Wednesday, July 12, 2006

KSN gets it right; 5 p.m. show much improved Tuesday



I pride myself on not stubbornly insisting I am right when I was wrong.
I gave Live with Gary and Tiffany," the 5 p.m. news program on KSN another chance Tuesday night and I was pleasantly surprised.
The conversation at the beginning of the show is still not what I prefer in a news program, but at least it was about something having to do with this area and not the latest news about Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, or any of the other non-entities who normally dominate Gary and Tiffany's chats.
The program quickly moved past the chatter and into the news, and for the first time since the change in format it almost seemed like a news program, and not a show languishing at the bottom of the Nielsen ratings.
So, congratulations to Gary and Tiffany for turning the show around...wait a minute, I stand corrected. Gary and Tiffany were not on the program Tuesday night. Jim Jackson and Jeremiah Cook were the ones adding a bit of professionalism to a normally wasted half hour.
***
All three stations offered excellent coverage of Tuesday's top story, the continuing developments in the Riverton case, in which students were allegedly stopped before they could execute a Columbine-style situation at Riverton High School.
KOAM had a solid story on Lanagan residents' problems with city officials.
While KOAM earns solid marks, as usual, with its no-nonsense approach, a good word has to be put in for KODE's performance, which is getting better all the time. Brian Hamman and Tara Brown have developed a good rapport and KODE has a strong combination of young and veteran reporters.
For a long time, I thought KSN had a big advantage because of the team of Jim Jackson and Tiffany Alaniz. Jackson is still the best asset the station's news team has. Unfortunately, more and more of the five o'clock persona is beginning to find its way into Tiffany Alaniz' 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I myself like the humor and the not so serious newcaster persona that Gary and Tiffany bring. I like to see them talking and chatting just like normal people do. I can see more of there point of view and get in on there level on different things. I like KSN and watch them over the other shows just for all the reasons that you put that you don't like.

Anonymous said...

The reality is that very few people care about Hollywood around here. They have real lives and things to do, and frankly, weren't brought up that way. Are there a few who do? Yes.

I don't see LWGAT breaking any news stories over Extra any day soon either.

Overall, all the casts lack relevant news to the viewer in the four states. Things like medical news, outdoorsy stuff like fishing/hunting, trucking industry, agriculture, etc should be regular staples of their cast for the stuff that doesn't garner first couple story mentions.

Anonymous said...

Randy said:
"Unfortunately, more and more of the five o'clock persona is beginning to find its way into Tiffany Alaniz' 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts."

Please give a few examples of this comment.

Anonymous said...

I find Tiffany to be one of the most annoying news anchors around. However, I do like the radio show she does in the afternoons.

Randy said...

I wasn't aware she did a radio show. What station is it on?

Randy said...

As for examples of the five o'clock persona, just watch the show.

Anonymous said...

Magic 93.9 KJMK for Tiffany, I think late mornings and afternoons...

Randy said...

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Unlike Randy I will not turn the dial to give Tiffany fake giggles and Gary goober another chance UNTIL someone convinces me that Tiffany and Gary are off the air OR that the show has changed formats dramatically. I loved KSN for years when Jim and Sherry were doing the news, then when Sherry left I remember wishing they would promote Tiffany, which they did and I am now sorry I wished for. I think Tiffany did a good job until Gary came along. The 5 o'clock show is childish and a waste of time. If I want childish I can turn the dial to the Disney channel but even the Disney or Toon channel isn't that unappealing as their live show at 5.

Anonymous said...

It looks like their 5pm train also derailled when they started doing infomercial like Live Shots and interviews with whatever business buys the most ads. You used to see magazines do that where theyed have a big positive article about a restaurant, jeweler or whatever and then you'd see a full page color ad in the magazine. If advertisers get positive news coverage because they spend money, what happens when the story about them isn't positive. Does it get swept under the rug? I have no facts that this happens but it does make sense. Watch any three consecutive days and you'll see the "we're here at blankity blank for no real news reason other than the value of this businesses advertising."

Anonymous said...

What about area stations being do gooders for Childrens Miracle Network, MDA etc saying they are doing it out of kindness when in reality they are being paid handsomely by the organizations they do the telethons for. Yes Virginia, part of that check you give to your friendly station goes right back to the station's bank account as a charge for time. Not illegal, but not well known.

Anonymous said...

This "person in the know" has no clue about telethons. And it's shameful to insult the on-air folks who raise money for thousands of kids in the area.

Anonymous said...

YES!!! Take Tiffany "Shut-up -please" out of the segment and you have.....NEWS!!!!