Re: News Judgement???

[Bill Piacentini <billpi@ll.mit.edu>]

Donna stated:
...but to send Jay McQuade on a plane with Louise Woodward (a convicted
felon) to England to cover her press conference (!)--  now, that is no
problem at all. HUH?????  Am I missing something here?
Bill O'Neill responded:
Nope.  Line drive right up the middle, yet again.  I would have expected
that of Channel 7 and the ever present Zelig, er, I mean Dan Hausle, but a
local radio reporter?  Is McQuade also covering "the story" for the TV side,
as well?  Even that seems, as they say across the pond, "a tad silly."
Back yards flooding here at home, a 50 year storm - think of the radio-fun
you can have with that sort of piece.  Everybody has a story to tell, up and
down, down and out.  I guess we have to leave that to NPR when it comes to
covering the human side of struggles.
As for WBZ radio reporting, have you checked out their morning top hours
lately?  FEW voicers, rarely a live shot from anywhere.  Pretty much out of
the box stuff unless something goes poof.  Or an unemployed nanny throws a
press conference.  I will stop now, for my BP doth rise.
"We're LIVE in Liverpool at the site of Elton John's fountain unveiling,
blah blah blah.  Do pass me a biscuit will you, Reginald?  Back to you, Gary."
Bill Piacentini responded:
Here, hear old chap! Jolly Good! Right between Mel's eyes. Rod MacLeish must
be laughing, where ever he is these days (VoiceofAmerica?)!
(In the old days at Group W's London Bureau Rod was always succinct and
concise.)
At 02:50 PM 6/18/98 -0400, Bill (cough) O'Neill wrote:
Is this a Sarcasm Alert moment?  I'm usually early on that warning beacon.
My cracks were not at Mel but on the cheese purveyors in England who will
sell their goodies to the throngs of US reporters fleeing for a red-eye home
from this non-story.
Bill Piacentini apologizes:
Sorry, Bill. I didn't discern your cracks properly (it must have been
Limburger! Whew!)!

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