No surprise here. Leave it to KAKE to over cover and exploit a very tragic story. 36 hours after the event, they were doing local "Team Coverage." I realize this is the worst shooting in US history, but having 2 local stories on an event that happened in Virgina 36 hours ago is a little too much. Granted this is the story everyone talked about today, but I think we can only hear so many Wichitans say what a tragedy it is. I will give KAKE's Jeanene Kiesling credit for her story on a guy from Hutch who lost a friend in the tragedy. I think she actually kept her yelling to a minimum in this story. Just as I was thinking positive KAKE thoughts, they followed with a story at Wichita State and a student reaction piece. Stealing a line from teenage lingo, "that was sooo Yesterday." FRANKly, they should have just recued the stories from yesterday. After the national newscasts had just went wall-to-wall with coverage, why do stations like KAKE think they need multiple stories told at a mediocre level far from the high level of stories you saw on ABC World News Tonight. Give credit to KWCH for leading with a story on Sunday liquor Sales. I didn't say it was good, I am just recognizing them for leading with a local story.
10PM Update: All the stations led with national stories about the shooting. I agreed with this, but how many local angles can we go with? I was actually happy with KSN moving onto other news, at least for the time. As part of KWCH's "Team Coverage" (terrible broadcasting cliche) they had a story with Michael Schwanke basically repeating what the national story said. I usually like his stuff, though tonight's story was wasting my time. Then they moved onto, yet another story, this time on a local guy who thinks he has a service to warn college students. Not bad, but just way too many stories on this event. I think they finally moved to Merrill around 9 minutes in. KAKE really thought long and hard for a local angle. It actually came out OK talking to an English professor about creative writing and how do you know if a student is going over the edge in their writings. Not bad. I was happy with KSN, having their lead story recap the day and then they moved onto other news, this about tax day. It felt when watching the news like tax day was canceled today. Normally every newscast on the day taxes are due, opens up with lines of cars at the post office drop boxes. Not Today. I actually didn't mind that. Too bad it had to be a terrible event that caused this to happen this year. KSN would get back to the Virginia Tech story in a later segment after a commercial break. The story was nothing to write home about, but because of the height of this tragedy I can see why, they went back to the event. Out of the 10PM, I think KWCH probably went a little overboard, although we got to see one of those trademark Jim Grawe stand-ups. I am a Grawe fan, but not of his story tonight. It was less of his fault and more to do with the subject matter. -Hal
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I must ask this though.. What else are the stations going to cover? Not much else happend locally and they are going to do whatever they can to attempt to connect that locally. Think if you were news director, what else would you fill the time up with when that is clearly the mood of the nation for a few days.
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