Media Logjam

This week we're to write a log of a local news program and look at what kind of stories and ads are aired during a 30 min broadcast.  For this assignment I looked at the 6 pm KDKA news on Thursday.  The news broadcast is 1 hour so this log will look at the first half of the program. The following is the log while musings about it will follow.

Killing of Officer Derek Kotecki

Suspect -- Charles Post

Outpouring of sympathy from community

Memorial Fund & Funeral arrangements

Local weather

Coming up news – continuing coverage of Kotecki, schools closing, James Harrison Steeler – how opponents feel about him

Ads -- Giant Eagle pharmacy, political ad – negative against Fitzgerald for Raja, First Niagara – no ATM fees, Jeep, Wade heating & cooling

Further details on plane crash in West Virginia

Arrest of man in murder of woman in WV

Suspect arrested – former high school swim coach – sexual assault

Coming up – officer killed, booster seat dangers, Hines hosts kids from S. Korea

Ads -- News report tomorrow about new treatment for breast cancer, Giant Eagle Pharmacy phone-in ask questions, refinish hardwood floors, Kia Optima, ad for next Insider

Lottery numbers

Crosby closer to returning to Penguins lineup

SI poll votes Steeler James Harrison NFL’s meanest player, earlier SI named Troy Palamalu the nicest player

Hines Ward Helping Hands foundation, hosting bi-racial kids from S. Korea

Local weather

Dennis Bowman Classroom weather visit, focused on tornado safety, donated $11,000 to KD Turkey Fund

Coming up – eBay changes to make shopping faster, drilling disputes, sports

Ads – ad for show Person of Interest, ToyotaCare, Giant Eagle pharmacy question phone-in, political ad – negative against Raja for Fitzgerald, Empire carpet, NFL show ‘n tell – bring NFL player to class, ToyotaCare

Lawsuit dismissed filed by EPA and DEP against coal mining company

Hearing postponed for drilling company appeal against local zoning ordinance

Coming up – no money may force school district to close, bad booster seats, continuing coverage of officer killed, stock market – local stocks

Ads – Giant Eagle Pharmacy phone-in, Monroeville Dodge, Disney Cruise Line, Slippery Rock University, Levin Furniture, Wright GMC

The lead story concerned the killing of a police officer and the hurt and sense of loss for his family and community. The news stories included this murder and another.  A lot of the shorter stories merely concerned themselves with stating the incident happened and not much more.  The lead story did go into greater detail and lasted about 8 minutes.

Ads included a couple politicians attacking each other, quite a bit of the ads were for a Giant Eagle pharmacy phone-in where you could call in and ask questions of a pharmacist.  If you were looking for a car there were ads for you too.  And if you're looking for a university for yourself or your child there was also an ad for Slippery Rock.

A weather forecast was included which is useful.  An upcoming story of tests of car booster seats would also be informative, but it must have been in the last half hour of the newscast.  There was a more feel good story with Dennis Bowman's visit to a local school and their mentioning that the school raised $11,000 for the KD Turkey Fund which helps local lower income families by giving them a turkey for Thanksgiving.

A lot of the news was just information and little else.  Some of it helpful and uplifting.  The 8 minute lead story was about a story, but the newscast spent time on it and while hearing an officer is killed may cause increased anxiety, talking about may also help the healing for the community that lost this officer.