When I worked as a morning reporter, I had to cover some really terrible stories. And when I say terrible, I mean they had absolutely no news content or value, but I was basically filling time.
Like the time I had to cover "flooding" when in reality, there was only a few inches of water in an Indianapolis neighborhood. Or the time I was assigned to go live from a school bus stop to show kids waiting in the freezing cold. In reality, it was Florida, 30 degrees and only one child used that bus stop. Or the time I covered the Edison Parade of Lights parade in Fort Myers, and the fact that people reserved their spot on the street with duct tape. Yep, 4 live shots with no interviews, just showing tape with people's names on it. (Mike's family still teases me about this story...and the fact that people actually obey the "tape rule.")
But I can honestly say, in 8 years as a reporter or anchor, and another 5 working in news in college, I would NEVER have done this story. Have you seen it? An Indianapolis reporter did a follow-up to the amazing story of Ted Williams, the homeless man with a golden voice. She decided to hit the streets and see if Indy's homeless have talent. Yep, doesn't it sound like a really bad reality show idea? It's perhaps the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen...and Jon Stewart agrees.
Check out Video Here or click below. (If you watch the video below, you'll have to scroll through the first minute.)
Like the time I had to cover "flooding" when in reality, there was only a few inches of water in an Indianapolis neighborhood. Or the time I was assigned to go live from a school bus stop to show kids waiting in the freezing cold. In reality, it was Florida, 30 degrees and only one child used that bus stop. Or the time I covered the Edison Parade of Lights parade in Fort Myers, and the fact that people reserved their spot on the street with duct tape. Yep, 4 live shots with no interviews, just showing tape with people's names on it. (Mike's family still teases me about this story...and the fact that people actually obey the "tape rule.")
But I can honestly say, in 8 years as a reporter or anchor, and another 5 working in news in college, I would NEVER have done this story. Have you seen it? An Indianapolis reporter did a follow-up to the amazing story of Ted Williams, the homeless man with a golden voice. She decided to hit the streets and see if Indy's homeless have talent. Yep, doesn't it sound like a really bad reality show idea? It's perhaps the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen...and Jon Stewart agrees.
Check out Video Here or click below. (If you watch the video below, you'll have to scroll through the first minute.)
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Indianapolis Homeless Talent Show | ||||
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Wow. I can't imagine what the news meeting was like deciding this was a story. It's exploitive, embarrassing but of course, funny.
I have to say my first thought after watching this is thank god I'm not in news anymore.
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