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Par75

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This topic has been discussed briefly in other sections, but usually it has been specific to a particular project. I think most of agree improvements could be made in the local media, especially when it comes to reporting local news. What suggestions do we have to do this? Here are some things I'd like to see

1. Grand Rapids needs a morning newspaper. Are there other major metro areas that don't have a daily AM paper? I'm not saying GR can support 2 large daily newspapers, but personally I'd prefer an AM paper over one that comes in the afternoon.

2. Fox 17 News should expand their news coverage to more than just 10:00. They seem to do a very respectable job and I think they could add a morning and/or a 6:00 local news.

3. Wood TV 8 needs to hire 3 more meteorologists. The 6 they have right now just aren't enough! :rofl:

BTW, (and I'm not saying this because Woz and DSchoon post here), Grand Rapids Magazine and the GR Business Journal are very good publications - far better than I've seen in some other cities much larger than GR

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I like the idea of a small format and serious weekly news magazine. We had some pretty pathetic attempts in the recent past. I hope the next try makes more sense. Almost anything could beat the Press if some effort was put into it.

All of the local news media needs a makeover. Get rid of the over cheerful news readers full of opinions and just put a plain newsreader to deliver the news straight.

No more weather gimmicks. I dont need to see you stand on a weather deck or have 18 people doing the weather. Copy the guy that does the weather on WGN. He packs more in one weather forcast than our guys do in 3 weeks.

In fact, no more gimmicks period. I love the way networks like the BBC and CBC does the news. Its clean, quick with little to no fluff. If I had the money, I would clone them on a local level and put the other guys out of business.

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I like the idea of a small format and serious weekly news magazine. We had some pretty pathetic attempts in the recent past. I hope the next try makes more sense. Almost anything could beat the Press if some effort was put into it.

All of the local news media needs a makeover. Get rid of the over cheerful news readers full of opinions and just put a plain newsreader to deliver the news straight.

No more weather gimmicks. I dont need to see you stand on a weather deck or have 18 people doing the weather. Copy the guy that does the weather on WGN. He packs more in one weather forcast than our guys do in 3 weeks.

In fact, no more gimmicks period. I love the way networks like the BBC and CBC does the news. Its clean, quick with little to no fluff. If I had the money, I would clone them on a local level and put the other guys out of business.

I have to agree about the weather..why 6 ppl? I never understood the concept of why they need to forecast 7 days when they really can barely forecast 1 day....I think in terms of weather channel 13 has the best coverage. But sometimes it's fun to watch ppl on channel 8 because they wig out

For example, craig james will be sitting there saying, "...and we have a Tornado Watch for the rest of...-beeping noise- okay...we just got a...it looks like....a.....OK WE HAVE A TORNADO WARNING, I REPEAT, WE HAVE A TORNADO WARNING, SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY..."

I love it when they bug out...I had a friend from out of state visiting when that was all happening and he was like, "wow...your weather people sure get into their work a little too much..."

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I have to agree about the weather..why 6 ppl? I never understood the concept of why they need to forecast 7 days when they really can barely forecast 1 day....I think in terms of weather channel 13 has the best coverage. But sometimes it's fun to watch ppl on channel 8 because they wig out

For example, craig james will be sitting there saying, "...and we have a Tornado Watch for the rest of...-beeping noise- okay...we just got a...it looks like....a.....OK WE HAVE A TORNADO WARNING, I REPEAT, WE HAVE A TORNADO WARNING, SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY..."

I love it when they bug out...I had a friend from out of state visiting when that was all happening and he was like, "wow...your weather people sure get into their work a little too much..."

I like channel 8 about 50x more than the other stations. To me, channel 8 has a more professional feel. When I watch 3, 5, or 13, I feel like i'm watching a public access broadcast of some highschool students news project, like old school Wayne's World.

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I like channel 8 about 50x more than the other stations. To me, channel 8 has a more professional feel. When I watch 3, 5, or 13, I feel like i'm watching a public access broadcast of some highschool students news project, like old school Wayne's World.

What is this '5' you speak of? ;)

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I agree about the Business Journal - a very nice publication.

A morning paper would be great. Of course, a paper with actual NEWS would be great - the Press is woefully lacking.

I crack up every night when the TV 8 anchors breathlessly tells us about "The Lakeshore" . . . usually some pathetic church fundraiser or dog show. Good grief. Either cover specific news about the lakeshore area or drop it already.

The weather has become a standing joke in our house. How much more freaked out can 5 people get about a few snowflakes?? And - 8 day forecast??? Give it up, folks.

I think the weekend section in the Press on Thursdays is a nice source of fun and games information.

So, yeah. Morning paper please, filled with news if it's not too much trouble.

And fire a few spastic weather people.

Trixie

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I take it you don't like WZZM's Weatherball or "On Target" forecasts?

2004wxballblueblinking.gif

The Weatherball died when it left downtown :cry:. But It is fun to make up new meanings for the colors:

Weatherball red, somebody is dead.

Weatherball green, Elvis was seen.

Weatherball blue, find someone to sue.

I never understood the On Target stuff. I dont need an arrow to see that you screwed up on your forcast. :rolleyes:

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there needs to be better radio stations, more defined, more variaty, not all the same ole shiat

and I hate how the news plays the same staories at the same time, if I want to see a different take on something they all play the same story at the same time

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there needs to be better radio stations, more defined, more variaty, not all the same ole shiat

Almost all radio stations nationwide belong to one of two giant companies, owned by

giant conglomerates beginning with Citadel and Clear Channel. That may explain the

burgeoning success of Sirrius and XMRadio. Me? - I'll take community radio station

88.1 WYCE, not to be confused with public radio - the station runs on community

contributions and volunteer staff and programmers.

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Almost all radio stations nationwide belong to one of two giant companies, owned by

giant conglomerates beginning with Citadel and Clear Channel. That may explain the

burgeoning success of Sirrius and XMRadio. Me? - I'll take community radio station

88.1 WYCE, not to be confused with public radio - the station runs on community

contributions and volunteer staff and programmers.

Well, that's a slight exaggeration, but it sure feels that way! Here are some numbers from steteofthenewsmedia.org:

"The top-five companies (Clear Channel, Cumulus, Citadel, Infinity and American Family Association) own more than 14 percent of the total number of stations. Clear Channel has stations in 191 of the 289 Arbitron-rated markets. The second-largest organization, Cumulus, only operates in 55."

I think there are something like 13,000 radio stations in the US.

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Does anyone know why the GR Press uses mlive.com as their website for news stories? Why don't they have their own site? Even much smaller papers like the Holland Sentinal and Traverse City Record-Eagle have their own site. At least then you get the pictures that correspond with the article. You don't get that on mlive.

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Does anyone know why the GR Press uses mlive.com as their website for news stories? Why don't they have their own site? Even much smaller papers like the Holland Sentinal and Traverse City Record-Eagle have their own site. At least then you get the pictures that correspond with the article. You don't get that on mlive.

I can provide a little insight into their website situation. The same company that owns The Grand Rapids Press owns newspapers in other markets like Cleveland, Alabama and Oregon. This parent company uses basically the same website in each market: www.clevelandlive.com, www.al.com and www.oregonlive.com. Most of these sites focus on the entire state, similar to Mlive for Michigan. In order for the Press to have its own site the parent company would have to break away from this system. If mlive were to be redesigned or upgraded, it would probably only happen when the rest of these sites are ready to be changed, as well.

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mlive.com is worser than worst, it's Durst.

I can't believe anyone advertises on that site. The only time I go there is when I'm having too good of a day and need to get frustrated.

And why does mlive.com continually ask me for my zip code, sex, and year of birth? Over, and over, and over again... :angry:

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The Weatherball died when it left downtown :cry:. But It is fun to make up new meanings for the colors:

Weatherball red, somebody is dead.

Weatherball green, Elvis was seen.

Weatherball blue, find someone to sue.

I never understood the On Target stuff. I dont need an arrow to see that you screwed up on your forcast. :rolleyes:

Weatherball black, nuclear attack.

=:-)

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