First of all, Hello and I'm back. I've been on the road quite a bit lately and unable to see any newscasts from the local stations, outside of the stories on the web. I think I previously wrote about the weekend morning newscasts. Although there are plenty of things I could write about, Saturday's morning shows were the first thing I've watched closely since I've been back. I must say I really found KAKE's morning show watchable. It took me a couple of segments to finally realize what the difference was: Rachel Phillips. She has left the station. I think someone wrote in and said it was to be a mother full time. Although she was always more watchable then KWCH's train wreck, her ditsy one liners just didn't mesh well with co-anchor Cayle Thompson. Because of this, weather guy Tanner Swift was lost in the shuffle. Without Rachel, Cayle steers the show quite well and it allows Tanner to show he's more then a weather dork. This morning he had some good one liners which complimented Cayle well, better then the not so smart fodder Rachel would deliver to the show.
Meanwhile at KWCH, there is no change, still a dreadful and painful train wreck to watch. I think students in a college or high school TV class would be more enjoyable to watch than Kim Hynes. The show looks like something you would see in a much smaller city, and is quite a contradiction to all of the other KWCH shows. Sure its early on a Saturday morning, but it just really sticks out compared to their normal on-camera talent. She simply tries too hard on camera and it seems too forced. Meteorologist Anya Sehgal filled in for normal weekend morning weather guy Rodney Price and shows a lot of potential, if only given a decent anchor to work with. Weather talk is probably Kim's biggest problem. The cliches just never stop and it is the same old one liners from week to week, although Anya progressed the conversation better than Rodney.
KWCH's Weather Going to the Dogs - Actually not really. I like Ross Janssen having his dog, Millie appear with him on camera on the weekend evenings. Now the dog has her own bio and slide show on the KWCH site. Maybe once Millie figures out what a shelf and wall cloud is, she can learn how to anchor Saturday mornings. -Hal
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34 comments:
welcome back Hal!
I wonder if KSN will ever do a morning show. I guess they would need more staff first.
Your poisonous comments about Kim are beyond the pale. You are a hack Hal. How nice it is for you to blast other people when you have yet to tell us what you do or what your qualificiations are to judge anyone. Your first post back makes me wish you'd never come back. Goodbye for good.
What qualifications does one need to judge the performance of Kim Hynes or anyone else on television? Viewers make such judgments all the time. Most of them don't have blogs; rather, they just change the channel or hit the "off" button. I say it's about time the mainstream media got over itself. They're no longer the only ones able to break a story or offer criticism and it bothers them. It really does. Keep hacking away, Hal.
A dog doing the weather... Gimmick TV at its finest.
Proof that ratings have nothing a station humiliating themselves.
I don't see Millie as a gimmick, because it doesn't seem that forced. In fact sometimes Ross doesn't really say much about the dog. You might see it in the background, sitting on a chair, during an intro or outro and then anchor Michael Schwanke informs the viewers as to who the pooch in the background is. -Hal
Blogs are part of the reason that no one trusts real journalists today. Blogs are simply one person's opinion and have very little basis in actual fact.
As for Millie, she a station mascot like some have. She's simply Ross' dog who he brought in on occasion and people started to notice. It adds a bit of I don't know, humanity and humor to what can be a pretty dreary newscast filled with serious stories about death, destruction and carnage.
"Millie" is not the first KWCH weather pet years ago they had "Weatherbee" the cat. Then she up and disappeared one day I think she ran away or was hit by a car.
Hal-I work for another station than KWCH and thought your comments about Kim Hynes WERE SO OUT OF LINE! There is no need for personal attacks like that. If you want to say you wish people in Wichita had more experience, than that's fine. But I can tell you from being out in the field with Kim, she is a very hard working and dedicated reporter. Your comments were both offensive and amateurish. I hope more people take the time to write in and echo similar thoughts.
I dont's think Hal was saying Kim needed more experience before coming to Wichita. Accroding to her bio she has been here almost 3 years. My opinion, and not sure what Hal thinks, is there are plenty of people wanting jobs out there in smaller markets who would blow Kim out of the water if they were given a shot. Kim may be "a very hard working and dedicated reporter," but leave her at just that, a reporter.
I think I'd have to agree with Anon 11:39, Hal. I'm used to readers making uncalled for nasty comments like that, but from you? You should know better. You are known for pointing out weaknesses in the stations, but flat out insulting someone like that...not like you at all.
I'll admit...there's a lot of things I disagree with you on, but those comments towards Kim were way out of line. It's very reminiscent of a school yard bully making fun of someone so they can feel better about themselves.
I'm sure your mother taught you better than that.
Hal:
Since people are dogging on you, I as a viewer feel I have the right to agree with you on your thoughts.
While this may or may not be the place to express your feelings, the last time I looked we were still a free country.
If someone told Al Buch he could not go on Channel 3 and give his editorials, it would be condoned as censorship by the media. But for members of the media no matter what their professional capacity to tell you that you can not say these things is wrong!
scottyt is Hal.
ok, lets get back to the blog at hand. Topics to discuss:
Storm coverage tonight? Didn't see any of the big 3 there, just the weekend guys.
SHOCKERS.
News over the weekend? Seemed like there was some good stuff.
Let's go back to discussing how the station's handle news, weather sports..etc. I enjoy this blog when it's like that.
Ya know what last time I checked this is the mans blog and if he wants to bash on someone then let him!
If your delicate sensibilities are offended by the big bad man and his harsh words then you are too damn much of a wuss to be in this business to begin with...toughen up people.
When we as the media put ourselves in the public light we open ourselves up to criticism no matter how harsh it may be. And if I had a dollar for every time I have heard HORRIBLY rude comments come from the mouths of narcissistic, self esteem deficient, star baby talents types I could retire. All of you are acting like the people in front of the camera would NEVER do the same thing Hal did and I know better. I have worked with ALL of you at some point and I know damn well you bag on any and every thing you can, and about everyone you see. So don't sit there and spout off this crap about how it is innapropriate for Hal to talk smack on Kim. Why don't you swing that self rightous pendulum back the other way and think about the bile you spew out of your mouth and the damage it does.
I find it highly ironic that everyone is complaining about the Kim comments yet Hal was equally as rude, no offense Hal, in his comments about Rachel Phillips yet no one said squat about that. I worked with Rachel and I know her personally and while we may not be bosom buddies I respect her and I enjoyed working with her, but I take Hal's comments for what they are...ONE man's opinion on Rachel's performance....last I checked he is entitled to that opinion it is called freedom of speech I would think you fellow media types would be familiar with what that is!
This kind of narrow minded hypocritical nonsense is why I am thankful I am far far away from the Wichita media market and all of it's immaturity.
Difference is Al Buch doesn't hide behind a fake name, and keyboard.
I agree that its time to move on to another topic, especially since you just came back, however I would say if you would have criticized Cayle Thompson, you wouldn't have had near the criticism since he is a male. Since you criticized a female, people are enraged. A total double standard.
No...the real reason that Cayle is not targeted is that he is a much better ANCHOR than Kim at this point. Maybe Kim gets better over time (she isn't bad, but needs more experience). I can't believe that people get all worked up over A BLOG..even threatening the owner.
No. An unfair, personal attack is an unfair, personal attack no matter if the person is male or female, black or white, red head or blonde. Hal needs to apologize.
Hal didn't say Kim wasn't a nice person, or a good person. He didn't make fun of her. He said she's not right for that show. Talent figures in to the watchability of a program, and that's what Hal was talking about. He was within his boundaries.
Hal's a hack and anyone who agrees with him is one too.
Anyone wonder why Hal hasn't commented on this discussion. He usually does at least once. Maybe he realized he stepped over the line.
Hal,
Please keep your commentary flowing. Your Talent critique is one person's opinion, and whether I agree or disagree, I KNOW you are entitled to share your thoughts.
These small market buffoons who think you have no right to comment in YOUR OWN BLOG are living on a different planet in a different previous era.
And NO--the nature of your critique was MILD, EXTREMELY MILD by any Internet standards.
And the person who brought up Al Buch..are you kidding??? Now THERE is some one who needed to learn to "play" by the rules.
Anon 509 - Me over the line? Absolutely not. I wanted to see the takes of others before I clarified things.
As MFTS said in the comments, people didn't write in about my coments concerning Rachel Phillips. The same people who criticized me over the comments against Kim Hynes, could have used that same mindset to criticize my comments against Rachel, but they didn't. I have criticized Rachel before in other posts. And I have taken others like Abby Barnett, Anita Cochran, Aja (whats her last name), and I am sure even KWCHers and criticized them in the past.
Sure a few people were upset at those comments, but nothing compared to the number this time when I criticized Kim. Anon 6/9/08 9:43AM summed up things best:
Hal didn't say Kim wasn't a nice person, or a good person. He didn't make fun of her. He said she's not right for that show. Talent figures in to the watchability of a program, and that's what Hal was talking about.
I think she should be ONLY a reporter at the station and would do a good job. In the past when I have criticized people, readers wrote back saying I didn't say how they could improve. This time I did saying Kim needed to improve her lines in and out of weather so she wasn't using the same old tired cliches every week.
In defending the blog, I could use the line, "You should see what they do in bigger cities," but I won't and I even think to some degree they go over the line. Hal won't stop. Over a year ago, I wrote the following in my very first entry about my comments on the blog:
Some will be very critical of what I see, while others will be in praise of a station's coverage.
The comments about Kim were critical, but as I said that first entry its how I see it and those who disagree are entitled to their opinions just as much as I am entitled to mine. -Hal
But Hal, most people have more class than to slam a person they do not know on a blog. And yes, your comments were personal and mean-spirited.
It's easy to bitch about people when you are on the sidelines and not actually working your ass off. How's the view from the cheap seats?
Yes, I'm biased but here's my honest take:
Most of KWCH's anchors aren't right for their positions. IE: Matt Mauro, Felisha Rolfe, Kim Hynes. In my book, none of those people are good anchors. And that includes Rebecca Gannon on Fox, who is a horrible anchor. They all may be good/decent reporters, but they simply are not good anchors. On the other hand, Roger and Cindy are, bar none, the best in the market. Schwanke... not bad, but could do himself better if he'd lose the stiffness.
I, too, thought Hal could have gotten his point across by writing about Kim a little nicer. But, hey, when you put yourself in the public light voluntarily, which all news people do, ya gotta learn to take the good with the bad. Bottom line: If your feelings are easily hurt, this business isn't for you.
AMEN anon 11:30!
I still find it highly ironic that any anchor (with a few exceptions) would have the audacity to get upset when someone like Hal...or any poster on here....has something bad to say about them.
And Hal despite what people try and tell you on here the anchors DO read this blog, or if they don't read it personally they hear about what you post from other people that do. Point is when something is said on here it usually gets back to the person involved.
There was some smack talking on here awhile back about Jeff Herndon concerning the Greensburg coverage. He spent a good half hour in the newsroom throwing a temper tantrum (which he does fairly often) because he didn't like what was said.
Abby Barnett saw a post on here and had a breakdown (which SHE does often as well) and was all teary-eyed and blah blah blah.....
Point is the talent IS listening.
ok, lets be fair then: who doesn't belong on KSN and KAKE? if you're gonna rip, leave no one behind.
Maybe at KAKE they are. We simply have a problem with unfair personal attacks.
LOL Whatever they are listening everywhere there is an equal number of post on here sticking up for all THREE stations which means people, talent included, at all THREE stations read this thing. No one can convince me the ego-maniacs at KWCH and KSN never read this and it is just limited to the KAKE talent.....BTW if you truly believe that I have some beanstalk beans to sell you so leave me your name a number....oh wait I already have it 1-800-IHAVEMYHEADINTHESAND.
And what the hell is an unfair personal attack? He didn't call her fat, he didn't call her the B word, Hal didn't attack her he simply spewed out his OPINION on her on air performance and ineptitude at her current position. There is nothng wrong with that.
People who post on here bitching about the harsh comments remind me of the people who go around bitching about porn stores. I am sorry but if you don't like it then don't go in the place and if you don't like what is posted here then don't come here and read. I suggest instead you go sign up with operation southwind then you can become a true hypocrite!
And to whomever posted "most people have enough class to not blast someone on a blog"......are you kidding me? That is what half the blogs on the net are for is slamming something or someone. Why don't you go look at what people post about some of the movie stars and then see how you feel about Hal's "horrible" comments.
I think what we are witnessing here is a window into the world of out-of-control egomaniacal News Anchors.
Look at the outrage at some one, God forbid, posting a negative COMMENTARY on a particular anchor.
People coming on here and anonymously vetting outrage at one person's thoughts.
Another Anchor, who became physically bigger at the same time as Barry Bonds--throws a predictable half hour News room temper tantrum because some one says he's not that good. OMG! Connecting the dots here is not difficult.
This is a window into a world of small minded, small time, hypersensitive, insecure people who are driven by Ego. You all know who they are.
Those people STAY here out of fear of precisely this kind of critique which is standard in large markets. They're like "hey, thats Philly--not here. Thats why I'm here!'. And those folks are working side by side with up-and-comers who, if they are good--LEAVE. And if they're NOT--they STAY. Think about the dynamics of this work force--and what remains.
Thats a toxic working environment. As those non-Anchors who work alongside these folks--can testify.
Interesting and revealing stuff.
Wow... someone at KAKE telling everyone about an anchor throwing a tirade and a reporter breaking down.
I bet the search will be on at West St. to find out who m.f.t.s is.
Did anybody notice that none of the big three chief meteorologists (Freeman, Prater, and Teller) weren't on the air earlier this evening when a tornado was on the ground between Haysville and Derby? Looked like we got Smitherman, Smith and Jannessen....any thoughts on how they did?
Janssen strongest of the three followed by Smitherman and Smith in that order.
I really enjoy watching Kim Hynes and the Saturday morning team at KWCH. If I want jokes and one-liners, I'll turn to Comedy Central. I'm there for news and that's what I get. Keep up the good work, Kim!
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