her people in Springdale have leprosy...so she responded to that.
And how did that mayoral candidate get involved? She might as well drop out of the race now! Springdale is a melting pot, there's no room there for a mayor who talks about immigrants like that. We already have one mayor like that, and he's enough.
I've also been a journalist for more than twenty years, and I'd also hold the reporter responsible...but in this case, she's young and very inexperienced...you just don't put her out there without giving her some advice - that's why I hold the management even more responsible for letting something damaging like this on air. This was shabby reporting at its worst.
Any chance that nutjob mayoral candidate is the one who fed the story to KFSM?
Not absolving KFSM of not doing due diligence in the reporting. But I am wondering where the idea for the story came from in the first place.
Did this story hit the wire service? It must have, b/c at least one station in Little Rock had it on their 5PM news...but not at 6 or 10. So how else would they have gotten it?
11:32, everyone's asking the same question. How did this story come about? Who presented this idea? How did the mayoral candidate get involved? Did the doctor REALLY give them that information? Did KFSM make initial contact with the doctor?
I knew it was BS the first time I saw it. I wondered why someone who's not even in office shared their two cents. If it was a true outbreak, the mayor and health department should be the ones talking about it...not some candidate and a random doctor.
I'm the person from 9:47 a.m., and I agree. A good editor wouldn't have allowed this story to go on the air without properly advising the reporter, especially if the reporter is a newbie. I have stated many times that in order for a major screw up to happen, it's usually a series of people -- not just one person -- dropping the ball. Unfortunately, KFSM has proven themselves to have a very inexperienced news staff, starting from the top.
We all have to start somewhere, of course...and anytime you have an inexperienced reporter, someone should be looking over his or her shoulder. But more than anything, I think this story illustrates how important it is to have capable people out in the field. A good reporter, newbie or not, would have confirmed with multiple sources and not made a leap like this. So take note, all you stations who are "saving money" by sending into the field inexperienced newbies who will work for nothing. You get what you pay for.
The bottom line here is 5 should issue a press release or do some type of story explaining their actions. Calling their sources misinformed simply doesn't cut it.
I can't imagine this kind of thing happening under 5's last ND. I didn't always agree with him, but at least he knew how to research a story and handle breaking news. What the heck people?
Word has it that 5 was going to just pull the story and remain silent if it were not for anchor Daren Bobb insisting a corrected story be aired.
Same word says GM Van Comer wanted to continue running the orginal story. He liked the attention his station was getting.
What's up with this?
A) This story would not have hit air under the last ND. I don't care if he is sick, they need to prop him up and bring him back. Fast.
B) Daren Bobb took a stand on the issue. He's a real journalist and believes in doing it right.
C) Van Comer might have wanted to get mileage out of a high profile story, but I guarantee you someone told him it was accurate. He worries too much to push a false story.
4, 7 and 11 all ran the story in their 5 newscast on Friday.
Not sure why 16 didn't.
No way the former ND would have let this on the air. Dale had great news judgement.
Not good. Not good at all. If this was just a ratings ploy, then shame on management for letting this pass unchecked.
Marsh sucked at KNWA. And clearly she still sucks even at KFSM.
And who is the producer over at KFSM who should be worried about the editorial content of his show? Jeremy Pappas. Lazy ol' Pappas just cares if the show doesn't hit black.
A winning team.
Not complaining - makes the other stations look incredibly intelligent. At least for one night.
How could Marsh suck at KNWA if she was just a cam op? The woman has a master's degree, which proves she's not a dumb girl and shows she's more educated than most every reporter, anchor, ND and GM in this market.
It's not fair to say someone as green as her "sucks." Every reporter in this market who's a powerhouse today sucked at one point. This is a crappy market where smart people come to make mistakes and move up.
In most places, Marsh would be suspended or even fired for this debacle. I wouldn't expect to see her or the producer work for the next few days if it weren't sweeps.
Marsh may have a degree, and it's obvious she's sweet and kind, but Columbo she ain't.
There are some Wal-Mart stockers with degrees.
To 6:29....
You may want to check YOUR sources again.
7 did not run the story at five. I don't believe they ran it anywhere else either.
I'm a former 5 employee and I can tell you exactly how this kind of thing happens. First, Mary is now reporting out of Fayetteville, where 5 has NO resources or crew, especially at night and on weekends. Like any other person working any other job, the management are all just trying to get home by 5:30 and get on to the weekend anyway. In my time at 5, after around 5:30, your Fayetteville news crew was one reporter on their story, one photographer on everything else, and 2, maybe 3 people working production and Bridget rolls in around 9:30. Same in Ft. Smith, except with producers and a full production crew, but no management, unless you want to count Darren Bob, which I'm pretty sure even they don't in that. Weekends are twice as bad as far as crew goes if you want to see the kind of quality control you get on that stuff. So no, there probably really was no one but a photographer and a couple of Production assistants there watching over her shoulder,and to think they give a damn what she's doing is just dumb. to compound that, all the producers work from Ft. Smith. ALL OF THEM, every news cast. And I've heard more than one story about Ft. Smith producers sabotaging NWA news reporting due to being bitter about the change in emphasis. Sounds crazy, but it's happening. Not saying whoever that producer was shoved the story down mary's throat, but It's very possible the producer knew it was a joke of a story, but would rather put a blemish on the record of the Fayetteville folks than help save the integrity of the station for the sake of keeping River valley news a bit more relevant in the future when the argument arises(And it does between the two news rooms). So yeah, mary screwed up big time. You have to be more aware of what you're reporting to people and know when you need to really dig before putting something out there. The fact that she's not smart enough to put more effort into what would have been an absolute frenzy of a story had it been true is troubling, you probably want brighter people than that. Frank Wiley for example, even with his flaws would never have gone with that story, because he knows better. But hey, Mary was her own boss at that point with no one to double check her until folks started showing up the next day. It's been a little while since I was a part of that newsroom, but if there's anything I learned in that time, it's that they don't like to change things very often.
Rant Over
"4, 7 and 11 all ran the story in their 5 newscast on Friday.
Not sure why 16 didn't."
It's because 16 knew the story was bogus.
"So no, there probably really was no one but a photographer and a couple of Production assistants there watching over her shoulder,and to think they give a damn what she's doing is just dumb."
You know, everything you said here is true, except for the above statement. I used to be one of those production assistants, and it wasn't our job to look over the reporters' shoulders. Hell, we were lucky to even know what was going on in our own NWA production dept, so you can forget about us knowing what was going on in other departments.
However, knowing some of the people that still work there, I'm not at all surprised that no one called bullshit on that story. Managers don't care as much as they should about their workers, and the NWA newsroom just doesn't have enough people to really help out the inexperienced reporters (esp at night). As for production, they're too busy sitting in the back of the station checking their myspaces and playing video games.
I'm just sorry that the few good people who are still working there are going to be associated with this sloppy situation.
Oh, I'd also like to mention that a former KFSM employee was caught having stolen a company gas card and using it to make money for himself after he left- despite many co-workers' complaints to the management that this guy was up to no good, did they listen to us and do anything about it when they had the chance? Nope. All they care about is doing "less with more."
Just goes to show, you get what you pay for. And then when people steal your shit, you end up paying for more.
Good job, Channel 5.
My bad- it shoulda been "more with less."
I'll stop now.
FYI former employees, KFSM's news director now works out of Fayetteville, the assignment editor works out of Fayetteville and the number of reporters and photographers there is exactly the same as in Fort Smith. You obviously have been gone for a while.
Maybe it's just me...but this topic has gotten dreadfully dreary, especially for those of us not in NWA. It's over, done, nothing more to say about it until and unless someone gets fired over it. Next???
That was my point "gah", that even the photographer shooting the story probably left her to her own devices once the thing was shot. I guarantee you there was simply no one else in the newsroom after 6:15 to be generous.
8:27, I'm not interested in who's now working out of where, i was alluding to the fact that regardless of where they work out of, neither the news director nor the assignment editor were around at the time. Sure she probably should have tried calling them, but the way it went down suggests that at least neither of those two is even aware of what their 10 p.m newscast consists of. If there's nothing wrong with that, I guess I'm the crazy one.
Hey anonymous - I was there quite recently, actually. Despite the fact that the news director is there now (and the assignment editor position has been there for quite some time), they still go home at 5:30; They don't work weekends. The rest of us were, for the most part, under the age of 30 and left to run the place the rest of the time.
And even if the numbers are the same, that doesn't change the fact that most nights we were left with one reporter and one photographer in NWA. On weekends, the photographer has to do whatever production tasks there are in addition to his own job, since none of the NWA prod crew works Sat/Sun.
Basically, KFSM pays one person $8/hr to do the jobs of at least two people at any one time, and it shows.
10:25 - You've pretty much hit it spot-on, with the comment about how no one is really around. I used to laugh about how after 5PM, the station was basically being run by a bunch of twenty-year-olds with little to no communication handed down from the FS side of things.
I can't tell you how many times I told my "superiors" that so-and-so needed some help with one thing, or so-and-so needed to be trained on another thing, only to learn that it was never done.
The facts are that the news director, assignment editor, sports director one of the two morning anchors and one of the two main anchors are based in Fayetteville. That's plenty of supervisory staff IF they are doing their jobs.
As for staff being short on weekends, that's the way it is at most small market stations. Not saying its right, but that's just the way it is.
This story, though, did not take place on a weekend. And I guarantee you management knew about it before it went to air.
The assignment manager and news director may be in Fayetteville, but we've already established they're long gone before the 10pm news hits the air. Irwin has sports to worry about. It's also known Bridget scraggles in around 9:30pm, when it's too late to help. It's bad for the nightsider, but there's always the phone.
If management knows the nightside reporter won't get much supervision, why is the greenest one working that shift for probably the most important newscast of the day?
I wouldn't complain about the girl's workload. It's pretty well known the reporters, producers and photogs in this market bust their butts and do work three people would do in a larger market. They just need to suck it up, report the truth and avoid a lawsuit.
Why is there a weekend anchor opening at 5? Is Broyles leaving? And does anyone else think Sara Lasure should get her two front teeth filed down? Russell Jones is creepy, and I'm starting to get used to Wiley.
Most of what you say is true, except for the reporters and photographers doing three times the work they would in a large market.
It is true about people in this market doing more:
Many producers in this market do more than one show a day, write the entire show and proofread what reporters write. More work than in a larger market.
Reporters here do multiple stories each day, edit them all, and some of them shoot video. They also write VOs and VOSOTS in addition to their story. More work than in a larger market.
Photographers here don't do as much work on a day to day basis since most of them aren't responsible for editing, but they will be when someone calls in sick. However, some of them shoot multiple packages each day, and sometimes they're the only person shooting every piece of news for a given day, especially weekends.
I am right.
You are talking about minor reporting for the most part. Large market reporters often turn three packages a day, plus vos, plus promos, plus teases, plus multiple lives. And then if there is breaking news, you go to it and don't stop until it is over.
There is nothing wrong with a producer doing two half hours a day. It is good experience. Besides, from what I've seen of KFSM lately, most producers there are just stacking feeds and re-running packages. I don't see too many signs of over work.
Gee, I see Arkansas journalism is still alive and well. Whatta' bunch of dummies! Yes, there is an epidemic in Arkie journalism: Dumbass.
If Broyles is leaving, Lasure should get the job.
Any word if any of these people will get suspended or lose their jobs over this deal?
The story idea wasn't bad journalism.
FACT: There are 9 reported leprosy cases in Benton, Washington, & Sebastian Counties.
The mistake was not telling both sides. The health dept should have been used. The candidate for MAYOR should NOT have been used.
It was not a sweeps story. It was a poorly told story with no news judgement or leadership.
Someone should follow up with why there are 9 cases of leprosy in NWA when most doctors see ZERO in their career. Probably the attempt at KFSM, but poorly executed.
Next victim please!
It has been established what everyone's opinion is on this topic.
If the topic doesn't interest you, just skip it. There are other topics here to read. Duh.
I truly feel sorry to Mary Marsh. She is a caring, wonderful person and should have to take the entire fall. Everyone can point the fingers at whom they wish too, and yes she was at some level at fault for running this story in the way she did. But, I really think this comes down to issues at multiple levels, simply not just her. She is only doing the best that she can with how things are at TV5. They work under a shoestring budget and are deficiently staffed. -And when to add a reporter who has only been on the job for 4 months, this is what can happen. It is that simple. I hope TV5 handles this professionally and doesn’t merely put it all on Mary.
Who said Jared is leaving KFSM all together...he's still reporting M-F. Remember way back when...he anchored the 10 on Friday's for Bridget? Some say he was being "groomed" for the main anchor position before Daren came along. Well, we all know that didn't happen. Jared stuck with 5 and if I were him, I'd just move on to another market. He could definately anchor in a small to mid sized mkt or even report in a large one.
Jared Broyles would be a great anchor for WETV. His two talk and facial expressions are right up there with the stupidest ever to grace this market. That youtube highlight video of him is awesome! Whoever put that together is my hero!
I think Jared was anchoring during the 10PM in order to relieve some of the stress off of Bridget- help with the workload and such while the anchor-replacement search was going on. At least, that's what we were told.
As far as the other reporters go, they all work very hard at their jobs, but I do think that they are under-trained and at times expected to perform on a level that they aren't yet ready for.
Personally, I think Frank Wiley is one of the most professional people I have ever worked with, in terms of doing his job and doing it well- and all with a great attitude, to boot.
Also, the NWA photogs are actually pretty busy on a daily basis. They do a lot of editing on a day-to-day basis, as well as shooting, live shots, et al. Well, the good photogs do, anyway.
Also, ease up on Jared. At least the guy has a visible personality, unlike some of the reporters at other stations.
Timmons must come to LR and be on the tube more. Maybe on the morning show? Could replace one or both females there.
wait wait wait... what's the link to the jared youtube video????
I saw the report... the real problem was putting a doctor on TV that CLEARLY had no idea what he was talking about. The really bad thing about the story was putting the mayoral candidate on, talking about immigrants and "their diseases."
Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens sometimes. You have smaller news organizations, when fewer people doing more things, and younger reporters working alone... and not enough eyes see a script. It could happen to anyone.
Still... lots of suck.
And my name is spelled with an "A." Though, by your post, I can tell a) you've never met me or b) you're just a fucking moron. I'd expect nothing less from half the people at KNWA. The other half are cool though.
I don't think there have ever been so many long, overblown diatribes posted on this blog before. Get over yourselves.Nobody wants to read half a page of your idiotic rants.Nobody besides a small handful of people really give a rat's behind about 5 or NWA. Can we PLEASE get a new topic, or get them their own board?
I'm not for the diatribes either, but I want to know why 5News has that hideous new set thingy? It's so tacky and ugly. How could anyone think it looks good? It looks worse than a cheesy college news set. Gross!
And where's Broyles going? Is he the one going?
How could someone get stressed over reading for 30 minutes each night on a temporary basis? That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard...especially since several local hours do nothing but come to work, complain and read in front of a camera.
Give me a break! I really hope she was not stressed over that.
hey jeramy, isn't it your job to at least glance at the scripts? i don't see mike irwin reporting sub par sports information, and he's basically a producer, too.
"are deficiently staffed"
welcome to TV news in Arkansas.
A) If you don't want to read about NWA, just skip that posting on the blog. Duh. Which is more stupid? Posting a long rant or sitting and reading a long rant you have no interest in and then wasting your time to post about it?
B) I don't buy the "lack of eyes" to read scripts excuse for one second. You are telling me that a News Director, Assistant News Director, Assignment Editor, two main anchors and a producer don't have time to proof a script about an "outbreak" that might become an epidemic? Uh huh.
C) Mary Marsh is a talented young lady with enormous potential. I suspect she was given a story idea and a deadline and not much else and did her best. Experience is the best teacher and she is getting a lot of that right now. Her chain of support, however, let her down on this one. There should have been a news director, assistant news director, assignment editor, main anchor, producer or someone there to guide her through a story like this.
Mary is a very nice person, but that doesn't excuse not checking your facts. If someone tells you soemthing, you have to check it. It's reporting 101.
mickey goodwin is sexy
Nice.
I think KFSM needs a hug. Can somebody Hug KFSM?
I haven't seen a good sweeps story yet. Anyone check out the horrible story on Tony Alamo on KTHV?
The anchor read the intro to say that Tony Alamo is coming back to Arkansas... they go to package and it's only the history of the guy... for what seemed like ten minutes.
Then in the tag, the anchor says to join them tonight at ten for details on Alamo coming back to Arkansas.
They have the audacity (root word is Audas) to call this 11 Investigates. They wouldn't know an investigative story if it stuck a mike in their face.
Tony Alamo = CRAZY NUT
what a way to waste time
"are deficiently staffed"
About as good as good as "almost completely destroyed"
Please, Moderator...if you have a any kind of a heart, please give us a new thread. These same demented people are content to rehash something that's almost a week old...something that doesn't affect most of us in the slightest! Let them rant and rave all they want...just give us something new so that we can move out of here.
If you are tired of this thread, move on.
Yeah, it's like the person has an attention disorder.
I thought the Tony Alamo story was well put together. By the way-- the lead said "he was gone after years in jail-- now he's back in Arkansas." You can't get into a story like that without first giving the history.
Name one sweeps Feb. story in the market that's been better. Ready, set, go!
I don't have an attention disorder...perhaps it has escaped your notice that this thread is the latest one...the most current. There is nothing to "move on" to from this endless drivel about small market people, places, and things.
Then, read a boor or something. It's not like this is the ONLY thing to occupy time. Or maybe it is for you.
Just because it is the most recent doesn't mean you have to read it.
That's like saying you have to stop and go through every door with an "open sign" while driving down the highway.
I'm sure you can find something productive to do with your time.
You do realize, of course, that all tv news in Arkansas is small market right? There isn't a market above size 50 in the whole state, unless you count Memphis.
Why are people talking about poor Mary and it's alright because she's inexperienced.
If she needs someone to hold her hand and tell her who to call etc she is in the wrong business.
No, I agree.
There haven't been any good sweeps stories and to make it worse on THV they keep doing extras on Tony Alamo.
after the first story Who Cares.
and tell Ebone to comb her hair. She looks awful among other things.
Ebone is sweet. Leave her be.
does anyone have a picture of knwa's mickey goodwin's navel
No one has said it is alright. What has been said is that if managers employe entry level people, they should provide them the training and supervision to help them grow into the job.
OK...this is getting old and the important questions aren't getting answered.
How did this story make its way into the newsroom?
How did the doctor/mayoral candidate get involved?
Did anyone call BS before it aired?
Why is there a weekend anchor opening at 5? Is Broyles leaving? If so, where is he going?
How do I read a boor, 9:40? And I am not the only one who's complained about how long this thread has dragged on and how there is nothing new to be said. You are a crashing bore...is that what you meant?
Want some cheese with that whine?
I'm not sure how 5 picked up on it, but it was in the paper late last year (in much less "scary" terms, of course).
One Answer...
Jared isn't leaving...still reporting dayside Monday through Friday.
Demoting him from weekend anchor is a huge mistake. His numbers had been solid since he took over the job.
5 could put a Ball of tin foil with a face painted on it as the weekend anchor and their viewers would still tune in.
Expect a major announcement concerning KFSM within the next 14 days. Details are still sketchy but there is no doubt that some major changes are about to go down!
The "ball with tin foil" concept probably explains why they were #2 on weekends before Broyles was given the anchor job.
That's true. Sorry. Even I know that 5's viewers prefer a smiling ball of tin to speak.
Lasure should be weekend anchor chicklets and all. I think KFSM in whole could use a extreme makeover.
POST #100!!!
Major announcement at KFSM???? way to wet the appetite of us bloggers!
i call BS on that one
Since 99.9% of "major announcements" in broadcasting come as a complete surprise when someone from corporate suddenly shows up, I'll agree with the BS call on this one.
On the other hand, if any station could use a good "corporate visit," it is KFSM!
The only thing I know (and I work there) is that there are murmurs about the main anchor being let go but I don't think that would be a "major announcement". The only other thing I can think of would be if we were being resold?
which anchor?
or that fiber optic cable they used to talk about from fayetteville to fort smith is finally gonna be laid down in the mountain. fayetteville, you're all fired.
The fiber wouldn't lead to any firings. It would just replace the microwave they use now.
Why would they get rid of Darren Bobby? He is the only reason people watch Channel 5.
Darren Bobby is a fabulous anchor and he is the best looking man in the market.
I am sure they are talking about Bridget.
That would be a mistake, which actually makes it likely for Czar Van. Say what you want about Bridget, the viewers love her. She's one of the most genuine people I have ever known in this business.
Darren Bobby is a fabulous anchor and he is the best looking man in the market.
Is Bobby and kin to Ricky?
Lasure is leaving and if they do something with Bridget I am done with 5 and those goobers running that show. What the frick?!?!
I think this post gwine bus one-fiddy.
The BEST change that could come for 5 is at the top! Until that changes, they'll always fall short of their full potential.
KNWA is the only station I watch. KNWA is the best station. Once you go KNWA you can't go back.
KNWA is only good because Alex Flippin works there.
I was in town for a few nights, so I tried watching KNWA for a couple of nights just to see. The weather guy is pretty good. The rest of the talent, though, looks amateurish compared to the graphics, etc. They just need some seasoning. The content just wasn't there, but that was true of all of the stations.
I'm not overly impressed with any of the stations, but Bridget and Daren at 5 and Donna at 40/29 are the best (to me that means the most credible on air) anchors in the market, followed by Craig at 40/29 and then everyone else. 5 has the best weather team, particularly Garrett, although the guy at KNWA is very good as well. The 40/29 guy was solid, but just didn't click with me. I'm not sure why. From there it falls off pretty fast.
None of the reporting I saw was anything outside of average small market stuff.
Honestly, it looked to me like all of the stations were trying to do too much (too many newscasts, especially) with too little staff. As a result there was lots of repetition of second and third tier stories and too few reporters per newscast. Producing was weak across the board (I'm not saying the producers are bad, just that they need some more experience).
Just some honest thoughts, take them or leave them.
I like it when people say they just happened to be in town last week then proceed to name anchors and talk about shows in detail.
Quit acting like some random observer.
I know you aren't one because you said Daren and Bridget are the best.
No one who doesn't work at KFSM would say that.
I work at one of the stations and many people I know watch KNWA because they say it feels like a big city newscast.
Outsiders are shocked at how bad KFSM looks and I must agree.
They have an awful set and some of the ugliest talent I have ever seen.
KHOG provides the best content. They now have a set to compliment their news. Too bad Craig and Drew drag them down.
So you are saying because I am from somewhere else, travel in and out of the market from time to time, that I am incapable of knowing the names of the anchors there? In case you didn't notice, I said something good about all of the stations there and also said that all are weak and need work. That isn't exactly bias. I also placed Donna at 40/29 on a par with the two at 5 and placed Craig shortly behind.
I don't work at 5 or any other station here, but do work for a web based publishing firm that keeps up with other media. I gave you an honest opinion. I'm sorry it didn't match your bias in favor of your employer. I thought it was pretty fair.
Oh, and I can also name the main anchors and most of the weather people in Dallas, Chicago, Indianapolis, Atlanta and Miami if you want a list. I don't live in any of those places either.
Maybe you are telling the truth but you lost credibility by saying Daren and Bridget are the best.
I am not sure anyone in their right mind would make such a statement.
Actually, I said that Daren, Bridget and Donna are the best, closely followed by Craig. That's people from 2 stations, not just 5.
I also said that 5 and KNWA have the best main weather people.
And that none of the reporting showed much.
Craig has no creditablity. He is too difficult to watch and he quite the jerk. He probably drools everytime he sees video of painkillers.
You have to understand, I don't know any of these people so my views aren't based on what I know of their personalities.
Since I have some of you in the market engaged in the discussion, though, I'm curious. Why do you think so few people watch local news there? Is it the quality of the stations or just a lack of interest?
To be completely above board with you, my company is considering launching an internet only news effort for Benton County (reporting, video, weather, sports), so I'm trying to learn more about the news audience in the area.
2:56- It is my understanding that KFSM wins most rating periods because they bring in a lot of the older viewers from the river valley, whereas the other two stations focus mainly on nwa news.
I think my problem with news broadcasts is the content- there's either news, or there isn't, and I'm just tired of seeing a slow news day evidenced by the top story being about how high schoolers are sleeping in cardboard boxes for a night in order to raise money for the homeless. with that particular story, for example, the local HS does that every year and really shouldn't have a place in the a-block of a live broadcast. it's not news- it's closer, if anything.
Mostly, our local news just seems lazy, especially concerning big issues and the follow-up. god, I miss seeing follow-ups.
By the way, KFSM really does have the worst set on air. I mean, I guess it's okay since their average viewer is probably 60 years old and doesn't want a lot of flash, but come on. It looks like it's from the early 90s.
I like the looks of the other stations' sets far better, and I appreciate their use of the news ticker rolling at the bottom for other stories- it's more in line with what national broadcasts are currently doing.
Thanks for the input. It makes a lot of sense.
I agree with you on KFSM's set, by the way, it is outdated.
The real problem I have with all of the stations is content. I would watch news on an old set if it was interesting, but for the most part it is all just the same old, same old. The vast majority of the stories I see on all of the stations are just not interesting to me.
I see the same old sweeps pieces that have been done to death across the country. Court coverage and meeting shots. Lots of file video.
What does the outside observer think about Russell Jones?
I don't know who he is, except that someone here seems to be fixated on him.
I am at an "outside observer" from Little Rock and I know Russell Jones from when he was at KATV and I have seen him since then on TV during a few trips to NW Arkansas. He had a OK work ethic at KATV and he seems to be a OK reporter at KFSM. He seems fairly uncomfortable especially during live shots. His main problem is his blandness and this is a problem across the board with the reporters at KFSM. He doesn't have the greatest look either but a lot of that goes back to his blandness. If he showed more emotion he could be better but he is more than likely as good now as he ever will be. His brothers arrest and trial for the Dirksmeyer murder probably still weighs heavily on him as most people still think his brother is guilty.
I too once worked at KFSM, and I agree with the posts of other former employees... for the most part.
The "twenty-somethings" left to run the newsroom, in some cases, did a better job than the long-timers. When producing, my anchor once skipped out of work most of the night to watch the finale of Sex And The City. Did management care? No, because she was watching the show at a manager's house. At KFSM it was all about who you were buddies with and sucked up to... not how hard you worked.
When reporting I once worked on a huge story about lawyers not properly disposing of their clients' personal information. Medical records, financials, social security numbers, etc... all found by a guy throwing away his trash in the huge community trash bin. We had a great story handed to us. Did we do the story? No. Why? Because the law firm advertised with KFSM and management didn't want to lose the advertising (KFSM is one of the worst at sales dept. having control over news dept.) and becasue Bridget was pals with the lawyers and she didn't want to upset her drinking buddies.
The problems there run deep. Lazy people don't lose their jobs because they're "long-timers" and management sees this as a good thing, no matter how bad the employee is. Yes, in anchors it's a plus because it establishes a "relationship" with the viewers. That's why Bridget has so many fans despite how bad a journalist and anchor she is and despite how fake she is (sorry to the person who says she's genuine, I saw too much to the contrary). And of course you want people who know the area. But when it comes to producers, reporters, photogs, etc... in a small market, don't go for long-timers unless they're great at what they do and just love their hometown that much. Your best bet at that level is the go-getters who really want to accomplish great things. They'll work their butts off for you, even if it's only to get a good resume tape. At least then you have great people working for you on a "two year rotation" instead of horrible, lazy employees who you're stuck with forever. And if you want to hire the "green" people, train them!!! That station has no training, or at least didn't when I was there. Lots of lazy journalism there... a sad story.
Dude I was one of the twenty-somethings when I was there. I busted my butt until I realized that the long-timers didn't care; as long as I wasn't kissing their collective asses, it became clear to me that I wasn't going to go anywhere in that company.
To 2-21 11:56,
I've known Bridget for 15 Years! She has ALWAYS been a genuine friend to me. She is also wisely selective of the people she befriends which may explain why you don't have a true idea of how she is.
Sounds like you had a lot of issues with 5. 5 has it's problems, but when problems like those follow you, you have to ask if, well, maybe it's you?
I agree...Bridget is and has to be selective of who she lets her gaurd down in front of, because of people like YOU. It's sad, but that's how it goes for a majority of on-air talent...watch your back, and your myspace/facebook accounts or you could get into some unecessary trouble.
To 2-25, 2:47 from 2-21 11:56. I'm sure Bridget is a loyal friend, I don't doubt that at all. I'm talking about her behavior in the newsroom and as an anchor, period. It seemed her friends and social life sometimes got in the way of her judgement as a journalist. It was more about being a "personality" than a "journalist." I'm not saying she wasn't nice, just that she knew how to play the game and was more of a social representative of a business than a true news anchor.
And at the risk of sounding defensive (since a message board provides no facial expression or tone of voice) you say, "when problems like those follow you, you have to ask if, well, maybe it's you?" I'm sort of curious as to what made you write this? I only listed problems with 5, not with any other station, so where is it these problems were supposed to have followed me to? I absolutely LOVED the newsroom I went to after 5... great management, great anchors & reporters, exceptional photogs, and one of the only stations I've known where the news and production departments work together as a team, and a good one at that.
Ok, Hold on, that whole "Lazy Long Timers Thing is not True.
A photog took video of a very "long time" anchor asleep on the job several years ago. A manger later listed that as one of the reasons his contract was not re renewed.
btw. The guy who has worked in KFSM's news department the longest of ANYONE, and started the Fayetteville newsroom is the guy who works the hardest, I know that for a fact. His name is Mike Irwin.
I know Mike, and it's true, he is a very hard worker. What I get from the earlier post is something I too have seen in a number of long-time number one stations... not that ALL long-time employees are lazy, but that a general atmosphere of complacency does tend to develop.
hey sarah bennett i get the feeling you don't like bridget.
WOW!!! I Forgot about her!
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