Missing the story
WKOK has the distinction of being the only all-news radio station in this market. Tucked away down in Sunbury, the station actually does news, instead of the usual talk-o-rama heard on other AM stations across the region. Sometimes, people from WNEP and WBRE will listen in, to see if there's anything big happening down in central Pennsylvania.
This weekend, WKOK also earned the distinction of missing a big story in their own backyard. A PPL error cut off natural gas to everyone in Mount Carmel, leaving thousands of people without hot water, heat, or a way to fire up their stoves. It got coverage on WNEP and in the local newspapers down that way. And why not? Weekends are typically slow anyway, so breaking news is welcome news.
Where was WKOK? They were doing stories about the United Way, the Easter Bunny, and other fluff. To be fair, it's possible the station never put the story on its website (which would be dumb). But how can the station miss a big story happening right in their own backyard? Maybe station management should be watching WNEP and WBRE to see if there's anything big happening.
This weekend, WKOK also earned the distinction of missing a big story in their own backyard. A PPL error cut off natural gas to everyone in Mount Carmel, leaving thousands of people without hot water, heat, or a way to fire up their stoves. It got coverage on WNEP and in the local newspapers down that way. And why not? Weekends are typically slow anyway, so breaking news is welcome news.
Where was WKOK? They were doing stories about the United Way, the Easter Bunny, and other fluff. To be fair, it's possible the station never put the story on its website (which would be dumb). But how can the station miss a big story happening right in their own backyard? Maybe station management should be watching WNEP and WBRE to see if there's anything big happening.
posted by Howard Beale at 2:36 PM
5 Comments:
WKOK may have an all news format, but they're slow to retrieve it. If it's not in the Daily Item, WGRC(Christian Radio) then KOK misses it. As a listener in the area...WKOK is at best, mediocre.
Does WGRC even count as a news operation?
WGRC does do a decent job at news coverage. That's mainly because they yank their news out of every newspaper in a 50 mile radius. Don't believe me? Check out their news page...
"told the Centre Daily Times"
"The Daily Item reports"
"The Lewistown Sentinel reports"
"tells the Pottsville Republican"
"The Digital Collegian reports"
"The Press Enterprise reports"
"The Sun Gazette reports"
...and so on and so on.
What does WGRC have...two full-timers? I've seen them generate some interesting coverage from time to time, but I agree with you on the newspaper outtakes... That is a sign of poor staffing and/or weakness thereof...
Just my humble opinion...
Where do you think television news departments get much of their news? They may not rip and read verbatim, but they will take the story right from the paper, then go out and shoot video and air the story as their own. Local television isn't about news gathering, it's far more about news packaging.
I have no connection to WGRC, have never even heard the station, but at least they have the integrity to "courtesy" the papers from which they take news.
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