Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

The beginning of a New Year is the time to look forward and think about ways in which our local media can better itself. Certainly all of us, this newspaper included, should vow to be more investigative in 2006 and to look more deeply into the workings of our local governments. Here at Lagniappe, we’ll promise to commit our vast resources to doing just that.

But if I could have just one wish media-wise this year, it is this — please television stations, give us LESS weather coverage!

I know that’s probably asking a lot considering the fact we just had the worst hurricane ever hit our area, but I’m not talking about telling us when tornadoes, hurricanes and heat waves are hitting the area. I’m talking about the incessant coverage of run-of-the-mill weather.

I’m sure all the news consultants issue edicts that the weather must be covered in excruciating detail, but really, on an average day, is there any reason the meteorologist should be consulted at the top of the broadcast? WPMI has become the worst offender in this regard, giving us what amounts to almost two weather segments in each broadcast. They hit us with a pretty substantial weather report three minutes into the broadcast, then come back with the same information just a few minutes later.

I’m not trying to pick on WPMI — hey, I’m a regular watcher, and I think they do the best investigative work of any television station in town — but it’s gotten out of hand. This early-broadcast weather report brings the news to a screeching halt, in my humble opinion.

All of the stations go overboard with weather. Please, for the love of all that is holy, keep the weather coverage in perspective. Unless Dorothy’s house is about to be hurled over the rainbow, keep it to a minimum. Let’s be honest, most of the time, there’s really not much to report.

Victims of groupthink

It seems most of the area media outlets fell prey to a bit of groupthink last week, with the Register leading the way on a story about longtime Mobile police officer Walter P. Jackson, who passed away recently.

Jackson was memorialized with both news stories and an editorial lauding him as Alabama’s first black police officer. That take on the story was also broadcast on several local TV stations. But on Dec. 29, the Register ran a correction stating that Jackson was just “one of the first black police officers in Mobile and in the state.”

Such a mistake could happen to anyone, but the fact that it happened to more than one media outlet shows how we in this business sometimes forget to do engage in critical thinking, or even to ask some basic questions.

Blue flame

The fear mongering over the alleged flammable nature of the ubiquitous blue tarps covering many a damaged roof in our area reached five-alarm ridiculousness last week when WPMI reporter Brian Johnson took on the story. Several media outlets warned about the possible dangers of the tarps and their potential for exposure to flames as fireworks rained down New Year’s Eve. But Johnson took it the furthest.

The reporter famed for his “School Zone” speeding reports, set up a combustibility test — with firefighters overseeing, of course — in what appeared to be a vacant lot. Johnson and company piled wadded newspaper under a spread blue tarp, then set fire to the newspaper with a lighter. Not surprisingly, the whole pile was soon roaring along at a clip suitable for wienie roasting. Believe it or not, the tarp was torched.

I’m not really sure what it proved, unless people are shooting flaming newspapers at New Year’s. But we were warned not to “try this at home.”

Just asking

A year ago, it seemed the political set in Mobile was abuzz about the ramblings of the online wag “The Mystic Mackerel.” Now, he’s a pretty cold fish. The anonymous Web-based political observer was all the rage a year ago, but it seems whoever the Mackerel was, he’s gone into hiding.

Perhaps it had something to do with the number of people trying to “out” the Mackerel. Rumors were flying fast and furious that he was someone with some sort of political position, and if that’s true, perhaps that’s why the Mackerel has gone silent. In any case, the site remains up and promises new updates routinely, although it seldom delivers.

Maybe since Mike Dow is gone, the Mackerel just has nothing to say.

WALA Changes

A WALA insider says the changeover at the station, which was recently sold by Emmis Communications to Lin TV, is complete. Our source says there hasn’t been any shakeup in management, and the biggest inconvenience so far has been the requirement that all employees get new e-mail addresses.

Register read in high places

It seems Register reporter Andy Netzel’s great story on the Clarke County Commissioners voting to spend $7,000 annually to cover the rural county’s government buildings in the event of foreign terrorist attacks drew attention nationally. We’ve heard the commissioners received media inquiries from as far away as New York concerning the dubious expenditure. We’ve also heard the media heat has caused the commissioners to rethink their position.

In a shameless self-plug I’ll also direct you to www.lagniappemobile.com, where you can read a Web-only column on the subject.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

Archives