USC's Annenberg Center made it official. It released a survey that found weather reports accounting for much of local TV news coverage in Los Angeles.
The same applies for New York. Take CBS-TV's newscast at 11:00 p.m., when weatherman Lonnie Quinn seems to get more face time than co-anchor Chris Wragge and Christine Johnson. Wragge and Johnson, of late, have been reduced to offering lifestyle or healthy living tips. Keep those pounds away, gang.Telegenic Lonnie, who began his career on ABC soap opera "All My Children," practically commandeered the airwaves during the recent snow. He served as field general for CBS reporters who re-appeared during any weather story.
Like the majority of local stations, CBS TV/New York isn't in the news-breaking business, but reporters do get airtime when snowflakes or raindrops fall. This blogger forgot the legendary Pablo Guzman was still with CBS until he was snowed upon on-air last month.
Local TV stations helpfully equipped staff with measuring sticks so viewers knew how much snow was on the ground in NYC and burbs in New Jersey and Connecticut. And then there were constant reminders of only going out if it was absolutely necessary. Mom used to say the same thing.
A glance at CBS-TV's website shows that it is gearing up for rain. "Rain, rain and more rain on the way," says a headline on the opening page of the site. That means more umbrellas for CBS reporters.
With the expected wind, they will be getting wet talking to harried homeowners dealing with their usual threat of flood in New Jersey, and to local police warning against driving on drenched roads. And what about the No. 1 fear: the threat of rain on Saint Patrick’s Day. Stay tuned.
New York is the media capital of the world. If CBS Corp.’s flagship station has been reduced to a Weather Channel knock-off, imagine what is happening in the rest of the country. Americans say they get most of their news from TV. That’s too bad because there is so little of the stuff on the tube. Local news watchers may not know what’s going on in their communities, but they sure know when to take an umbrella to work or school.