I never worked for Bell ... I was gone from CFRB before Astral sold it to Bell Media. So I'm not picking for a former employer when I say that I don't have a problem with CTV or any radio & TV station indulging in self promotion on their newscasts. 

Here is why:

For viewers of that TV station (in this case CTV) or for listeners of a radio station, what is happening about their station is of interest to the listeners and viewers of that TV or radio station. The long time morning man retires - that's news on that particular radio station. Probably not on the competition.

Station radiothon or telethon is a news story (although a lot of news anchors at CFRB disagreed with me at first but would later buy into this idea and have a reporter assigned to do cut-ins in on the newscasts)

CTV's new morning show airing the next morning, is news. It was news when Canada AM was cancelled. It's news that the new show starts "tomorrow". Again, for the CTV audience or the Canada AM fans, that's news. As a former news director and program director, News for me is defined as what is of interest to the listener of the radio station or the viewer of the TV station. Depending on the radio format, Justin Beiber concert mayhem might be news on Virgin but not on Q107. And this is especially true if the radio station was a sponsor of the concert.

Why ... because today the news department is not an independent silo in a radio station. I worked hard to include news as an important componet of CFRB in Tororonto and CJAD in Montreal. You don't work for the newsroom - your work for the radio station. The same goes for the newsroom in a television station.

Now, was the story worth a lead item on the CTV newscasts? That is another question. I don't believe I ever suggested we lead with a story about the station (it's possible an anchor out there might disagree with me on this but from my recollection I just wanted to make sure news wasn't the only on air department not talking about something going on in our house, so to speak).

If it was the kicker, would Dieter object? Because, if so, then his argument is flawed. But questioning it being the lead story - he has a point. But that point is only as good as what was the second story that most likely would have been the lead story if the new morning show was starting on Monday. Which of the two stories was of more interest to the CTV audience that Sunday night? That is the question that must be taken into consideration as part of the news judgement that news directors and producers make every day for every newscasts.

The Olympics ending - bad choice to lead with new morning show. Major tragedy or terrorist attack - bad choice to lead with new morning show.  I think you can follow my drift on this.

I don't know what the second story was. Dieter didn't say. But it's an important element to the argument.

A blanket ban on self promotion by a media outlet on its newscasts is wrong and an outdated position. 

Radio & TV is a business ... I understand for some it is a calling but news is also a business and it needs to contribute to the good of the radio or TV station by promoting major internal events that can generate ratings that translates into revenue and need I have to say this: continued employment in these times of declining revenues that prompts downsizing (aka firings).

Last edited by kowchmedia (August 22, 2016 7:34 am)

Dale Patterson     wrote:

     I'd be interested to hear opinions from the younger demographic here.

Old Codger,,,,that's your cue...

But seriously I too have no time for leading....leading with such self promotion...

I realize that newsroom staff are "under orders" to do this kind of thing but IMO it's not right --  makes them look foolish -- tarnishes their cred and lowers standards in general...

No thank you...


















 

Part of the problem here is that it wasn't even a slow news day!!
The top story should have been the train derailment.
Yes, fine. It could have been a lot worse, but it's still a major news story.
 

Totally agree with Dale and unc.  Broadcast journalism today has sold its soul to the almighty $.  I'm glad I'm getting out.

 Glad to see I'm not the only who objects to that puffery being the lead story.  And yes, the train derailment should have been the lead and not #2.  Also, the script writer should be voted out of journalism for writing something to the effect that the new CTV morning show is about to change viewing habits/morning routines in the country.  Puh-leez.
   BTW, a sidebar on Ben Mulroney. The book by filmmaker Barry Avrich mentions that early in his TV career, Ben asked Lauren Bacall how fantastic it must have been to do the airport scene with Bogie in "Casablanca."  Bacall was not impressed.

In this day of increasing media consolidation it would be career suicide for a news/brand/program director to bite the hand that feeds them in the name of what is right/moral/ethical…you tow the company line period, even if it means making headline news out of blatant self-promoting bullshit like this…that's what commercial promos are for...and it’s only going to continue…680 News will lead with a Blue Jays trade before a category 5 tsunami that kills 10,000 in Japan because the same entity that signs the station manager’s paycheque is signing Jose Bautista’s…nauseating but that’s happy capitalism at its finest.

Last edited by Johnny B (August 23, 2016 1:37 pm)

Dale Patterson wrote:

Johnny B wrote:

you tow the company line period, even if it means making headline news out of blatant self-promoting bullshit like this…that's what commercial promos are for.

That sums it up nicely.

THAT'S the part which sums it up for me... ... ...especially "that's what commercial promos are for."  Because THAT'S exactly what in house commercial promos are for.  And that is exactly what newscasts AREN'T for.  The industry has gone to the dawgs and ass-clowns for sure.

Might as well let it die and go to NO sim-sub heaven.  There's NOBODY there representing the interests of Canada or Canadians.  ['cept for the corp]