Janis Jaquith, regular essayist for the Daily Progress and NPR’s Marketplace (and my mother), has contributed a brief essay on Channel 29 and their habit of personally thanking their “Washington correspondent.” Writes Janis, “Oh, right. Like Jim Hanchett will be at the WVIR Christmas party. I don’t think so.” Read on for her essay.
It’s so embarrassing to watch Channel 29 news these days. Whenever it’s time for the Washington report from Jim Hanchett (obviously some kind of franchise deal – Jim Hanchett is “our man in Washington” for tons of NBC affiliates) you know that the Charlottesville anchor is going to pretend to be in direct contact with ol’ Jim, and say, “Thanks, Jim.”
Oh, right. Like Jim Hanchett will be at the WVIR Christmas party. I don’t think so.
How stupid does WVIR think we are? This kind of thing has been going on for years with a variety of “McReporters”. The reason I can remember Jim Hanchett’s name is that he’s been doing this for several months now.
Whenever I’m watching the Channel 29 news and see Jim Hanchett come on the screen, I start muttering, “Don’t do it Stacey – don’t thank him! It makes you look ridiculous!”
And then I cringe as Jim Hanchett says, “Back to you” and I squeeze my eyes shut as Stacey Horst says, “Thanks, Jim.”
I don’t object to WVIR using other news sources – it’s pretending that the reporter is part of the local news staff that I find insulting.
It makes the whole operation look so rinky-dink…and deceptive. And who wants their news to come from a deceptive source? Think about it.
It’s funny that this was posted now. I lived in Cville until a few months ago, and I also noticed when 29 tried to pull this stuff. I was always annoyed when they subtly tried to suggest some random NBC correspondent was in fact a channel 29 “roving reporter” — but then I always thought, “maybe I’m just being too uptight about it.” I’m glad to see it bothers someone else, too. :)
I live in Raleigh now, and just last night I was watching the local news when they said, “We’ll be right back with a live report from our correspondent in Pakistan.” Yeah, right, I thought, “your corresponent.” Feh. Well, lo and behold, when they returned from commercial, there was an actual Raleigh channel 17 reporter there in Pakistan, conversing with the studio newsman on a very laggy feed. I was stunned.
Keep watching channel 29, I’m sure you’ll see Raleigh’s Pakistan correspondent soon enough. ;)
Why, how dastardly of them! Next you’ll be telling me that Dick Mountjoy over at WINA really DOESN’T know Kathy Francis the weather woman. SHOCKING! Thanks for the heads-up, Mrs. Jacquith!
Maybe you enjoy having your intelligence insulted, but the rest of us don’t.
The whole POINT is that it is obvious. If it werent, it wouldnt be so insulting.
Well, I think if you asked the WVIR folks, they would claim that when they say “our” man they are speaking in the corporate “our”.
And I suppose that there are certain conventions that are followed in order to give the broadcast a sense of continuity.
I find myself much more annoyed at the franchise news pieces that are truly random, are not of interest to the local community, and are clearly there just to fill up a block of time in the broadcast with random scenes of violence and crime from across the country.
When that happens, I think, gee, that 30 second local piece before this could have been a full minute. Who cares if an ATM got knocked over in Ohio?
I would call a genuine insult to one’s intelligence the presentation of a PHP-Nuke metanews site as anything more than a demonstration of the almighty sucking sound. The mere fact David Jaquith is hailed as the next coming of Jesus Christ in this town, second only to Dave Matthews when all he does is get his mother iterate stupidity on his web site. Especially considering that most of what appears on this site would be easy pickins’ for a third rate one armed mongoloid with a copy of the Daily Regret shoved up his ass. Have a nice day you insolent half wits.
I think somebody needs a “time out” and a nap….
Way to go…you login to the site and tell everybody that they’re idiots. Very convincing.
I suggest a communications class.