Trial by Fox News
As you all know, it's November Sweeps season here in America. And your local TV news -- in their quest to ever more ominously drag journalism down to the level of "My Dog Spot," because "that's where the people are" (God help us as they leave no moron behind) -- is pulling out all the stops to shock, scare and piss off their viewers in the attempt to get them to tune in nightly in the name of keeping their advertising rates up.
Of course, in the grand scheme of things that will shock, scare, and piss off their viewers and traffic in their respective pressure points, the "sins of the fathers" are on the agenda.
Why? Well, money, that's why. And there's no excuse. The report's been on the table for a month and a half, and the legal clock has run out on everyone involved. Why this "expose" had to be saved for sweeps is patently offensive and the worst of American journalism -- which, if you've noticed, isn't having its best moment right now to begin with.
Tonight, our local Fox affiliate will air a package it's been teasing and advertising for a week to ensure maximum viewership and, ergo (because it's sweeps), maximum ad rates. Their "Crime Fighter" tracks down one of the priests alleged to have abused in the recent grand jury report. And when he finds him beside his car, the reporter gets all indignant.
Frankly, I'm indignant as to how a very serious and sad moment is getting exploited to keep Fox Philadelphia's profit margin up. It's not time to move on just yet, but all this does is continue the stoking of popular anger without giving it any constructive progression into healing, into rebuilding, into resolution. And that's the abuse of an audience and the abuse of the responsibility which, in the ideal, is at the core of this profession.
Fox's brazen ratings grab should leave the network ashamed and appalled. Funny that I might be the one person who is.
-30-
Of course, in the grand scheme of things that will shock, scare, and piss off their viewers and traffic in their respective pressure points, the "sins of the fathers" are on the agenda.
Why? Well, money, that's why. And there's no excuse. The report's been on the table for a month and a half, and the legal clock has run out on everyone involved. Why this "expose" had to be saved for sweeps is patently offensive and the worst of American journalism -- which, if you've noticed, isn't having its best moment right now to begin with.
Tonight, our local Fox affiliate will air a package it's been teasing and advertising for a week to ensure maximum viewership and, ergo (because it's sweeps), maximum ad rates. Their "Crime Fighter" tracks down one of the priests alleged to have abused in the recent grand jury report. And when he finds him beside his car, the reporter gets all indignant.
Frankly, I'm indignant as to how a very serious and sad moment is getting exploited to keep Fox Philadelphia's profit margin up. It's not time to move on just yet, but all this does is continue the stoking of popular anger without giving it any constructive progression into healing, into rebuilding, into resolution. And that's the abuse of an audience and the abuse of the responsibility which, in the ideal, is at the core of this profession.
Fox's brazen ratings grab should leave the network ashamed and appalled. Funny that I might be the one person who is.
-30-
posted by Rocco Palmo at 15:27
1 Comments:
It sounds as if this is an "ambush" story, nothing more. In Britain, they used to be known in the stock-in-trade as "dirty vicar" stories. Sensationalism pure and simple. And, from the Fox affiliates description, the Archdiocese itself doesn't play much a role in the story whatsoever.
Post a Comment
<< Home