Last night, I sat down and watched Connie Chung on CNN. Or I tried to watch Connie. I was actually too busy talking back to the television, making exclamations like: “Oh, come ON!” or “GET ON WITH IT” to actually do much watching. I have a couple of gripes with the whole thing.
First of all, CNN’s graphics and voice-overs seemed more over the top to me than MSNBC’s or CNBC’s. I know they are all over the top, but CNN’s seemed to slide into “Unsolved Mysteries” land. They clearly hired an actor with a scary ominous voice, to say stuff like: “There’s a sniper on the loose…” “Can they catch him before he KILLS AGAIN???” Scary music…ominous voices…blood-red graphics.
Now look. This is a terrifying situation…and as of now, it looks like someone else has been shot down in Maryland. No doubt, this is a terrifying situation. But it infuriates me that CNN would consciously pump up the hysteria. I know this is a cliched point, and many people have said it better than me, but I thought the show last night was complete camp. People are DYING, CNN. Get over your orgasmic blood-red ominous excitement, and just tell us what the hell happened. I mean, I imagine the art department’s discussions over how the graphics should look: “We need something really scary…” “We should use a bright red blood…to make people think of all the bloody bodies scattered throughout Maryland…” “Oh, and you know what? We should hire an actor with a really creepy voice to introduce the segment…” “How ’bout that guy who does the voiceovers for horror films? Wonder if he’s available…”
One other thing I noticed: Connie was talking to a reporter on the scene, getting the scoop. The reporter did her thing, reported the latest (the unclear garbled phone call, Chief Moose asking the killer to call back…Chief Moose now USING the media to get the message out, when 3 days ago he was scolding the media for interfering with the case)…and then Connie began to say one thing, corrected herself, and rephrased the question. This one little mix-up is a perfect example of why I can’t stand the news.
Connie said: “So, is it your belief that…I mean, do your sources tell you that—” and then she went on with her question
I do not care to hear a reporter’s “belief” about who the sniper is, what he is up to, where he will strike next…Is it your BELIEF?? Just tell me what the hell happened. Gimme the stats, and then go to a damn commercial break without drowning the TV screen in blood red splashes. I think that slip was very sloppy of Connie…but it is definitely a sign of the times.
I’m not old enough to remember Walter Cronkite, but a part of me yearns for news like THAT, like I see in old footage. A crumpled serious-looking guy at a desk, papers in front of him, telling us the news. And that’s it.
I don’t need the news to tell me what to FEEL. I am a person who can figure out how to do that all on my own. I need the news for the NEWS. A novel idea.
