Commercial TV News: Pathetic

[Pager]

Usually only watch the news on ABC or SBS but tonight watched channel 7 here in Sydney, the main news events from the channel “Were news comes first” was footballers behaving badly, Michael Jackson’s funeral arrangements, Baby Elephants and the new Harry Potter movie.

How sad and absolutely pathetic that Australians accept this type of embarrassment, also here in Sydney with a sizable Chinese population that fact the upwards of 1000 people Have been killed in China the last 2 days doesn’t even get mentioned.

As a Sydneysider I feel embarrassed that this is how Australian TV reports the news, and the obsession with anything American or to do with celebritys is equally embarrassing, any problems over there or if an American celeb does anything remotly naughty and its all over the commercial news TV, yet Asia on our doorstep and with many from these country living here hardly if ever gets a mention unless it’s a mega disaster with Aussies killed then they cannot ignore it.

*Rant over*

 

[Aussiejeff]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Usually only watch the news on ABC or SBS but tonight watched channel 7 here in Sydney, the main news events from the channel “Were news comes first” was footballers behaving badly, Michael Jackson’s funeral arrangements, Baby Elephants and the new Harry Potter movie.

How sad and absolutely pathetic that Australians accept this type of embarrassment, also here in Sydney with a sizable Chinese population that fact the upwards of 1000 people Have been killed in China the last 2 days doesn’t even get mentioned.

As a Sydneysider I feel embarrassed that this is how Australian TV reports the news, and the obsession with anything American or to do with celebritys is equally embarrassing, any problems over there or if an American celeb does anything remotly naughty and its all over the commercial news TV, yet Asia on our doorstep and with many from these country living here hardly if ever gets a mention unless it’s a mega disaster with Aussies killed then they cannot ignore it.

*Rant over*

Oh. I thought China was what you eated fine food off of?

Seriously - got to agree with the rapidly sinking standard of so-called "news" reporting in this country. Even "Auntie" is facing flack for computerising (read - dehumanising) it's news service and recently getting a swag of titles all a** about! Saw it on Media Watch the other night... Kevin Rudd titled as "Malcolm Turnbull", Joe Hockey titled as "Wayne Swan" etc.... split my sides with that lot!!

 

[Ageo]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Or i love when the headlines say "Another massacre in the U.S"

And only a few people have been killed, yet hundreds die everywhere else but its not that important.

The internet really is your best friend when it comes to news these days.

 

[MrBurns]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Agree the news on Ch 7 and 9 is just the pits and it's getting worse.

 

[trainspotter]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

See the thread "Who really controls the media" for more info on this matter.

 

[DVEOUS]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Rather than have a moan here, could I suggest being proactive, and contact the station(s) concerned.

When viewers ring with complaints (or praise), these are logged and generally discussed in Management meetings... or at least, the staff will have a chuckle over the comments.

I've worked in television since 1980.

 

[drsmith]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

A trend on both TV and radio news is to have pauses in the commentary for sound effects from the story.

I find this most frustrating and it's something the ABC do too at least in their radio current affairs.

TV news on the commercial stations has been crap for years and for this reason I don't watch it.

 

[MrBurns]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Rather than have a moan here, could I suggest being proactive, and contact the station(s) concerned.
When viewers ring with complaints (or praise), these are logged and generally discussed in Management meetings... or at least, the staff will have a chuckle over the comments.
I've worked in television since 1980.

They couldn't give a toss about a few complaints, if they did Daryl Somers would still be running Hey Hey.

 

[Smurf1976]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Never liked Southern Cross (7) news but Win (9) was OK until that too was dumbed down a few years ago.

Only time I watch any TV news now is if expect me or someone I am associated with to be on it (just keeping an eye on how things are reported...).

 

[Julia]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Rather than have a moan here, could I suggest being proactive, and contact the station(s) concerned.

When viewers ring with complaints (or praise), these are logged and generally discussed in Management meetings... or at least, the staff will have a chuckle over the comments.

I've worked in television since 1980.

They couldn't give a toss about a few complaints, if they did Daryl Somers would still be running Hey Hey.

No, probably they wouldn't care if they receive one or two complaints, but if everyone who grizzled on this forum about the media were to express their irritation directly to the media concerned, then it would have an effect.

At the same time, let's send an email to the media outlet when we're really impressed with something too.

They're constantly seeking feedback. Why else would they be perpetually conducting audience research?

My guess is that the dumbed down news you're complaining about is actually what their research tells them their target audience wants. Your average Ocker doesn't give a stuff about Chinese people being killed, but is insatiable when it comes to celebrity gossip. So the media simply give them what they want.

Stick with the ABC and SBS.

 

[MrBurns]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

No, probably they wouldn't care if they receive one or two complaints, but if everyone who grizzled on this forum about the media were to express their irritation directly to the media concerned, then it would have an effect.

At the same time, let's send an email to the media outlet when we're really impressed with something too.

They're constantly seeking feedback. Why else would they be perpetually conducting audience research?

My guess is that the dumbed down news you're complaining about is actually what their research tells them their target audience wants. Your average Ocker doesn't give a stuff about Chinese people being killed, but is insatiable when it comes to celebrity gossip. So the media simply give them what they want.

Stick with the ABC and SBS.

Spot on Julia, the networks only respond to ratings so a visual of someone getting shot or jumping off a building is more important to them than the arts or other important matters like world events.

 

[trainspotter]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Having a little to do with the media over 25 years of involvement with the snivelling little toe rags that bend the truth, it seems unlikely that their masters will retract any stories that bear a falsehood to the real substance. Complaining to them is ineffectual. WE DO NOT ADVERTISE WITH THEM. By targetting the companies that pay their hard earned dollars to get media coverage is another matter entirely. THEY are the ones we need to put pen to paper on behalf of the truth. ALL media would not survive without sending invoices to the machines that want us to buy their product, Why, even our beloved ASF has advertising banners all over it. Think about it. If we do not like it, change channel, turn it off, read a book. If you want to change content then I suggest you steer clear of complaining. To the media this means it is working because YOU have taken the time to remonstrate with them. All the best ads are the most annoying ones because you remember them looooong after the cute cuddly teddy bear ones with flowers on the pillows are ship smoke on the horizon.

 

[trainspotter]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

P.S. Completely agree with Julia on the dumbing down of the national news due to the average Australian expecting this to be newsworthy.

Other way to look at is thusly: You are one of the top 10% of the nation that can recognise what is going on and YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE !

 

[MrBurns]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

I think the news media can actually dictate or influence the intelligence of their audience , they can turn young minds into smart people or idiots.

They fail in this task, the ABC and SBS do not.

 

[Julia]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

I think the news media can actually dictate or influence the intelligence of their audience , they can turn young minds into smart people or idiots.

.

Well, I have more faith in our young people than that. Hopefully they are more the product of their genes and their upbringing than the influence of some crap commercial media.

 

[MrBurns]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

Well, I have more faith in our young people than that. Hopefully they are more the product of their genes and their upbringing than the influence of some crap commercial media.

Thats the question isnt it, are we a product of our environment or our genes ?

 

[Buckeroo]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

When viewers ring with complaints (or praise), these are logged and generally discussed in Management meetings... or at least, the staff will have a chuckle over the comments.

I've worked in television since 1980.

Maybe you could encourage them Dveous to visit ASF and open a thread specially for complaints? - we can then give them a right ol serve anytime

 

[jono1887]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

I think the news media can actually dictate or influence the intelligence of their audience , they can turn young minds into smart people or idiots.

They fail in this task, the ABC and SBS do not.

I doubt it... the idiots will simply switch to the channels that still reveal the trashy media/news. Their simple minds are quite incapable of grasping the significance of real news or even understand the fact that the news they are receiving is full of crap in the first place.

 

[gazelle]

Re: Commercial TV News, Pathetic

I Would pay Al Quadea to take out by any means neccesary : Nova FM : Ch 10 : Ch 7 : Ch 9 in that particular order . My views may be unconventional but who cares .

 

[dbcok]

SBS has different foreign news services for a bit of variety.We struggle to understand the news from Chile every Sunday morning.
I have retreated from the normal ABC and SBS news services.
If anyone thought that Australian TV was bad,try Italy.
"Through understanding comes appreciation"