Local News Can't Help But Suck

The NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C. is a pretty good station. (Their website is here.) Their news anchors have been with the station a long time and are well liked and respected in the community. And, after all...it IS NBC...it IS Washington...you should expect some pretty good reporting.

But I guess even the best stations can't help but suck once in a while. They certainly did tonight with their report on food tampering at a middle school in Herndon, VA. Reporter James Adams visited Rachel Carson Middle School to investigate some incidents of straight or sewing pins being found in food in the cafeteria. Serious stuff, no doubt. But his report sure left a lot to be desired.

He interviewed three students as a part of the story he submitted. In the first he asked a girl sitting in a car with her mother about the reaction of other students to this discovery. Her response was a quiet, timid, little, "I don't know. I haven't seen any." Wait! This is the best response Mr. Adams could obtain? Somehow this advances his story and make a point worth broadcasting?

OK, then he interviewed a young man who flatly responded with, "That would be bad...I mean you could eat that or something." Hmmm...a pin found in food...you might eat it...wow, Mr. Adams is really breaking this one wide open!

A little later he interviewed a very perky girl who says, "Ick...it might have a bacterial virus on it or something!" Yep, she said "bacterial virus" - not "bacteria or virus" - "bacterial virus."

Now, I completely understand it's almost impossible to find an articulate 14-year-old, but that doesn't mean you put stupid responses on the air. You've got editorial control! YOU decide what gets broadcast and you don't just go with what you've got if it's inane. That is, unless my premise, that sometimes local news just can't help but suck, is true. This story sucked!

Lastly, Mr. Adams interviewed a parent who uses this as an opportunity to rail at the school's administration for not doing something sooner, warning parents about the problem, making sure this kind of thing doesn't happen, etc., etc., etc. Basically she was living her 15 seconds of fame and making the best of it. Again, editorial control --- PLEASE!

For what it's worth, shortly after this story aired, it was time for sports. And Lindsay Czarniak could gargle the scores of the day for all I care. Her five minutes of airtime is the best thing on this station! She's going to have to find a hairstylist at some point, but one day she'll go network for sure!

Read Lindsay's official station bio here.