Commentary

TV News Like Social Media News: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 28, 2015

Consider SnapChat’s new Discover service, which features 11 media partners, including National Geographic, Comedy Central, Cosmopolitan, CNN, The Food Network and ESPN, all of whom will create short-form content for social media users.

Expecting all that news/content to disappear in seconds like with regular SnapChat content? No. But after 24 hours? Yes.

Some critics were pissed when SnapChat recently added advertising. Now, its news content has a different digital twist, reports the company on its official blog: “We count on editors and artists, not clicks and shares, to determine what’s important.”

Fair enough. Sounds like -- dare I say -- what editors have been doing at newspapers and TV news programs for a long time. Someone needs to curate content. It can’t all be about algorithms that seemingly predict what users want.

Can’t blame these media partners, including the TV-centric partners like CNN, ESPN, National Geographic, who are continuing to expand their digital footprint into all things social.

Talking about content that disappears, it should be a user’s choice if that happens.. It should also be their choice to get back all the content they now realize they shouldn’t have left behind.

Some local TV stations believe TV viewers want to head in another direction -- more focus in the future on one’s neighborhood, not one’s DMA. Sounds like a good idea, if only a business model can be found to work. Can citizen journalism help? Someone still needs to curate this.

Of course with TV news -- especially cable TV news --- tons of content continues to include pundit commentary, and occasionally words from the average citizen.

3 comments about "TV News Like Social Media News: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow".

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Leonard Zachary from T___n__, January 28, 2015 at 3:43 p.m.
'...future on one's neighborhood," requires innovation and innovation requires guts. Do local TV stations have guts?
Reply

Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, January 28, 2015 at 10:36 p.m.

It is a money losing game in specific local content. Don't bet on neighborhood coverage.

Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, January 29, 2015 at 7:46 p.m.

How does it make sense for a TV station's news coverage to focus mainly on "local" happenings in the immediate home area, rather than its total 60-70 mile coverage radius? It does make sense, however, for TV station news departments to step up their DMA area coverage with an emphasis on home market and nearby regional developments, including in-depth reporting and, where needed, advocacy of civic, ethical and other worthwhile causes. As for national and international stuff, instead of pretending that the local anchors and reporters know what's going on---they don't----just take the national news feeds from the networks or other suppliers, compact them into small doses---10 or 20 seconds per story---- and be done with it five or ten minutes into your telecasts? Your local area viewers, already get the same info from the TV networks, cable channels, the Internet, etc. They want something else---and what's happening in their neck of the woods ----or nearby---- fits that bill.