"Makng News: Texas Style" – Week 3
Category: Local... TV & Radio...
Posted Monday, June 25, 2007 at 09:21 PM [GMT-6]

Having just watched the third episode of Making News: Texas Style, I'm wondering more than ever why they haven't subtitled it Cramming 20 minutes of original programming into a one-hour slot. And 20 minutes might be stretching it. As much as I want to see how the series unfolds, I'm not sure how much more I can take of the repetitious "what's gone on before" and "what's coming up next" announcements.

Anyway, here are some additional random observations about tonight's episode:

  • The clichéd background music that appears whenever the storyline shifts to "demoted" anchorman Bill Warren is pretty sophomoric. As MLB put it (and at the risk of dating her), "it makes him look like Clem Kadiddlehopper." I wasn't thinking of that precise term, but the bumpkinesque soundtrack is clearly intended to reinforce Bill's age and "avuncular" personality. Points off for lack of subtlety.

  • Melissa Correa is a sympathetic character, speaking frankly about her self-image problems and lack of confidence. It's sad really – she's a pretty girl and needs to realize it, but her chosen profession isn't kind to those who fight the battles she's struggling with.

  • The fatal flaw in the show may prove not to be the goofy music or the annoying promos, but basic factual inaccuracy. If you're going to come to our towns and shoot some TV, the least you can do is correctly distinguish between Odessa and Midland. Case in point: next week's episode implies that reporter Kara Lee will visit pørn shops on "the seedier side of Midland." As Bleu points out in a comment on an earlier post, this works only if the "seedier side of Midland" is, in fact, Odessa. I realize this won't mean much, if anything, to viewers outside the area, but if the producers get this fundamental thing wrong, what else are they messing up?

  • It was interesting to see Barry Marks, the station manager, on camera, giving a gentle dressing down to the troops for their failure to make up ground to their bitter competitors, KWES-TV (the NBC affiliate from which they "stole" Jay Hendricks, the new anchor). I once helped pitch a business idea to Marks. He passed. And the idea failed, proving that his judgment is to be respected.

Overall, tonight's episode was not the sort of thing that makes one wait with bated breath for the next one.

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Comments

I hate to ruin the ending.... I thought you might like to know CBS 7 has been the number one rated news cast at 10pm since February. The 10pm slot is considered the main show for local TV stations. A majority of a stations revenue is usually brought in by the 10pm news cast. In February CBS 7 beat KWES at 10pm and 6pm. In May CBS 7 beat KWES at 10pm and tied at 6pm. Just in case you were wondering, it took KWES one year to go to number one. CBS 7 brought in a new News Director in September. In five months

Posted by: insider at June 25, 2007 10:24 PM

I'm sorry... I posted before I was done. In five months the changes he's made have had an obvious impact. Congratulations to the entire CBS 7 team. They have worked hard to be number one and climb from the number two spot. As an insider I can tell you that a much of the hard work by dozens of people will not make the "reality" show.

Posted by: insider at June 25, 2007 10:30 PM

Eric, I know I relented at our gathering on Friday, and said I would watch another episode ..... and I have ..... and I'm sorry I did ..... at the risk of sounding like a broken record, "I don't plan to watch the show any more" ..... and this time, I mean it.

Posted by: Jeff at June 26, 2007 06:09 AM

Jeff, I shall not hold it against you. Some things are above and beyond the call of duty. ;-)

Still, my duty is to my readers – I watch, so they don't have to.

Posted by: Eric at June 26, 2007 06:34 AM

Eric, for which you are deserving a special award for valor, my friend.

Posted by: Jeff at June 26, 2007 07:09 AM

Maybe they should rename it "Making News: Jay Hendricks-style". He's not too stuck on himself. "They call me the star of West Texas" was just a sampling. And, yes, I'd be hard pressed to watch anymore, at least until after they point out the "seedier" part of Midland.

Posted by: AdNauseum at June 26, 2007 09:12 AM

Of course, as they say, it ain't braggin' if it's true, and Jay certainly seems to pull in the viewers wherever he goes. I don't know him so I can't judge if that "star of west Texas" comment was a joke that fell flat or needed some context, but I do agree that it didn't put him in the best light.

I'm also with you on the upcoming report; we definitely need to know where the seedier parts of Midland are for, um, research purposes.

Posted by: Eric at June 26, 2007 09:23 AM

last night's episode did build some suspense in my head at least even if you guys want to "ruin" the ratings surprise... jay can come off as a bit too self important i agree but he works his butt off

Posted by: dave at June 26, 2007 11:07 AM

Dave, I'm sorry the ratings surprise was spoiled for you. I assume that you're not in the west Texas market. I don't think that what "insider" posted above is any big secret, locally.

Posted by: Eric at June 26, 2007 01:56 PM

Eric, I think your of Jay's "star" comment - a joke fallen flat, or lacking context - is dead-on ..... I worked with Jay for several years, and I've seen him at his best and worst (andhe has seen me at mine, as well). but I've never seen him stuck on himself .....

Ironically, what was - to me - the best indicator of his character, was relegated to a minor and passing moment in the show ..... when he grabs a camera to go out and shoot an accident, because there are no photographers available ..... not all television anchors could (or would) do that .....

Posted by: Jeff at June 26, 2007 02:53 PM

My thoughts exactly about the background music used on Bill Warren's segments of the show. He must hate that. I hate it for him. But then again, the music might be an accurate tongue-in-cheek portrayal of how he was feeling about his demotion, as opposed to just signifying his new, 'less important' role at the station.

He has definitely handled his demotion with grace and maturity, and I applaud him for that. I hope the station realizes what an asset he is, even if it's not at the anchor desk.

Posted by: Tricia at June 26, 2007 03:41 PM

Here’s the Nielsen viewing estimates of average viewing for May, 2007 for the entire West Texas viewing area (19 counties):

10:00PM (Monday-Friday):
#1 CBS-7 19,000 Households (25% of all Households using Television)
#2 KWES 17,000 Households (23% of all Households using Television)
#3 KMID 4,000 Households (5% of all Households using Television)

6:00PM (Monday-Friday):
#1-tie CBS-7 11,000 Households (18% of all Households using Television)
#1-tie KWES 11,000 Households (18% of all Households using Television)
#3 KMID 5,000 Households (8% of all Households using Television)

Posted by: insider at June 26, 2007 03:56 PM

I saw Jay do the camera thing at KWES when I was there in 1999 so it's just a part of him. If it needs to ghet done Jay will do it.

He's also the biggest Cubs fan in Midland/Odessa.

Posted by: Reagan at June 27, 2007 10:43 AM
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