KSDK Sinks Lower

[Im4NY4ever 0]

Okay, so where to start. I have lived in STL now for 4 yrs. I keep trying to separate myself from moving from DMA 1 to DMA 21. However, in talking with others, I now know my observations are not alone. KSDK continues to decline and sink in quality. In fact, I think this morning it hit rock bottom.

 

Its 6:05 am, and Art Holliday is his usual monotone expressionless self, Jennifer Blome her giggly self, and they move to a live view of the groundhog. But its not time to see if he has a shadoe. So for what seemed like an endless 10 min, all we got was Punxatawny Phil live and not doing anything. And in the background, Holliday and Blome are making tasteless sophmoric jokes, her giggling, but no real voice over, just dead air and no action.

 

This is DMA 21, not 221 but you would never know it. Could they have split the screen continuing with news, traffic, weather, sports until the damn rat made his actual appearance, or someone in the control monitor the situation and switch the video to the live feed when it was close to time?

 

Then there is the case of sending one of the one arm band reporters down to Haiti - no live video, just a phone call and video that looked like it was taken on an iphone. Considering the extemely large local Haitian community - lol - whats the connection that demanded this expensive trip? Some groups supporting local Haitian hospitals - thats great but couldn't that story be handled here, or have the network file a report for them on the impact in Haiti? Just think if the wasted money could have been used to retain one of their rising star reporters - Jasmine Huda - who they could not come to contract terms with (probably a big salary cut was offered). And she is just the most recent reporters who have left in the past two years. So much for building viewer loyalty.

 

Whats worse - there is no great alternative between KMOV moving towards the sensaltionism of Fox 2! And ABC here is a poor relation to ABC having no local news or presence.

 

I recognize this is not NY, Chicago, LA but it is the 21st largest TV market - and the viewers here deserve so much better. Now if only I can get a local waiver for my sattlelite and watch NY news again.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

Okay, so where to start. I have lived in STL now for 4 yrs. I keep trying to separate myself from moving from DMA 1 to DMA 21. However, in talking with others, I now know my observations are not alone. KSDK continues to decline and sink in quality. In fact, I think this morning it hit rock bottom.

 

Its 6:05 am, and Art Holliday is his usual monotone expressionless self, Jennifer Blome her giggly self, and they move to a live view of the groundhog. But its not time to see if he has a shadoe. So for what seemed like an endless 10 min, all we got was Punxatawny Phil live and not doing anything. And in the background, Holliday and Blome are making tasteless sophmoric jokes, her giggling, but no real voice over, just dead air and no action.

 

This is DMA 21, not 221 but you would never know it. Could they have split the screen continuing with news, traffic, weather, sports until the damn rat made his actual appearance, or someone in the control monitor the situation and switch the video to the live feed when it was close to time?

 

Then there is the case of sending one of the one arm band reporters down to Haiti - no live video, just a phone call and video that looked like it was taken on an iphone. Considering the extemely large local Haitian community - lol - whats the connection that demanded this expensive trip? Some groups supporting local Haitian hospitals - thats great but couldn't that story be handled here, or have the network file a report for them on the impact in Haiti? Just think if the wasted money could have been used to retain one of their rising star reporters - Jasmine Huda - who they could not come to contract terms with (probably a big salary cut was offered). And she is just the most recent reporters who have left in the past two years. So much for building viewer loyalty.

 

Whats worse - there is no great alternative between KMOV moving towards the sensaltionism of Fox 2! And ABC here is a poor relation to ABC having no local news or presence.

 

I recognize this is not NY, Chicago, LA but it is the 21st largest TV market - and the viewers here deserve so much better. Now if only I can get a local waiver for my sattlelite and watch NY news again.

 

I know, it's almost getting to the point where I'm able to tolerate KTVI more than I am with KMOV. They're newscasts have become garbage but you're right, KSDK is too dull, KMOV is too sensationalistic and KTVI can get on my nerves, especially when it's during American Idol season.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose noticing the slow slip of KMOV to sensationalism. I mean they could put KCTV in Kansas City to shame who I thought was pretty sensationalistic.

[kjohnson 17]

As someone looking to work in larger markets at some point (hopefully soon), I'm not certain I'll want to come back and work in St. Louis. My future family may be Chicagoans or New Yorkers. I'm looking to move to greener pastures when I graduate in few months.

 

I just don't know why this market refuses to improve. I've been trying to work as a production assistant in St. Louis for about a year, but the budgets here are horrendous (part of the problem with the newscast quality, I suspect.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

As someone looking to work in larger markets at some point (hopefully soon), I'm not certain I'll want to come back and work in St. Louis. My future family may be Chicagoans or New Yorkers. I'm looking to move to greener pastures when I graduate in few months.

 

I just don't know why this market refuses to improve. I've been trying to work as a production assistant in St. Louis for about a year, but the budgets here are horrendous (part of the problem with the newscast quality, I suspect.

 

I think KMOV is actually getting worse. Their current management seems to be the main issue why the newscasts have changed so radically, and now with KTVI and KPLR merged, the competition got smaller.

 

But good luck in your future persuits. You're right, I don't think the quality of newscasts in St. Louis is going to change soon.

[kjohnson 17]

Unfortunately, I think it may a symptom of the region as a whole. If this was Chicago, or Seattle, or even Little Rock, the community would demand a better quality of newscast.

 

One of the primary reasons that there's no news at KDNL is the fact people won't say, we demand that there be some form of news presence. The communities here don't seem to be involved. Consequently, there doesn't seem to be any effort to do better. KTVI is very competitive because KSDK and KMOV aren't, and KDNL and KPLR aren't even trying.

[Im4NY4ever 0]

With KSDK, it is funny how they seem to be the bottom of the Gannett ladder. I've seen the KARE product in Minneapolis and its far and way in a much better league. Overall, media in St. Louis is wanting. The decline of the Post Dispatch has been on a metoric decline - its not even worth wiping your arse with anymore. And if you talk about sports, the free pass McGwire got here speaks for itself. NY media ripped Alex Rodriguez a new one. Rene Knott described it as an emotional day. At least he keeps his cheeleader skirt and pom poms under the anchor desk. So much for objective reporting around here.

[Im4NY4ever 0]

so what is with the rundown using one of the hd bars ratehr than showing the full hd screen. It's distracting and I can see them selling ads on it in the future... how poor is that.