August 23, 2006
Local TV news fails on Bush visit
I watched the 6 o’clock TV news on the 3 leading Twin Cities TV stations last night and I give them all an F on covering the President’s visit to the area.
Were issues covered? No.
He met with a health care panel and signed an executive order to make more health care cost and quality information available to consumers.
But the TV newscasts had more silly discussion about traffic jams caused by the Presidential motorcade and Air Force One than there was attention to issues. One station even offered live cut-ins of the president waving as he got back on the plane and then again as Air Force One began to roll on the runway. Wow, that's good and important TV.
Come on! This is the 14th largest broadcast market in the country. And this is the best we can get on substance? On issues?
If this was just a political fundraising trip, why not call it that? If there was no substance to the alleged policy announcements, why not report that?
What value was there in the President’s ideas and in the executive order? Where was the reporting? Was the biggest issue the traffic jam caused by his visit?
I think not, not given rising health care costs, problems of the uninsured, calls for universal national health insurance, questions about integrity in science at the federal level, etc., etc. etc.
Shame on the local media.
(AP Photo)