Re: Bruce Schwoegler (and BZ-TV news in general)

[Shawn Mamros <mamros@MIT.EDU>]

>Is there perhaps a little age-ism here too?  I mean, Jack and Bruce are not
>kids anymore, and WBZ-TV wants those desirable younger demos that they
>think they will get from the Rosie O'Donnell Show...  this whole
>demographic issue is one that advertisers need to seriously re-define.  The
>entire population is aging, as we have said on this list numerous times,
>but today's 50 year old is more likely to enjoy rock than  to be in a
>rocking chair... younger demos?  I think people like Bruce are ageless--
>they have credibility, and even my Emerson students (who are in their early
>20s in most cases) find him very likeable...  Just because an anchor is
>getting older does not mean he or she can no longer  attract younger
>demos... it's all in how the anchor presents him or herself, and how the
>newscast is done.  In the Globe interview, Mr Goldman was talking about
>adding more lifestyle features and celebrity news.  Donna says
>EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!  

There could be ageism here, but my gut feeling is probably not...

I wouldn't want to be in Ed Goldman's shoes.  Chairman Mel has made no
secret of his desire to have all the CBS O&Os be number one (ratings-wise,
at least) in news.  In all I've seen and read, he's not the kind to settle
for number two.  And that may be where the "problem" lies...

Lots of people here have pined for the "good ol' days" of Eyewitness News,
of Jack, Liz, Bruce, and yeah Bob too.  All of whom (well, the first three
at least) are highly regarded, and for good reason.  But there's a problem:
Long ago, well before CBS or Mel entered the scene, the NewsCenter 5 team
topped that exact same Eyewitness News team in the ratings, and channel 4
hasn't seen number one since.  And that NewsCenter 5 team is still there,
still going strong.

The old Westinghouse regime may have been willing to settle for number two,
but Mel most likely will not.  If you're Ed Goldman, do you really want
to try for number one by bringing back the old number two team?  Especially
when number one has been entrenched there as long as they have?  I really
couldn't blame him if his answer is no.

What Channel 4 really needs is a news staff - anchors, reporters, the whole
works - who's really hungry to get to number one.  Notice I didn't say
*young* and hungry - age isn't relevant here.  And I'm not at all counting
out BZ's current crop of veterans either - that is, assuming they really
*want* to get to number one.  But they've got to work at it to get there.
Going through the motions won't cut it.

Whatever they do, they need to establish an image for themselves, and
not thrash about madly from one idea to another, as they have been the
past couple years.  I don't know if the whole lifestyle/celebrity focus
that Goldman's talking about is really the right way - it certainly isn't
going to make me switch to 4.  But I don't care much for the 7 News blood,
guts, gore and sleaze approach either, yet they've clearly found an audience
for that.  Even if you don't like that style, you have to grudgingly admire
the way they've really gone after it as a unified whole, and also the way
they make sure to promote themselves at every turn.  If Channel 4 were to
attack their chosen news niche the way 7 has attacked theirs, they might
stand a chance of going somewhere, as opposed to the nowhere they're going
now...

- -Shawn Mamros
E-mail to: mamros@mit.edu

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