You know what’s crazy? I’ll tell you what’s crazy™
Morning news self promotion.
I can’t speak for NBC or CBS, since I only watch one channel in the morning.
But I can comment on Good morning America.
Lately it is one part news and 2 parts something that isn’t news.
A few weeks ago, it was weekend anchor Dan Harris’ book about panic attacks and over coming it.
He came on the program like an expert touting a major issue.
Maybe he is an expert. Maybe he is afflicted. I sure know he wrote the book and he’s a Good Morning America anchorman.
I wonder how a national platform helped sales for his book.
Is ABC getting a share of the profits?
Is that news? Isn’t it a conflict of interest? Is anyone at ABC going to say Dan Harris’ book is crap?
Not in a million years.
And this presents itself as news.
I can’t speak for every morning news show.
I only watch abc.
It seems to get worse every week.
I realize Robin Roberts has over come much. I respect her talent and her on air charm. The woman has battled the odds and won.
I’ve watched the welcome back parties and the morning hugs.
I was ok with Robin is going to be ok and she’s back celebration. It seemed fitting. She was a member of the morning family.
But now it’s beginning to feel a little dirty. I feel like I’m being sold something and it’s got a big pink news ribbon.
On this particular day, my stomach starts to turn during something called Pop News.
Good morning Lara Spencer spews, her smile erupting with the ferocity of a 100 clowns pouring out of a little car.
She shows me a copy of Good Housekeeping Magazine.
“Robin is the cover. It’s a great article,” she says. “It’s a must read for everyone who ever felt like giving up,” she adds promoting the article like a carnival huxter.
“i didn’t get to keep the top,” Robin interjects.
“I love that color,” another woman on the set says frothing at the mouth.
“you look great,” someone else interjects.”
“Everyone do check it out!”
“Amy all ready has a copy.”
The words are falling over themselves in a cascading downpour of insatiable salesmanship.
30 minutes later, there is another segment pitching the same thing.
“Everyone’s got something,” Robin says. “It’s a book about people who lifted me up. We are paying tribute to our inspirations,” she says.
Again.
I like Robin. I like that she is alive and doing well.
I’m just not sure selling a book on the news is what the news is for.
It’s a conflict of interest. It’s a journalistic credibility issue.
Who on that set is going to turn to Robin and say, “This is wrong!”
Nobody is going to.
The segment commences with the anchors talking for 5 minutes about themselves and things they have over come.
Lara Spencer talks about her dad.
George talks about an old friend in Kansas.
Ginger talks about a reporter in Chicago with a brain disease.
Amy talks about support she has received from viewers as she battles cancer.
It is a nicely produced piece that steers the news car off the road into the ditch.
I can live with the self-indulgent stories about the anchor’s lives, but it is the book selling that bothers me.
It’s not appropriate. Tears and emotions and self motivating self righteousness all while touting a co-workers book.
News? it doesn’t feel like news. It feels like Oprah or Dr. Phil.
Selling merchandise on the news. It’s hard to stomach.
Who gets the profits? ABC? Robin? A foundation.
It’s never made clear to the viewer how the pie will be split.
And it’s not the only segment.
30 minutes earlier, before the mtv awards and fashion news and other non news items, there is another obfuscated attempt at journalism cloaked in misrepresentation.
Another abc news reporter is on the cover of the Atlantic magazine. The title: closing the confidence gap. By katty Kay and Claire Shipman.
“It’s a new book showing the dramatic difference between men and women when it comes to confidence,” someone says.
The book covers posture, and work place confidence and being prepared, and low self-esteem and other common work place habits. It discusses women reportedly not seeking promotions and men going for it.
It’s interesting. It’s not a bad topic for a group discussion.
But once again.
Claire Shipman is an abc reporter who is selling a book on abc.
Walter Cronkite is vomiting in his typewriter somewhere.
Is it news? or is it a topic motivated by a story in a book and picked up by a magazine.
I wish i had the backing of abc news to promote my writing.
Would I turn it down. Hell no!
But I would also feel queasy if i was going to stay on the job.
If nobody is a critic, if nobody is asking any hard questions, then nobody is looking at the other side. if nobody is looking at the other side, then it’s not news.
abc news leaders know this, yet they ram self promotional garbage wrapped as news down our throats.
It’s obscene.
It goes on day after day after day.
Monday it is magazine selling books.
Tuesday the rain of self promotional hostage taking continues with Ginger Zee live in multiple segments from the New Amsterdam Theater for Broadway’s’ new smash hit, Aladdin.
Oh yes. A Disney product in keeping with GMA whose parent company is Disney.
I guess if I want hard news, I need to turn the channel.
I guess if I want to learn about baby showers and anchor books disguised as news, I’m on the right network.
Life’s Crazy™