Biggest freeloader of all time--Gayle King is back

Yeah, network TV doesn't have the guts to put on that kind of show.

If they say it's what they're going to do, they're kidding themselves.

 

Gayle King might be a good call; her morning show is actually pretty good. It's even sorta highbrow, and she has A-list guests and doesn't ask them the same boring questions everyone else does.

 

Speaking as someone who has pitched network morning shows -- largely without success -- the "problem" with these shows for our purposes is, they're NOT catering or programming to the majority of SportsJournalists.com Nation.

I've had a producer tell me and a major client that they actually see their ratings drop whenever they do anything involving sports. Frumpy housewife in Topeka or harried working mother in the Chicago 'burbs does not want to hear Matt Lauer talk about golf or anyone deal with soccer -- outside of David Beckham.

PCLoad can chime in anywhere here, but they want light, airy celebutard stuff or sensational "Dateline" stories "ripped from the headlines." This is one reason a Rhodes Scholar like GSteph has gotten stupid since hosting "GMA." We are not their audience.

 

Yeah, Bird, I'd say that's pretty much spot-on. They almost never deviate from a small set of stories -- mayhem, celebrities, and women's health.

Like I said, the "Early Show" announced a while ago that it was going to be a serious counterpoint to "Today" and "GMA," but it didn't take a genius to see what was coming. "We will only cover things that matter. We will respect the intelligence of our viewers and not dwell on ridiculous celebrity stories that only.... wait, Lindsey did what?!?"

The "Early Show" is especially frustrating, because they almost literally have nothing to lose. A day or two ago in my market, it went for the full two hours with no measurable audience in the 25 - 54 demo. That's almost impossible. So, they could do anything in the world they want for those two hours without worry that they'll lose the audience. What they choose to do, always, is a third-rate "Today" show.

And now they're going to pattern themselves after a show on MSNBC, which is one of the only things on TV with crappier ratings than the "Early Show."

And Bird, the attitude toward sports in news shows, local or national, is always baffling to me. In virtually every station they avoid covering sports because no one cares... until the local team makes the playoffs, when everyone cares. So the news side will put a reporter on the story, but they insist on putting a "news spin" to it, so the story ends up being the economic impact. Every time. As if anyone gives a shit that TGIFriday's gets higher receipts on a playoff game night than if the team missed the playoffs.

 

I understand that they want stories that can be heard and don't need to be watched - figure most of their audience is moms getting the kids out the door, making breakfast and lunches, so if you want attention you throw in a few "every parent's nightmare" stories.
Locally it might be even crazier. Most local stations dedicate about half their staff to mornings now.

 

Hiward Kurtz:

CBS tried to hire away the Morning Joe team. Also gets into the "soft" vs. "hard" news goals of these shows.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/11/13/cbs-early-show-s-new-strategy.html