REPUBLIC OF SNARK and THROWBACK TO NEWS JUDGEMENT

HAIR TRIGGER NASTINESS

     Maybe it's all the caffeine, or 24 hours of cable news yackers. We are wired and wireless and trending and our analytics are almost important as the Dow. Whether it's the spirit of our tweet or post or actual comment in a meeting, we've become a nation obsessed with snark, the 2015 version of snide. Invective has infected.

     It will take social archaeologists to explain why. In the meantime we all seem to suffer through a prolonged season of nastiness.

     Television maybe the greatest purveyor, or perhaps it's social media, but its omnipresent and it is making jack asses out of many of us and it threatens civilization. At least it threatens civilized conversation, dialogue and even debate. So many seem driven to be, dare I invoke a 20th Century and politically incorrect phrase, bitchy.  No gender reference here, simply the attitude. Nasty.

     The Brian Williams sadness has been a magnet for a lot of invective and scorn. It doesn't take much, but this has been a bonanza for snark masters.

     The masters of nasty live in the comments section of the Internet. I picture desperately unhappy and unbalanced people unloading on all the failures, misery and unhappiness of their lives with their lethal toned diatribes and rants. Most of this carping deserves to be ignored. But for many it is bait and thus the word battle of the nasties ensue. 

     "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!"  If we can genre and time hop and borrow a sentiment.  Life is too precious to permit others to show their butt headedness.  It's time for an attitude change, on tv, in social media, at the coffee shop and anywhere else where sarcasm has replaced reason.

Let's get back to plain old fashioned arguing without the snide, eye rolling, tongue clucking, sassiness.

IT'S THAT TIME

 A tribute to California spring as an antidote to those of you caught in winter.

  Things are growing well in "Indiana" with a bumper crop of lettuce.

THROWBACK TO JUDGEMENT

   As the sad destruction of Brian Williams and NBC's credibility plays out before us I post a shot of what I will call the "safety bench."

   This is the conference table where for 3 years I presided as the News Director, the senior news executive, of a division that provided programming for CBS, CW and Univision affiliated television stations. 

    We met here in the morning with our day side staff and again in the early afternoon with our evening staff.  We were responsible for at least 7 hours of programming each day across three stations and the accountability started here.

     Reporters, producers, photographers, editors, graphic artists, assignment staff and promotion people would gather as we planned a days coverage and approach.  But we also evaluated.  What did we do well in the previous 24 hour cycle?  Where did we mess up?  Why?  How could we have done it better?  What can we bring to coverage that will make the viewers investment of time worth it?  Every day.  It is not common for the senior executive to guide the session, but I thought it needed to be done. I had the best support staff available in my assistant News Director Kevin, executive Producer Stacy, Assignment Manager Jim, unit managers and a great team of producers.  

     There was a tendency in many shops to "get rolling," to get out of the meeting.  We took the time to evaluate, analyze, criticize, compliment and to measure our work product against our mission/vision statement and our operating principles.  

      Our team did well, very well. As I read about the Brian Williams credibility issue, I can't help but wonder how it might have been different if he had been held accountable by a process that didn't allow ego, big salary or title to filter him from the scrutiny our staff sustained everyday.

            I am thrilled to hear from former employees and colleagues who say those were great years. Some tell me they were the best of their careers. It was all about a mission, a purpose and putting the interests of viewers above all else.

       See you down the trail.

      

TELLING IT LIKE IT IS

CAPTAIN OF THE WALK

Twilight in Morro Bay

TIME FOR A CAPTAIN TO GO

     Naming Walter Cronkite and Brian Williams in the same sentence is somehow inappropriate but now inevitable. 

     They had the same job title, but the world between them is profoundly different. Williams appears to be a likable guy, big personality, glib and facile mind but he's no longer right for the job.The NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor has benched himself for a few days during the furor over his indiscretion. As hard as it would be to do, he should step down and find another role. 

     In the age of Cronkite, Huntley, Brinkley, Smith, even Jennings, Brokaw and Rather he'd be out. Rather's demise at CBS News was linked to his voicing a report, prepared by a producer, that claimed documentation they did not have. Later those documents were evident, but not when CBS claimed they were. Williams, kindly put, exaggerated. More pointedly he hyped or lied about being on a helicopter hit by ground fire. His credibility is shot.

     Back to my lead sentence.  Walter Cronkite was a journalist who spent years in the field and learned the craft first as a writer and reporter. Eventually he became a broadcaster.  Williams is of an era of "studio babies."  There are many of his generation who have spent most, if not all of their career in studios. That is not a skill to be discounted, but it is nothing like being in the field, gathering facts and data and sorting through experiences.  

    I know the difference. I've been a reporter on his own and I've been an anchor in the field, surrounded by producers, and other support staff.  When a network anchor leaves the studio for the field  there are many who accompany them.    

    The current gold standard for a television anchor today is personality, looks, style and communication skills. There was a time when journalistic tools, writing and reporting were the skills that moved a person to the anchor desk. It is a different world and while standards and roles have changed, an appearance of credibility still matters. 

     I can't begin to understand how Williams could have confused reality. I don't know why he would need to inflate his resume and experiences. I don't buy the excuses he offered. 

    I've covered stories with gun fire. I've reported from war zones. I've had a gun jammed into my chest by a young combatant. My crew and I were the only unarmed people in some situations. Memories like that remain focused, even when you try to forget or bury them. 

    I'm sorry for Brian Williams, but I'm old fashioned enough to expect my anchor person to be honest and to understand the most important part of the role is the news, not them-self. The task is to get it right and to be honorable and honest.

GRANDEUR IN DECLINE

 A once stately building on Oahu provides an interesting photo op.

  

A MOST INTERESTING FILM

   JC Chandor seems to have mastered the art of making a film that has a mostly singular focus, immersing you in a tight and enthralling struggle and delivering extraordinary and unique work.

    A MOST VIOLENT YEAR is not for everyone, but if you enjoy a compelling tale, realistic in style and scope and full of brilliant acting, you'll want to see this.  Chandor wrote and directed A MOST VIOLENT YEAR. His previous work was the solo performance of Robert Redford in ALL IS LOST.

   Oscar Isaac is marvelous as the New York fuel dealer who trys to play it honestly in a business full of corruption and violence.  Jessica Chastain is also superb as his wife who's family ties are to the other side of the street. Albert Brooks demonstrates his great acting chops as Isaac's partner.

    The film is not full of violence, despite the title, though it is a marvelously taut script, brilliantly directed and unpredictable through out. And it is a tribute to honor and honesty.

    See you down the trail.

   

WINNERS-LOSERS-GAMBLERS-SLOTS IN THE LAKE?

YOU-WE-WON!

    Watch dog groups and the political press have calculated that despite the billions spent on obnoxious advertising, it had little or no affect on how we voted.

THE BIGGEST LOOSER

Photo courtesy of Patrick T. Fallon New York Times

    Chump #1 ---Sherman Adelson, the casino magnate who dumped millions including on Newt Gingrich. The New York Times reports he spent tens of millions on 8 candidates, all of whom lost.

THE BIGGEST JACK ASS

     I'm surprised a New Yorker has not flattened this idiot's nose.  His team of body guards are effective.  His latest tirade, including calls for a "revolution" make him the number one candidate for western civilization's most egotistical fool. 

    He's a con man and hustler who NBC should drop after his latest temper tantrum. NBC Anchor Brian Williams made note of Trump's tweets on election night.

"Donald Trump, who has driven well past the last exit to relevance and peered into something closer to irresponsible here, is tweeting tonight" 

    Maybe the Peacock network could stage an ultimate fighting match between the two.

OPPOSITION RESEARCH

    I offer these thoughts realizing they may provoke a firestorm of response as did yesterday's post.

MITT ROMNEY

     He was a shape shifter. A true moderate by Massachusetts standards who posed as a conservative to win the Republican nomination.  Then he tried to shift back to the center and may be the only candidate in modern history who can claim a 360 degree position on every issue.

PRESIDENT OBAMA

     Insular, self confident, trash talking in hoops cocky, and smugly detached from those he disdains.  Extraordinarily bright and professorial but his disdain for the kind of one on one salesmanship or "backslapping" helpful in the job has diminished his power. Think of his personal style vis a vis Reagan or Clinton. 

     He's a great speech maker and had an incredible political organization.  Now he needs to demonstrate an adroit use of power to guide "the ship of state through the shoals." He needs to stretch himself.

A CLOSING TRIBUTE TO ALL THE GAMBLERS-

THE SLOT ROCK

     Fishermen try their luck in June Lake.  
     Is there also a cache of one armed bandits?

   The legend of the June Lake Slot Machines is told in this historical monument.  Colorful, legend, lore and rumor. Presented by one of the gold country's historical players,
E. Clampus Vitus.
Learn more about ECV here at the wikipedia link

   A modern old west tale.

   See you down the road.