"Local" news coverage of the NH Primary

[Dan Billings]

WCSH-TV has had anchor Pat Callahan broadcasting live from NH since last
Tuesday.  For most of that time, they have also had a second reporter there.
The only recent Maine story that I can think of that they have put this much
resources into was the church poisonings in New Sweden.

On tonight's 6:00 PM broadcast, 6 of the 9 minutes used for news were used
to cover the NH Primary and there wasn't nothing said that won't be repeated
on the network news at 6:30.  What an incredible waste of resources.  Now I
know the Portland TV stations get into New Hampshire but the Portland
stations rarely cover anything but the headlines from NH and never cover NH
politics.  I would understand this coverage if I actually thought most of
their viewers were interested but I don't think most Maine people are
excited over the NH primary and they certainly don't consider what is
happening in NH to be local news.

What this is about is ego.  The station and the station's reporters want to
be a big deal by covering the Presidential race.  Tonight they spent two
minutes interviewing Tom Brokaw and other NBC correspondents.  I'm sure
they'll be telling their colleagues all week what the big boys were really
like.

Their coverage might be worthwhile if they provided something that couldn't
be found elsewhere, like the involvement of Maine people in the NH
campaigns, but instead they do they same horserace coverage that can be seen
on the network news or on cable.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine