JOE MUEWS

Channel 7 is making a concerted
gram the preceding day, only 55 per-
effort to "temper the teasing" by
cent did this year. In 1994, 37 per-
running the story right after the
cent reported watching at least one
tease and a break, rather than wait-
hour of TV news the preceding day,
ing almost to the end of a 30-
but the figure now is 23 percent.
minute newscast," he said.
Only half of the respondents this
Kerbel also takes a swipe at the
year said they watched the net-
TV "sweeps" periods in November,
works' evening newscast, compared
February and May, when the
with 59 percent in 1998, 65 percent
Nielsen Ratings people "sweep up"
in 1995 and 71 percent in 1987. In
information around the country to
local news, the trend also is dramat-
find out when TV sets are on and
ically downward: 56 percent of
what they're tuned to.
adults watch local TV news regular-
The results are tabulated as rat-
ly, compared with 77 percent in
ings that measure audience size,
1993.
which, in turn, determines how
To a large extent, newspapers and
much the station can charge adver-
the Internet have captured these
tisers: the higher the rating and the
lost TV news viewers; about one-
larger the audience, the greater the
third of adults now regularly get
price of commercial time.
news online, according to Pew, and
Kerbel points out that violent
more -are rejecting TV news specifi-
crime may decline in most major
cally; and only 26 percent of
U.S. cities nine months of the year,
Internet users watch a nightly net-
but with apparent dramatic peaks in
work newscast.
November, February and May.
Critics have panned TV news in
"During those three months," he
recent years, saying the networks
alleged, "more buildings are
devote too much time to live-disas-
`engulfed in flames'; small fires are
ter coverage, such as the Princess
`raging infernos'; there are more
Diana car crash and the JFK Jr.
deadly intruders, more rampages,
plane crash.
more hostage situations, more bomb
And the news that is there doesn't
threats, more undercover sting oper-
seem to be trusted, Pew reports.
ations, more personal health crises,
Only one-third of adults say they
more sex stories and more unsolved
believe most of what they see on
murder cases that
are back in the
AiraMWZMEMNOM.MinItURMATEMMMENAMENNAZ
headlines."
-
•
•
Said Upchurch:
Anchor Guy Gordon of
"Of course, the
WXYZ-TV-Channel 7,
one of four stations
`sweeps' periods are
Kerbel tracks in his
important because
book. Want to be a
they ultimately set
successful
anchor? You
the ad rates, but it's
need at least two things
ludicrous to imply
going for you, writes
that we dredge up
Kerbel. "The first one
more crime and
is trust. The second
accident stories just
one
is caring. Trust is
for these periods.
in your face. Caring
We run our usual
is in your voice."
strong program-
ming."
M:::Wrig:Cli:MMVOSPMEMMUMAIMMAN.WAVOM

II

erbel's
criticism of TV news in
general seems to be sup-
ported by recently
released information about America's
TV viewing habits from the highly
respected Pew Research Center for
the People and the Press in
Washington, D.C. This independent
opinion research group is sponsored
by the Philadelphia-based Pew
Charitable Trusts.
Whereas 74 percent of those sur-
veyed in 1994 reported watching a
news broadcast or news-based pro-

ABC, CBS and NBC. With their
chronic sensationalism and their
chronic ideological bias, the network
news groups have simply forfeited
trust, says Pew.
"It's true that regular local and
network TV news have more com-
petition from cable stations, the
Internet and others. Viewers have
more options now," Upchurch con-
ceded. "Local TV news is fighting
that trend, so it's imperative that we
just have to be that much better —
and I think we are."

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