Re: Bangor TV news

[Jeremy Mixer <mixer@zoso.net>]

On Fri, 31 Aug 2001, Tony Randazzo wrote:

> I watch WABI, they have the best coverage of what is
> going on in eastern and central Maine, even though
> they do not appear as proffesional as channel 2.
> Although its sometimes fun to watch WVII just to laugh
> at thier constant mistakes...

Tony-

I have to agree with you that WABI is the best news coverage, WBLZ has
become a joke. While I sorta like the Portland news parts (since I am from
southern Maine) I really thik that they are doing a dis-service (is that a
word?) to the Bangor community by not having the more local news......From
talking to a lot of people in the area, a lot of people really could care
less about a small fire at some house in Saco where no one was
injured.....

Plus- personal impressions of people are a big thing for me too. Anyone I
have met from Channel 5 are friendly, nice people. When I had just started
my schooling at Nesom, I found Sharon Pelletier and a cameraman doing a
promo in the hallways of Husson College (where the New England School of
Communications is located) and asked them if I could watch what they were
doing......ended up helping them both lug equipment back to the van, and
even though I was more interested in radio, it was great to just talk to
people who worked in local TV. She gave me her card and offered to give me
a tour of the sttion, the only reason I never did was because a class of
mine toured the sttion about a month later.

WLBZ on the other hand....I won't mention his name, but one of their main
news anchors is a know-it-all eBaxter on the Mary Tyler Moore show only
not as funny. And when Judy Horan, the GM over there, came into my class
one time as a guest speaker, I was really annoyed at her attitude towards
everything. She asked the class if anyone was interested in sports
broadcasting, one kid raised his hand and she told him "You should find a
new major, there are too many people who want to do sports and chances are
you aren't good enough for what people are looking for especially since
you are a student" and it really knocked the poor kid down. She started
off the class by saying "I don't see what the point of this class is
(Programming and Management), as far as I am concerned you can't learn
management in a classroom so this is a waste of my time and your time"
(paraphrased)

While no, you can't learn management in the classroom, wouldn't you agree
that for someone interested in management, that a class with guest
speakers who are management from radio and TV organizations, sharing their
expiriences, would be a very valuable assett to anyone exploring such a
field?

Gil Maxwell from Maine Public radio was great. So was Charlie Horn from
WVOM-FM. Scott Hogg was probably the best speaker we had in that class,
unfortunately he got swallowed up by Clear Channel about a month after
that....but if anyone has mmeyt Scott, you'd agree that he is/was one of
the most interesting radio station managers to talk to. Bob Duschesne from
WQCB was also interesting to listen to, and not because he was my boss at
the time :) I would have worked for any one of those people....but NOT
WLBZ-TV....... (if it still existed I WOULD work for WLBZ-radio....but
that's only because it is now WZON and I work for that company anyway!)

Jeremy Mixer
WKIT