The Gadfly As News Media Critic
Left Turn: The transformation of The Oklahoman from reliably conservative to knee-jerk liberal approaches completion. This week's rants against conservative Rep. Sally Kern, opposition to English-only, opposition to self-defense legislation and criticism of the state's new immigration law puts the newspaper in company with the long-left Tulsa World. The editor of The Oklahoman, Ed Kelley, now full in his role as video commentator on the paper's website, attacked Kern and Rep. Randy Terrill with sarcasm and, I noted, considerable animosity. E. K. Gaylord and Edward L. Gaylord are, no doubt, rolling over in their graves; E. L.'s daughter Christy Gaylord Everest apparently is now in charge of editorial thought, and it shows. What's next? An endorsement of far-out liberal Andrew Rice in the U. S. Senate race? (KTOK talk show host and blogger Mark Shannon's so peeved he's canceled his subscription and wants others to do the same: http://www.markshannon.com/. 2nd Amendment advocate and radio/tv show host Ron Black also is outraged: http://www.ronblackradio.com/.)
Definitely Vague: Cherokee Ballard's been a friend for years; nonetheless, her KFOR report on the Street Rod Nationals in Oklahoma City Friday night was a disappointment for she failed to make any distinction between the 50-something street rodders who gathered for the event and the 18-something Meridian cruisers who caused all the difficulty in years past. To hear her report, they're all in the same pot. Wrong.
Overkill To The Max: While I appreciate news coverage of severe weather and recognize its ability to save lives (I remember May 3, 1999), I am less than impressed with "breaking news" reports of pea-size hail and thunderstorms that are more the norm than the exception in our state. Those reports might not seem so...intrusive and unncessary...if the teevee weather folks would make them brief. Most times, they do not, rambling on to display their latest computer-generated graphics and take "it's raining here" reports from storm-chasers. Such coverage diminishes the attention paid when severe weather truly deserves it.
Definitely Vague: Cherokee Ballard's been a friend for years; nonetheless, her KFOR report on the Street Rod Nationals in Oklahoma City Friday night was a disappointment for she failed to make any distinction between the 50-something street rodders who gathered for the event and the 18-something Meridian cruisers who caused all the difficulty in years past. To hear her report, they're all in the same pot. Wrong.
Overkill To The Max: While I appreciate news coverage of severe weather and recognize its ability to save lives (I remember May 3, 1999), I am less than impressed with "breaking news" reports of pea-size hail and thunderstorms that are more the norm than the exception in our state. Those reports might not seem so...intrusive and unncessary...if the teevee weather folks would make them brief. Most times, they do not, rambling on to display their latest computer-generated graphics and take "it's raining here" reports from storm-chasers. Such coverage diminishes the attention paid when severe weather truly deserves it.
Labels: Gadfly's Columns
posted by Mike McCarville @ 9:58 AM
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