Saturday, June 9, 2007

The Case for TV News

I woke up early this morning and flicked on the telly and realised that I have not been judgemental enough about what is on the box recently. Inspired by the dearth on early Saturday morning television and what Triangle TV offers, I thought I would do a “possibly positive awards” review of the many TV News shows that permeate NZ airwaves.

Let’s start off with some local product:

The award for services to rural news: 5.30 News (Prime).

Obviously, people who have to deal with peak hour urban traffic would never be able to make this one.

The award for smug superiority: 3 News (TV3)

They are better than One News and they know it, even if most New Zealanders don’t recognise that fact.

The award for best presentation: One News (One)

Simon Shallow and Wendy Petrie Dish. Does anyone actually listen to what they say?

International Awards:

The award for sheer audacity: Fox News (Prime, Sky)

Only a station run by Rupert Murdoch that so blatantly and obviously and unquestioningly supports the American Right Wing hegemony would have the guts to call itself “fair and balanced”. Got to give them credit – for something. And they even beat One news as “news programme most likely to make me scream”.

The award for services to the Middle East: Al Jazeera (Triangle TV)

Actually the inspiration for this list. It’s incredibly refreshing to see the news from a completely non-Western perspective (who else has a show called “Inside Iraq” that appears on the screen anytime I watch) and I love their station identifier jingle. I never stumble across an actual news show though (as most seem to be “specials”) so I can’t really judge the actual "news show".

The award for best looking sinking ship award: BBC World (Sky)

It's amazing the number of people who used to be on this respected international news service who now appear on CNN and Al Jazeera TV. But still they hang on in there, and still are my most trusted news source.

The award for services to geriatrics: CNN (Sky)

The most celebrated news service also tends to be the most forgiving when it comes to old people - well, men anyway. No idea how good Larry King was in his hey day, but there always seems something fishy to me when "hard hitting interviewers" have people who keep wanting to come back for more. I will tune in on the day George W Bush shows up though...

The best weekday, midday news award: TV5 (Triangle Television)

The best of French news on at a time that guarantees I will never see it.

The award for most incomprehensible news: That Dutch one on Triangle TV

Fascinating, in a completely confusing and bewlidering way.

The award for services to the Fatherland: DWTV (Triangle TV)

Never has it been made more obvious who won the war when the German news is presented mainly by Americans (and/or Canadians; the accent always gets me).

The award for services to the US of A: the PBS News Hour (Triangle TV)

PBS shows what public broadcasting really can be like: low budget, a bit naff, but also really insightful and providing in depth analysis of news and current events even with an ultra PC bent.

The award for best news show: the Daily Show (C4)

Well, it's kind of news, and some of the segments are ridiculously non-funny and the interviews completely unenlightening, but the first 10 minutes or so really points out how crazy some of the news out there is, and what a sometimes insane world we all are living in.

The award for news I never watch: Sky News (Sky)

Because I obviously watch far too many news shows anyway...

Verdict: We are well provided for television news, though "well serviced" is obviously a matter of opinion


3 comments:

Not Kate said...

What's this 'triangle tv'? I am ignorant. It sounds fun.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the awards, most appreciated.
Want to catch a news programme on Aljazeera? Weekdays at 6-7am (News Hour) and also at midnight.
The French news has now been rescheduled to 6pm weekdays - no need to have to watch TV3 News now.
There's not only the Dutch news but the Flemish news too. As a Fleming myself I can't let the Dutch get away with a sole mention.
DW TV: it has a lot of Australians on too. The Americans on DW probably stayed on after the Wall fell.
The PBS News Hour is probably the only news programme in the USA that has any respect among people with IQs over 100.

Keep watching!

Hans Versluys
Director of Programming, Triangle Television

R said...

Thank you Hans and Triangle TV! I saw part of my first TV5 bulletin last night - its just a pity most of that involved Antonio Banderas speaking English, having that dubbed in French, and then subtitled in English again... :)