Archive for the ‘media’ Category

The gentleman journalist

Posted: July 7, 2020 by chrisharper in media
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By Christopher Harper

Hugh Downs stood far above the self-absorbed bloviators who pawn themselves off today as journalists.

For nearly a decade, I worked with Hugh for ABC’s 20/20. He was the consummate gentleman and Renaissance man who treated everyone with respect.

Hugh referred to himself as “a champion dilettante,” who dabbled in music, art, and science. His 1986 memoir, “On Camera: My 10,000 Hours on Television,” was no idle boast: For years, he held the Guinness record for most hours on commercial network television until Regis Philbin eventually passed him.

Hugh was born and grew up in Ohio. His father worked as a salesman who struggled to make ends meet during the Depression. Hugh had to drop out of college to support the family as a radio announcer in Lima, Ohio.

In 1940, after serving in the Army, he joined the staff of WMAQ, the NBC radio station in Chicago. Later in the decade, he made the transition to television, working on “Kukla, Fran, and Ollie,” a popular puppet show.
Eventually, he would appear on “The Tonight Show,” “The Today Show,” “Concentration,” “20/20,” and others.

At the beginning of his career, Hugh said he suffered from stage fright. He recalled those days in “On Camera,” his memoir:

“At the end of a piece of music, when I was supposed to say something, my knees would shake uncontrollably. My pulse and respiration went up. Fortunately, the fear never showed in my delivery, but it did in my hands. If I had to hold copy, the paper would rattle. As a defense, I learned to lay copy out flat on the desk, or, if standing, to grab my lapels along with the copy, so the paper didn’t move with my hands.”

In 1978, Hugh received a call from Roone Arledge, the president of ABC News, asking him to take over the newsmagazine “20/20.” Its debut just a week earlier had been a disaster. Hugh was the sole host until 1984, when his former “Today” colleague Barbara Walters became his co-host. He remained with the program until retiring in 1999.
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In addition to his television work, Hugh was a composer. He wrote a prelude that was performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Hugh was an amateur guitarist and played for Andrés Segovia. He said he was pleased that Segovia did not leave the room.

Hugh also was a science buff and an adventurer. He piloted a 65-foot ketch across the Pacific and traveled to the South Pole.

During my time at “20/20,” I worked with Hugh on a project to create coral reefs near Miami. We had a great deal of fun, including the opportunity to blow up an old ship to start a reef.

But I truly appreciated Hugh’s fame when he was able to get a reservation for our team at Joe’s Stone Crabs in South Beach, where people lined up for hours to get inside in the usually first-come, first-serve restaurant.

Hugh died at the age of 99. I know he probably wanted to reach 100, but somehow 2020 seems more appropriate.

DaTechGuy off DaRadio Podcast 3 PM EST: Do all Lives Matter to UMass Lowell Nurses?

Posted: July 3, 2020 by datechguy in education, elections, media, News/opinion, politics, primaries
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Today at 3 PM EST comes the lastest DaTechGuy off DaRadio Podcast livestream (right after rush). On our podcast today we will talk about:

  1. The firing of a tenured Dean at Umass Lowell Nursing department for stating in writing that all lives matter
  2. The Parable of the Woke Pharisee Protesters and the humble historian
  3. What we’ve learned over the last month
  4. What our new civil war will look like

We will discuss these things, and whatever else tickles my fancy at 3 PM EST. You can watch the podcast live here

Incidentally I’ve reached out to UMass Lowell for comment with a 2:30 deadline. They sent me this statement:

“Leslie Neal-Boylan’s employment at UMass Lowell ended on June 19, after she was informed she would no longer serve as dean of the Solomont School of Nursing. She had been in that role for 10 months. Although a tenured full faculty member, she declined to join the nursing faculty. As with all such employment decisions, it was made in the best interests of the university and its students. Although we are not able to discuss specifics of a personnel matter, it would be incorrect to assume any statement by Dr. Neal-Boylan was the cause of that decision.”

I followed up asking two questions:

  1. Is it the position of the Nursing Department of UMASS Lowell that all lives matter
  2. Are the nursing students being taught by the nursing department at UMASS Lowell that all lives in their care matter?

I’ll let you know if they answer before the show

The 86 Million Potus Carpe Dorktum Twitter Advertiser question

Posted: June 26, 2020 by datechguy in Always look at the bright side of Trump, business, economy, media, News/opinion, politics
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While I remain unimportant enough a voice that Twitter hasn’t gotten around to banning me yet (although I’m doing my best by speaking plainly) Twitter’s decision to ban Carpe Dorktum presents a problem for their shareholders which can be explained in two screen shots:

and

One is the low end and one is the high end of followers.

Donald Trump and Donald Trump JR have already shown a willingness to retweet Carpe Donktum videos. It is unlikely that this will stop just because he is off twitter, but now there will be a difference.

Last week when Donald Trump or Donald Trump JR retweeted Carpe Dorktum 5-82 million potential customers of the advertisers of twitter had a chance to see any ads placed on or near the said account when a user clicked on it.

This week if Donald Trump or Donald Trump JR tweet out such a link those 5-82 mill potentials those who click on that link will end up off of twitter which means twitter’s advertisers will not get those eyeballs. They will go to Parler or facebook or maybe to the Carpe Dorktum youtube channel.

I’d bet real money that those twitter advertisers could by ad space with him fairly cheap.

Now if I was an investor in twitter I’d not be all that happy about losing those eyeballs and the ad dollars that will go elsewhere and if Twitter was operating like a business rather than a polictical pac whose primary object is to elect Democrats they might be worried too.

Media madness

Posted: June 16, 2020 by chrisharper in media

By Christopher Harper

The protests over the death of George Floyd may have a profound impact on the way the media cover stories.

During the past few days, the editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer was pushed out because of a headline.

The head of the editorial page of The New York Times was axed over a column by a conservative senator.

The editor of Bon Appétit was ousted after a Halloween photo surfaced of him masquerading as a black pimp. 

The incoming dean of the School of Journalism at Arizona State University, one of the best-known producers of media talent, lost her job because she tweeted that good cops existed. 

Even the editor of The Los Angeles Times argued that the terms “riot” and “looting” were racist after consultations with African-American members of his staff.

For me, the last one is a real head-scratcher. I’ve been trying to come up with alternatives to the two words. Civil disturbance instead of riot? Redistribution of wealth instead of looting? The Times editor didn’t provide any guidance.

What is clear, however, is a fundamental change in reporting about race in America. Point-of-view analysis and perspective will replace neutrality. 

That’s not necessarily a bad development. I have often written about how bias exists in almost every news story these days. By dropping any guise of objectivity, fairness, and balance, the reporters will demonstrate their bias. That makes it easier for readers and viewers to determine whether they believe the reporter’s “truth.” 

Instead, I submit that accuracy and transparency may be more applicable to guiding journalism. Accuracy becomes an issue of debating facts. That isn’t necessarily easy, but it’s a conversation rather than a shouting match. 

Transparency is much more difficult because it forces journalists to provide more information about their belief systems and bias. While reporter like others to be transparent, that doesn’t necessarily mean that journalists want to tell everything about themselves.

Moreover, transparency means that the media should provide the public with access to the entirety of an interview rather than a short quotation or soundbite. Also, all of the photos and videos should be included in all reports so the readers and viewers can determine what, if anything, was taken out of context. 

Having spent many years choosing quotations and editing video, I know that what’s left out may be just as important or perhaps more important than what’s left in. 

I hope that the complaints will create a better environment for the public to see what goes on behind the closed doors of media outlets. I am, however, skeptical that journalists want to change the way they go about their business, particularly when it comes to allowing the public to look over their shoulders.

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