[Speed Gibson,
Tuesday January 25, 2005 at 3:31pm]
Broadcast News: WCCO-4
This is the second of my audits examining the quantity and quality of our local evening news, either 9 pm or 10 pm. The analysis begins when the local station takes control and ending when the program after the news begins.
Station: WCCO-4
Date: 24-Jan-2005
Total Elapsed Time: 35:15
Percents: News: 48% (World 0% National 6% State 11% Local 31%)
Weather: 6%
Sports: 9%
Commercials: 33%
Intro, Promos, Credits: 4%
Compare with: KARE-11 19-Jan
By my reckoning, there were over six minutes of fluff, needless detail usually of a "human interest" variety that added little or nothing to the story. An excellent example tonight was a piece on how low-carb cereals just don't taste very good. Who could have guessed that? As a percent of non-commercial, non-promo content, this was 30%. KARE-11 was only 18% in last week's audit.
There was a slight aroma of political bias, but not worth detailing. And I was a little surprised that there wasn't any international news tonight, not even from Iraq.
The "happy talk" was a trifle too happy tonight, but otherwise the broadcast was smooth.
Station: WCCO-4
Date: 24-Jan-2005
Total Elapsed Time: 35:15
Percents: News: 48% (World 0% National 6% State 11% Local 31%)
Weather: 6%
Sports: 9%
Commercials: 33%
Intro, Promos, Credits: 4%
Compare with: KARE-11 19-Jan
By my reckoning, there were over six minutes of fluff, needless detail usually of a "human interest" variety that added little or nothing to the story. An excellent example tonight was a piece on how low-carb cereals just don't taste very good. Who could have guessed that? As a percent of non-commercial, non-promo content, this was 30%. KARE-11 was only 18% in last week's audit.
There was a slight aroma of political bias, but not worth detailing. And I was a little surprised that there wasn't any international news tonight, not even from Iraq.
The "happy talk" was a trifle too happy tonight, but otherwise the broadcast was smooth.