Creative Writing and Video That Leaves an Impression

I like a clever play on words.  Some consultants say those who write for TV can be too clever.  Perhaps these are the same people who suggest that those who write for TV write to a grade school level.  I don’t care what those people say, I like writing that makes me think about the [...]

Could ALL of the TV Stations in Memphis Come Together and Work for a Common Cause?

The Memphis television market has really become quite competitive.  It’s become a dog-eat-dog world out there as all the stations claw and scratch for a shrinking piece of the audience pie.  But a common cause is prompting some stations in a growing number of cities around the U-S to join forces.  What is this cause?  [...]

Odds and Ends on a Monday

I knew something serious was going on when I heard my wife shrieking from the office.  I’ve been hearing outbursts from my lovely and talented bride for the past few days.  The pups and I came running the first couple of times.  Turns out it’s just madness.  March Madness.  The latest eruptions came Sunday [...]

What Viewers Want (And Don’t Want) From Local News

Local television news operations know what viewers want.  They pay consultants to put together focus groups and do research and share that information with the station management.  Sometimes focus groups are NOT consulted and research is NOT done but hey if the big boy markets are doing it, then it must be good.  That’s why [...]

Finally, I’m Back in the Saddle Again

Nothing like a tree across phone and power lines in the ‘hood to knock a person out of the loop. For someone who depends on the phone lines for a connection to the outdoor world, being “internetless” and “phoneless” for two days was tough. I was in the process of trying to catch [...]

A Newscast IS Indeed a Lot Like A Space Shuttle Launch

When you think about it, a daily newscast is a lot like launching a space shuttle. I say this after my lovely and talented and bride and I had the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes-tour of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and watched the shuttle Endeavour launch in the wee hours of [...]

Excuse Me, Will You Watch If I Pay You?, A Technical SNAFU or Deliberate Act to Cover Up Information on TV, and A Lesson on How NOT to Act on TV News

Like it or not, giveaways are now an ingrained part of TV news ratings wars in Memphis. I credit a former news director at WREG with really getting the ball rolling on the combination Weathergasms, tabloid news type coverage and giveaways in the Bluff City. There’s nothing like giving away some cars in [...]

If You Covered Anything At Graceland, Chances are You Dealt with This Guy

There’s nothing like the death of a person younger than you to make you feel old.  Such was the case this morning when I opened my email and found a note from former co-worker and current employee at Graceland, Kevin Kern who shared with me that long-time spokesperson Todd Morgan was found dead in his [...]