Let's get ready to rumble!
Television sweeps are upon us! This is the special time when TV stations basically scare the shit out of viewers to keep them from switching the channel. This increases viewers, and subsequently ups the station's ad rates.
"Do child molesters and terrorists live in YOUR state? Tune in and find out!" "How the nails in your walls could give you CANCER!" "Why this road could cause your car to EXPLODE!"
On behalf of the news media in this market, allow me to apologize in advance.
"Do child molesters and terrorists live in YOUR state? Tune in and find out!" "How the nails in your walls could give you CANCER!" "Why this road could cause your car to EXPLODE!"
On behalf of the news media in this market, allow me to apologize in advance.
posted by Howard Beale at 3:47 PM
4 Comments:
My, aren't we pretentious? Sorry, Mr. Beale. I'm proud of what I do and I don't need you apologizing for me.
Leave it to the news folks, especially (but not exclusively) during sweepstime, to take the smallest possibility and blow it up to "you're gonna die" status. And tease it from the open right to the last item in the 'cast. Don't believe me? Take notes. The test is next month.
I'm proud of what I do as well, and I think I'm lucky to be able to do it. But I loathe sweeps week. All sorts of stupid, cliched ideas come out of the woodwork. Hell, I think that we, at times, treat our audience like idiots who need to be protected from every slight thing.
That's not to say there haven't been good ideas during sweeps. I think Elliot Weiler's series on saving money is a good example. He doesn't try to threaten or scare anyone, he just says "Hey, here's some tips on how you can save money on various things you use or need."
Okay, let's hear it. Sweeps are a few days old. The promos have been running for longer than that. Let's hear concrete proof of the stations' doom and gloom, death and destruction. I'm waiting.
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