I try to take lessons from listening to viewer comments.  It’s not that I learn facts about anything.  (On the contrary, many of the viewer comments I hear are more often than not ignorant of the facts, despite the fact that I just provided the facts in my newscast.)  Instead, I try to take lessons about the delivery of opinions.

One of those lessons relates to absolutes.  It’s quite common for people to speak their opinions in absolutes.  ”The media always…”  ”Every illegal immigrant…”  ”All Muslims want to…”  The thing is, absolute statements are absolutely not true.  Statements about “the media” condemn every single member of the media, which isn’t accurate.  The word “always” is a lofty accusation that cannot be supported by the facts.  And, every member of a race or a religion is not like every other member.  Not all illegal immigrants are entering our country for shady reasons.  Some want a better life for their families.  Not all Muslims want death to all infidels.  There are peace-loving Muslims, just as there are Christians who would kill non-Christians.  Absolutes are absolutely not true.

And so, I’m quite careful with my speech, making sure for qualify my generalizations or be specific rather than using a blanket statement that’s not supportable as absolutely true.  Too many people are vilified because some choose to judge an entire group for the actions of the few.

Posted: August 24th, 2010 under 6:30 Live Chat, 6:30 Talkback, Viewer Response.
Comments: none

We received two calls from the same person last night, not in response to any news stories, but in response to a lack of them, so to speak.

“John from Moline.  You guys claim to be ‘Live, Local, Latebreaking.’ I haven’t seen a local story off you yet, almost 10 minutes into the newscast.  “Live, Local.”  You’re not living up to your name.”

And then later:

“This is John from Moline again.  15 minutes of news and nothing local.  I thought you were ‘Live, Local, Latebreaking.’  You’re not living up to your name.”

John,  thanks for watching.  It’s apparent by your lack of knowledge of the 6:30 format that you’re a first time viewer!  We’re glad to have you!  We hope you’ll continue to watch News 8 @ 6:30.  If you do, you’ll realize the 6:30 is not a locally focused newscast.  We cover national and international headlines, local weather, technology, social networking and entertainment stories.  While we are under the WQAD umbrella of “Live, Local, Latebreaking,” we are the only newscast without a local angle, other than weather.  GMQC, News 8 at 11, News 8 at 5, 6 and 10 all “live up to [our] name” of “Live, Local Latebreaking.”

Posted: July 20th, 2010 under 6:30 Live Chat.
Comments: none

Last night’s chat took an interesting turn, taking us to a place that’s still got my attention.  We were discussing Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan.  Here are the key chat lines on which I’d like to focus.  I’ve removed the extraneous stuff that was not part of this line of conversation.  I’ve also inserted my commentary in italics.

Anon6417: Leave the woman alone, hispanic, Apafrican American or martian….if she has the education, experiernce to do the job, let it be.

Mind you, this was the first reference to race made in the night’s chat.

MidwestMadWoman:  beacuse this is obamas nomination she will get a skate….a republicans nominee would be picked apart

Anon6417: Oh I get it, if it was a Bush follower than fine it would be okay?

Thomwhite: Obama’s previous pick was picked apart.  Kagan is earning a lot of respect from Republicans, who say her answers are respectable.

Illinoispam:  Sonia SotoMayor was picked apart.

Anon6417: Sonia SotoMayor is the sh*T!

Anon6417: Let OUR People rule!!

This, and other comments, made it clear that Anon6417 is Hispanic.

MidwestMadWoman:  the people need a bigger voice in my opinion

Anon6417: So what are ypu saying? NO Mexican American can do the job or have a big voice?

No, that’s not even remotely what she’s saying.  This comment is out of left field!

Thomwhite: Wait.  When did this turn racial?  I’m lost.

Me, too.  Wait, you are me!  Or, I am you?

Anon6417: Arizon needs a a$$ beatiing for doing what they did

Anon6417: You all know it is all about the color of the skin whenn it comes to politics

Anon6417: Tell the truth now!

Um, the truth isn’t that it’s ALL about the color of the skin in politics.  It is for some, but I wouldn’t say so for the majority.

Anon6417: If a white man was president now, Pres Obam would not be gettting the blame for things he had nothign t do with.

Illinoispam:  That doesn’t make sense.

Anon6417: My father was illegal….

Thomwhite: Actually, I disagree with you on that one.  It’s a political party thing much more than a racial thing.

Anon6417: Ya riiiiight

Anon6417: okay I will let you believe that

Thomwhite: The Democrats blamed W. for everything and now the Republicans are blaming Obama.  It’s like that for every president.

Anon6417: And so they should blame his dumb ass

MidwestMadWoman:  politics are politics

MidwestMadWoman:  a dumb ass can be any color

MidwestMadWoman:  just as a politician can

Okay, Anon6417 is Hispanic and the son or daughter of an illegal immigrant.  I would be surprised if Anon didn’t experience racism firsthand, so I understand the perspective from which he or she is operating.  However, race was not at all a part of the conversation until Anon made it so.  My mind is trying to wrap around this concept, that this is somehow reverse racism.  No one else in the chat brought up race.  Anon was the first and carried it through the rest of the conversation.  Isn’t his or her cry of “racism” a form of racism itself?

Posted: July 1st, 2010 under 6:30 Live Chat.
Comments: 1