Re: CBS & The Pops

[Dave Faneuf <tklaundry@juno.com>]

On Sat, 5 Jul 2003 19:11:18 -0400 Paul Anderson
<paulranderson@charter.net> writes:
> On Friday, July 4, 2003, at 11:46  PM, Dave Faneuf wrote:
> 
> > Yup, CBS/Viacom/Infinite  et al  found a way to  $%#&  it  up.  
> > Congratulations boys.
> 
> If you're referring to the complete change of tone after CBS joined 
> the 
> affair, I couldn't agree more.  After the 1812 Overture we had to 
> see 
> some female pop star sing "the new hit song" from Legally Blonde II? 
>  
> Gag!  And it all seemed timed for the commercials.
> 
> I didn't mind the locals from WBZ bragging constantly about the fact 
> 
> they were bringing it to us for the first time.  But once that host 
> 
> from The Early Show came on, it disintegrated into a cheap variety 
> show.
> 
> Are the fireworks always on so late?  CBS must have insisted the 
> twenty-one minutes of fireworks happened at the end of their hour to 
> 
> maximize the audience.
> 
> Paul


I am indeed, as I posted off list because my response to questions last
night didn't get posted, everything from the Radio audio going out of
sync with the TV video changed when the network took it over, to stop
sets that were excessive....even a major stop set during the fireworks
(as did BZ radio).  When did the 1812 Overture STOP being the prelude to
the fireworks, and the Washington Post March kick off the fireworks
instead of being the finale after the display?  I know CBS said it was
reluctant to play the "slower" portions of the overture but to change the
program that dramatically?  I say BS to C-BS over that!    I actually had
praise BZ for their local coverage until I went into work today and one
of my co-workers who was there told me that it was like being at a
Channel 4 event.  TV video and audio was blaring all over the place to
the point where he couldn't have a conversation with the person next to
him.  Even Keith Lockhart was not interacting with the crowd because of
the TV disruption.  I understand that BZ got a number of complaints about
the coverage on the radio talk show following the event.  I certainly
hope they (BZ & C-BS) are paying attention because if the next 4 years
are like this one I won't be tuning in until someone else gets the
contract.
df