Every Thursday, we ask Poynter faculty, staff and online contributors for their impressions of the news of the week. What surprised them? What was overplayed? Underplayed? What does it mean for the media? What will they be watching for next week? You can find this week’s answers below and answers from previous weeks here. To contribute your own thoughts on the week in review, click the “Add Your Comments” link at the bottom of a post. You can also subscribe to receive “This Week in Media” by e-mail: just click here.
For the week of Jan. 30 – Feb. 3, 2006:
- Jill Geisler on anchors in the field & the myth of ratings-seekers
- Jim Romenesko on the ROMENESKO stories e-mailed most often this week
- Karen Brown Dunlap on the State of the Union, T-shirts and Coretta Scott King
- Larry Larsen on mine safety and “iPod ear”
- Casey Frechette on Iran, the State of the Union and T-shirts, NASA and more
- David Shedden on the 2006 Olympics
Bob Woodruff & Doug Vogt, Anchors in the Field, Ratings-Seekers
Jill Geisler
Leadership & Management Faculty
I’d like to shake Phil Rosenthal’s hand. The Chicago Tribune media columnist challenged the logic of a New York Times story about the wounding of ABC anchor Bob Woodruff and photographer Doug Vogt in Iraq, a story that featured the line: “Field Reports Were a Ratings Strategy.” Rosenthal wrote:
That’s like saying the Times and other newspapers consider their field reports a circulation strategy, which is true only in that their readers, like TV news viewers, expect, you know, news, like what’s going on in Iraq.
Any reading of Woodruff’s resume makes it clear he has long been drawn to field reporting. He wasn’t parachuting in to pose before international events and then jet home. He brings more than a hair dryer to his on-air work — notably a law degree and a command of the Chinese language. Those smarts might surprise those who view most broadcast journalists as clones or cousins of Ron Burgundy.
People are so cynical. If he stays tethered to the anchor desk, he’s ripped for being another blow-dried prompter jockey. If he goes out and actually tries to report a story, he’s slammed for grandstanding.
He was doing a job. He got hurt. His life and livelihood are at risk. Period.
Sending anchors with Woodruff’s skills and track record to the scene of major stories represents a commitment to building a long-term relationship with viewers, one that leads them to trust that the journalist has indeed been there, understands that — in ways only an eyewitness can. Let me be clear: to do this right, it can’t be about an anchor toe-touching at the scene, “fronting” a story largely produced by an unseen producer, then blowing town. It means making a commitment to giving the anchor time to really observe, report and write.
That, in my opinion, appears to be ABC’s “strategy.”
Seeking ratings is no different than seeking readers. No one seems to object that right there in Phil Rosenthal’s neck of the woods, Northwestern University houses a “Readership Institute,” the goal of which is to help newspapers keep or increase circulation. But try saying the words “Ratings Institute” instead, and the term seems somehow sinister. Serving citizens well, with good journalism delivered on any and all platforms, is a worthy goal of anyone in news. If it leads to increased readership and ratings — so much the better.
Most popular stories
Jim Romenesko
Senior Online Reporter
Here are this week’s most-e-mailed ROMENESKO stories:
Thursday (as of 4 p.m.):
1) ProJo‘s Sulzberger said to have a real knack for the news biz
2) Miami Herald staffers unhappy about “Web duty” assignment
Wednesday:
1) Miami Herald staffers unhappy about “Web duty” assignment
2) Newsman fired for “extremely offensive” comments on blog
Tuesday:
1) (tie) Sulzberger is “delighted” with International Herald Tribune
Barry has grave doubts about the future of newspapers
2) Cape Cod Times refused to give “love child” photo to tabloid
Monday:
1) In New York, the Onion has a hard time finding fat models
2) Denver papers act as if they’re going to be around forever
The Major Themes of Simple Events, Honoring an Icon
Karen Brown Dunlap
President
The President’s State of the Union address was the obvious story, but the meaning might have been in the T-shirt story. Two women with very different messages on their T-shirts were removed from the House visitors’ gallery during President Bush’s address. Cindy Sheehan’s shirt listed the number of troops who have died in Iraq, and Beverly Young’s shirt said “Support the Troops.” The next day Beverly’s husband, Florida Republican Rep. C.W. Bill Young, displayed the shirt during a speech on the House floor.
The story showed how life can play out major themes in simple incidents. The incident touched on opposing values, free speech and individual liberty. This was a good time to let the events tell the story and let audiences decide meaning, and many news outlets did.
Coretta Scott King’s death brought to the headlines a special lady who gave private support and exhibited public strength. The coverage made good use of compelling photos that traced the years and captured her beauty and grace. Reports noted the special role that she played in the lives of black women. In most cases, her own numerous achievements stood out. In some reports she was the lead, but the story was her husband. Her death was another opportunity to recall the ’60s and consider what has happened since the ’60s. We could spend more time looking beyond the icons to see how their causes play out in daily life today.
Dangerous Mines and “iPod Ear”
Larry Larsen
Multimedia Editor
Was anything underplayed?
The story I thought went underplayed this week was the continued danger to miners and the necessity of low-cost devices that could help save them. It seems to me that miners are a group with little representative voice, even though they play such a large part in our standard of living.
What was overplayed?
While it is a newsworthy story, I felt the iPod hearing loss story has been overplayed. It is a rehash of the same stories I read in middle school about my Sony Walkman, and the fervor has only helped spur lawyers into a class-action lawsuit. That Pete Townsend has warned that iPod users can “end up like him” is just preposterous. Remember that this was a man listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records” repeatedly for being in the loudest band on record at 126 decibels, night after night, for decades. A maxed-out iPod reaches between 100-115 decibels, which is about the same as a car or a loud orchestra. Remember that decibels are measured logarithmically, not linearly, so 40 decibels is nine times louder than 20 decibels. Some iPod users already steer clear of European models which have a volume cap in place. The real story should be the undesired pain inflicted on others at stoplights from “boom cars,” which are often louder than any sound I’ve ever gotten out of my iPod.
Global Posturing, Mosquito-Borne Viruses and Free Speech
Casey Frechette
Interactive Learning Producer, NewsU
What coverage surprised you?
In light of building tensions between Iran, the U.S. and the IAEA, a piece on “Anderson Cooper 360” last night tried to get at feelings toward the U.S. and Iranian governments — from the perspective of the Iranian people. I found this coverage refreshing, and I hope we see more attempts, from varied outlets, to shed light on different perspectives on this story, especially views from within Iran.
Was anything overplayed? Underplayed?
Overplayed: Coverage of the T-shirt incidents at the Capitol. I felt it ate too much into coverage that could have focused on the substance of Bush’s State of the Union address.
Underplayed: BBC News Online is running a story about a mosquito-borne virus in Reunion, but I’m surprised it hasn’t been picked up much elsewhere. Though not fatal, the disease has rapidly infected an alarming number of people (15,000 in the past week), and there seem to be coverage tie-ins to bird flu and perspectives on preparing for/containing infectious diseases.
Also, NYTimes.com ran a story (the top headline) at the start of the week about James Hansen’s claims that NASA has tried to censor speeches and interviews he’s given on global warning, but I’m surprised at how quickly the story seemed to drop off the map.
What industry developments will we still be talking about next week?
Perhaps the role of journalists covering war, the concept of the anchor/reporter (and whether audiences expect anchors these days to “get their hands dirty”), how media covers itself (e.g., coverage of hostage situations involving journalists compared with contract workers).
What will you be watching for next week?
How the Iran situation is covered, especially with regard to how varied the voices are that we hear, what sorts of follow-ups there are to the possible discovery of a 10th planet in our solar system (and whether it matters to anyone).
Turin and the 2006 Olympics
David Shedden
Library Director
What are you looking for next week?
The 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, will be a major story to watch next week. The games officially begin on February 10.
Since 1896 the Olympic Games have served as markers about the evolution of the media and news technology. It is fascinating to watch the changes over the years. A few examples: 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1994, or any Olympics since 1896.
This year it will be interesting to watch not only how the games are covered by the traditional media, but also how the Olympics are discussed by bloggers around the world.
For more information about the Olympics, visit: Links to the News: Olympics Past and Present.
