There have been a number of reports in the local media about Randy Lerner's decision to attempt to extricate the Browns from their contract with WOIO. Channel 19 deserves whatever it gets, but it's hardly alone in its irresponsible and downright embarrassing approach to news and sports coverage.
Exhibit A in that regard is WKYC's absurd Carl Monday, who, in the course of his prurient reporting on the sad little perv who decided to rub one out in a public library, managed to make himself a national laughingstock. I've always thought that Monday was an odd duck, but his coverage of this "story" demonstrates that he's actually a truly bizarre combination of Barney Fife and Ted Baxter. It also strikes me that there's just enough Les Nessman in the guy to make him oblivious to how ridiculous he looks, and to make him think that his masterpiece of masterbatory reporting merits the coveted "Buckeye Newshawk Award."
I suppose I could talk about the other TV stations, but if you're not from here, all you really need to know about Cleveland TV news is that nobody in this town has yet figured out that Anchorman was a parody.
How about radio? Well, there's the completely useless WTAM, whose on-air personalities seem to be having an ongoing contest to see who can agree most vehemently with any move that any Cleveland team's front office makes. They seem to break from this contest only long enough to nod their heads in agreement with everything that President Bush has ever said or done. Hey WTAM, 50,000 watts and a clear channel are terrible things to waste.
I guess you could listen to WKNR, but nobody appears to do that, and for good reason. I've tuned in enough to know that if you hear anything other than the national ESPN Radio feed or Les Levine, you need to turn the dial or else risk serious brain damage. Apparently, the situation at WKNR is about to get worse, as they plan on dropping their ESPN Radio affiliation in the fall.
So, I wish Randy Lerner all the luck in the world in finding an alternative media outlet for the Browns' preseason games. The pickings in this town are mighty slim.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
The Cleveland Media Puts the "Vast" in Vast Wasteland
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
You've got to be willing to beat a boatload of dough that when Monday was in school he had the snot kicked out of him on oh, well, about a million occasions.
I forgot to add that you're absolutely right about Cleveland sports talk. It's horrendous.
Funny you should do this post. Just yesterday I wrote about Neil Bender being an asshole after some on-air comments he made. I really wanted to like the guy, but now I'm not so sure.
Why restrict your criticism to television? Isn't the Plain Dealer the saddest bunch of sportswriters possible? After a life spent mostly here in Cleveland but with a significant number of years in some other sports-mad places, I am certain that the received knowledge is correct--this town really is one of THE great sports towns. But the PD is full of either (a) poorly written "insights" I was capable of articulating back when I rooted for Vern Fuller as a kid or (b) a bunch of flacking for the writers' "sources." Thank god for the internet so that I can read the Akron Beacon Journal sports page and people like you guys.
Peter, the PD is 100% fishwrap. I'd say more, but since Scene magazine and the Free Times seem to devote half of each issue to high quality Plain Dealer hatin', why steal their thunder?
Let's just say there's nobody on the PD's sports desk who is qualified to carry Terry Pluto's jock and leave it at that.
Vinny and/or The Hornless Rhino:
Absolutely ...100% ...freaking brilliant!
There's no doubt that "19 Crackhead News" blew it big time in a shameless attempt to garner a few more rating points - off the death of an innocent little girl.
However, I now have to ask who is going to "stalk the sidelines" in order to get that exclusive interview with Donovan McNabb if The Philadelphia Eagles come to town...?
At least, now, we won't have to worry about any of the reporters snorting the 50-yard line during the games.
Keep up the good work!
Post a Comment