Trump's Tweeting Madness!

The Big Picture, Why Broadcast and Print News is on Life Support

Los Angeles, CA—I’ve worked in TV news as an investigative freelancer for nearly 30 years.  I never sought nor obtained a formal journalism education but was drafted into TV news strictly for my investigative ability.  I was lucky to be given a, second to none, on the job journalism education by many gifted reporters, producers, media lawyers  and TV news consultants. 

For the last 15 years I’ve watched the slow death of news, as we knew it.  News consumers have left broadcast and print news in droves. They’ve escaped to Internet bloggers and vloggers for their information. 

Left behind are the folks that simply never learned computers or even smart phones.  Because they’re technophobes they’ve become a captive audience for television and print news.  Then there are the illiterate and poor.  Few of these folks are great targets for advertisers other than drug and reverse mortgage companies.

I think print is failing as society has moved away from reading or even writing to video or voice.  Its sad but simple literacy has been on the decline in America since the invention of radio and TV. 

Despite vast technology changes TV news has changed little since the days of Edward R. Murrow.  A TV news anchor sits at a desk and drones on from a teleprompter.  Reporters in the field tell their stories all in identical fashion.  In this mix is nearly zero originality or creativity.  Every channel is virtually the same! To add insult they even run their segments of news, weather and sports at the same time.  Even the commercials are run in identical time slots.

Murrow has been dead for over five decades!  Since then technology and our capabilities have changed dramatically.  Still the suits running TV news are too cowardly to change with the times. 

However ownership of big media has introduced massive amounts of political propaganda.  The endless talking heads claiming to be experts in government do little more than alienate 50% of the audience. Today you get a little news while the talking heads tell you who to hate!  Anymore, it’s never a case of, “We deliver and You Decide. “  It’s more about, we tell you what to think.

The lack of creativity along with the over-abundance of Leftist opinion is killing broadcast news.  The serious decline in literate Americans at the same time is destroying print news.

YouTube has really broken the mold.  They’ve somewhat democratized the process of just who is allowed to produce video content.  It’s true that most offerings are experimental crappy video made by those that don’t yet have a clue.  However some have developed both terrific video making skills and personality.   Over time they’ve learned the craft quite well.

There the Internet standouts that became millionaires like Casey Neistat. They don’t provide news, just diversions and entertainment.  Others run the gamut of the political spectrum.  Nobody seems to provide pure news anymore. 

Because of serious competition TV News business must be like Barnum and Baily’s Greatest Show on Earth, or it will simply fail today.   TV news must learn from talented bloggers like Neistat who can make a creative and interesting story out of something as boring as paint drying.  Our audiences that advertisers count on are not sophisticated or particularly wise.  There is that thing called, the lowest common denominator and they need to be entertained with serious eye candy and music.

If TV news wants to survive they need the millennials.  TV news has no choice but to quickly learn from Casey Neistat and move forward.  

Avoiding controversial editorial opinions is also something that can unify rather than divide and jettison your audience. 

The Current State of Drones, Laws, Regulations, Fear and Loathing.

Washington, DC--it's a painfully slow process for politicians and FAA bureaucrats to accept the need, legitimacy and relative safety of those little civilian drones. 

There was the initial hysteria of passenger jets crashing, mass privacy invasion because of those little drones.  The panic reaction was bolstered with thousands mistaken or deliberately false reports of sightings claiming drone misbehavior.  

Thankfully as the number of drones in civilian hands increased by leaps and bounds, the bogus reports quietly subsided considerably. 

Very recently progress has been made in allowing the commercial use of drones under a somewhat loosened set of rules and guidelines.  Along with the more realistic drone rules the FAA created the Part 107 licensing exemption with a written test for commercial drone pilots.  

They have allowed for considerable expansion of drone use in urban areas for news gathering, filmmaking, property inspection, marketing and photography.  

The FAA still must give a bit on night flights, first person view and use over highways and people. Slowly that too is happening.

The same is needed for low altitude flights below 150 feet near, but not adjacent to airports.  Inspecting a roof of a building with a drone that's a half mile from an airport from 30 feet above should not require anything more than simple caution. 

We've still not seen a single fatality, serious injury or property damage caused by a drone.  This despite nearly four million of them in the hands of all manner of men, women and children. 

Drones are a natural tool for news gathering purposes. Their excellent broadcast quality cameras, safe low altitude flight and minimal expense will save countless jobs in America's newsrooms.  

For news gathering drones are substantially preferable to helicopters in all but those high speed police chases.  The liability issues of drone use is also minuscule compared to that of helicopters. 

Still safety is a real concern along with the upscale price of drones that ultimately keeps their owners cautious. None of them want to see their precious drones damaged or lost.  

Finally superior drone video has become slowly integrated in our nation's TV newscasts.   There is virtually little noise and no pollution emitted from these marvelous little machines.

Hopefully police will begin to use them to document traffic accidents saving time and money.  Drones can cut the time busy streets are obstructed for traffic investigations by two-thirds.  

The Netherlands has been using them to deliver defibrillators to save the lives of heart attack victims.  Drones are excellent tools for use in critical missing persons cases, search and rescue. The benefits of our civilian drones make for a better and bright future.  

Is There Really a Sudden Fake News Epidemic or has Democracy Finally Come to Journalism?

Los Angeles, CA—The father of broadcast Fake News is Josef Goebbels.  As Adolf Hitler’s Minister of Enlightenment  and Propaganda, he was a pure genius.  Goebbels convinced the entire nation of Germany that what they heard on their newly acquired radios was always absolutely true. 

Goebbels success was not lost on our own CIA, back then called, OSS.  The OSS learned of the amazing power of the radio and soon Franklin Roosevelt was broadcasting propaganda “Fireside Chats” that mesmerized our entire nation binding us together against Germany, Italy and Japan. 

In the last 150 years we had powerful newspapers and soon followed radio and television.  I don’t give a rat’s ass who the news provider may be, they all have their own secret and vested interests that they are selling to the public as news.  

Only the very richest Americans could own newspapers and broadcasting organizations.  We the people were never part of the powerful media.  

Reporters and producers are hired based on the ability to craft news stories but also subject to their employer’s political proclivities.  There were once some Conservative newspapers but they all sold out to the wealthy political Left. 

There are no serious mainstream Conservative news organizations around anymore. Conservatives need not apply for media jobs today unless they can hide their political leanings really well.  

The six corporations that own and operate what we call today, The “Mainstream Media” are Leftist and in editorial lockstep together as one. What they’ve expertly been putting out as news is carefully crafted propaganda.  

Since all the news organizations are in agreement on various issues the public is convinced our media giants must be telling the truth. 

The Mainstream Media honchos all understandably thrive on deals and corruption to make their personal wealth and power grow.  They could care less about their audience/readers or their real needs.  They have very human failings at every level.

It’s been said may times that, “He who controls the information can rule the world.”  Recently that control has now somewhat shifted to, we the people!

Suddenly we have the Internet that can transmit text, pictures and high quality video along with affordable equipment that allows anyone to offer up what they call news!  

Slowly citizen journalists, bloggers and podcasters have cropped up by the thousands! Accordingly the newspapers and news broadcasters began to fail big-time!  Pink slips have rained in everyone of the nation’s Mainstream Media newsrooms. 

Some of the Internet news providers are not so clever or capable of crafting propaganda into their offerings subtilely.  Some are reckless and some are absolute abominations. However, now matter how well you can tell a lie or mislead an audience it’s no less deceitful or evil.  

Lack of experience and education has hampered many Internet journalists who have made somewhat clumsy attempts to sway public opinion.  That too will change as they gain necessary skills. 

Adding to the news mess is Twitter, Facebook and a growing list of places where any troll can put up a somewhat convincing “news” item. The problem is people want to believe some of the crap that is maliciously published and don’t bother to check anything out. 

If that’s not enough confusion there are fact checking websites that have their own political agenda and facts are turned into fiction and vise versa.  The only real way to check facts are to actually interview the newsmakers and require they provide reasonable evidence backing their statements. 

Are we somehow in a worse position now than before the Internet News sources?  No, we are better off because there are trusted bloggers and sincere journalists uncovering lies by government and politicians. Wikileaks, Edward Snowden and Bradley “Chelsea” Manning have been able to expose government tyranny and some really outrageous political intrigue.  

Whistle blowers now have real options that never existed before. Yes, despite the longstanding existence of fake news we are slowly becoming more sophisticated and better informed.  

I think we've seen the last Presidential election where the dying Mainstream Media will be able to maintain any relevance whatsoever.  They shamelessly fawned all over Hillary Clinton and padded the pre-election polls in her favor.  That came for them with a severe price.  

Let me end this with a simple truth, every writer has an agenda and the First Amendment thankfully protects that short of Libelous publishing or broadcasting.  Only the government gets to lie without punishment but at least now we can expose the crap they dish out.  Democracy has finally come to journalism!  

There are lots of qualified people that can gather and report news.  There are more people than ever that can podcast or post video news packages on the Internet.  There is no better time than now to make an Internet news channel of your own.  

Frankly I won’t cry for the losses of our longstanding Mainstream Media fat-cats. They’ve abused their power long enough.  

The Courts Rather Than The FAA May Soon Settle the Issue of News Media Use of Camera Drones.

Washington, DC—Suddenly, the FAA has allowed CNN and a Las Vegas agency ArrowData to begin using and testing drones for electronic newsgathering over populated areas under a section 333-waiver application provision.  

Until now the FAA has banned so-called, commercial use of drones while completely ignoring important First Amendment issues. 

As of now many media companies have opted to refuse applying for section-333 waivers because the lack of FAA regulation in effect already allows drone newsgathering.

The FAA just issued a curious memo saying the media can’t use the drones, but they can accept and publish drone video from third party hobbyists.  That begs the question, are the rights of hobbyists somehow greater than news publishers?

Soon the FAA and media content creators may be clashing in a courtroom.

The real issue and mission of the FAA is about safety in our skies. However, to date the nearly two million multi-rotor camera drones have not been involved in a single death, significant injury or property damage anywhere. The 7000 registered helicopters on the other hand have suffered numerous deaths along with epic destruction of property.  

The drones used by hobbyists have been proven to be safe.  There really is no evidence whatsoever that use of drones by the media would be any different.

There are two ways for courts to become involved to settle the potential conflict.  One is for the FAA to cite someone because they used a drone for newsgathering.  The other way would be if a media company or individual simply sued the FAA seeking a Declaratory Judgment that would actually enjoin the FAA from obstructing newsgathering efforts. 

With respect to electronic newsgathering he FAA has to date been placing itself above our Constitution’s First Amendment.  A judge may yet slap the FAA.   The FAA cannot simply trump the Constitution of the United States.

Here is the latest and somewhat ambiguous FAA memo on the drone newsgathering subject:

Drone Is No Longer an Ugly Word!

Kathmandu, Nepal—Drone video of the tragic earthquake that struck the very top of the world is beyond epic.  

As soon as the quake hit television networks and camera drone operators were boarding all available means of transportation.  The drone pilots understood full well the absolute importance of rushing to the scene. 

They know that drone images and video helps rescuers and engineers determine the safest ways to extract victims.   At the same time shows the rest of the world just how this desperate the situation is being handled.

Drone pilots and first responders everywhere are beginning to understand that in natural disasters, search and rescue along with other emergencies analyzing the material is a genuine lifesaver. 

It’s much easier for ground crews to locate survivors, evaluate hazards and determine the need for specialized equipment with the help of the new small drone technology.

Helicopters are too large and their prop wash can actually bring more danger to these delicate extractions.  Once victims are clear then helicopters can drop stretchers and cables to swiftly extract victims to medical care.

CNN broadcast the heartbreaking video below to their viewers of devastation of this ancient and mystical city.  The incredible newsgathering capability of the drones is just beginning to get the attention of the nations news directors and editors.

Again I must herald that with nearly two million multi-rotor drones on the hands of the public, there has never been a fatality or serious injury.  Property damage is limited to drones getting caught in trees or insignificant collisions with the ground.  The 7000 helicopters in service worldwide can never boast of that kind of a safety record.

Aside from capturing stunning images drones are unquestionable lifesavers.

The FAA and CNN Agree on Using Drones For Electronic News Gathering!

This is an Align quadcopter with a Panasonic GH4 4K motion picture camera perfect for electronic news gathering assignments. 

Atlanta, GA—All Federal Aviation Administration regulations were and are conceived and written in blood, literally!  That is, that there is a deadly aircraft accident behind every rule.  That has always been the case except when it came to drones.

We all must take safety seriously and any legitimate concern deserves study and respect.  The drones are somewhat expensive and their owners simply don’t want them damaged through recklessness.

For some strange bureaucratic reason the FAA has outlawed the use of a drone to make money.  As un-American as that seems, they’ve gotten away with this form of economic tyranny.

The FAA has always allowed the use of drones for recreation and hobby activities with scant few restrictions.  Rather than make rules just last month they’ve finally issued a few advisory Dos and Don’ts for those drone operators using devices that weigh less than 55 pounds.

There are now well over a million little multi-rotor camera drones in the hands of Americans. Still there’s still never been a reported fatal, serious injury or property damage accident with a multi-rotor drone.  There is still no blood evidence available for any traditional FAA rule making.   

The FAA like all government agencies wants to build their kingdom and expand their power and jurisdiction whenever possible.  Drones are the perfect excuse to give us much more government we don’t need.

TV news organizations have been buying drone video footage from freelancers willing to assume the risk of doing battle with the FAA. 

Lost somewhere in this shuffle are any concerns about our First Amendment rights to capture images with cameras.  Many news organizations have already acquired drones and have been using them clandestinely or at least experimenting with them.  

One drone use application has suddenly been  granted with an exciting and groundbreaking agreement between the FAA and CNN allowing for the use of various drones in their news operation.

The obvious safety concerns for drone newsgathering are related to flying over the heads of people and their property.  Are drones a safety threat? Statistically the answer is a resounding no!

Chicken Little, is a folk tale with a moral in the form of a cumulative tale about a chicken who believes the world is coming to an end. The phrase "The sky is falling!" features prominently in the story, and has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is imminent. Versions of the story go back more than 25 centuries; it continues to be referenced in a variety of media.  Thankfully Chicken Little’s prediction has not yet been realized. 

Rather than making rules based on real blood, when it comes to drones the FAA has taken the Chicken Little route. 

Common sense for drone operators would dictate that avoiding close contact with people or delicate property is necessary.   Rather than fly directly over crowds photographing the action from a 45-degree angle is safe, reasonable and will provide superior video or still images.

A multi-rotor drone operator would be foolish to begin flying in an urban setting or areas where there are too many trees.  Learning the ropes in a wide-open field until reasonable control skills are acquired is a must. 

We all know about those epic and deadly news, rescue, military and police helicopter crashes.  There is no question that drones are much safer than helicopters.   Should there be a camera drone mishap in an urban area the likelihood tragedy or property damage is nearly zero!

I’m convinced that there will never be a notable accident with a drone being used for newsgathering.   There will be some mishaps that will damage the drones but the public and their homes will remain unharmed.

If I Could Only Redesign and Rebuild CNN

Atlanta, GA—CNN joined Cable TV with a bang, but today it whines and whimpers.   Today CNN is on a death march to Hell because they have traded news reporting for public relations for the Democratic Party and the Obama Administration.

We must face the fact that every broadcaster wants to turn their news organization into a bully pulpit with a political agenda.  No matter how subtle they try to make it, the agenda glares right through, sending half of the audience scrambling to their remote controls.  The way to keep 100% of the audience is by avoiding politicization of the news.

CNN is personality driven chatter disguised as news.  To survive, CNN needs to simply try raw news for a change.   Real news reporting requires being first on the scene of every breaking story broadcasting video with interviews of newsmakers. 

I’d ditch the personalities and replace them with a team of sharp assignment desk jockeys that can introduce each story they’re working on to the viewers.  No opinions, no chitchat, just field reporting with video of news and newsmakers interviews.  Field reporting beats mindless anchor babble anytime.  

CNN needs to recruit a force of trustworthy and capable freelance reporters around the world that have sufficient camera and editing skills they can assign to gather the news and quickly report it.   Today everything needed to report live news is inexpensive and can easily fit into the smallest of cars or even motorcycles. 

The video journalist or what’s been called a one-man band is the model.  Many freelancers can grab a friend or family member to help with lights and such. 

The freelance reporters should be able to call in and pitch their own assignments to the assignment desk.  When the assignment desk learns of breaking news he or she needs to get a team or at least someone competent out to handle the story.  

Overpriced but pretty newsreaders sitting sometimes more than a 1000 miles away hearing the material most often third hand are the least qualified to comment on breaking news.

The importance is to get the information out quickly rather than have a pretty face redundantly tell us how sad, shocking, funny or troubling the story is that’s being reported. 

Of course there are stories we call packages that don’t have the urgency of live news.  They can be assigned and brought in to fill between breaking stories.

There are loads of unemployed or underemployed journalists all over the globe because of all the layoffs. Giving them let’s say $2000.00 per story would insure they would want to cover the news.  They also need to keep their cameras and equipment up to reasonable state of the art standards. 

The live shots should consist of assignment desk jockeys asking questions to their reporters in the field. This may not seem pretty to some news director types but the grittiness of breaking news all the time would bring excitement and something worth watching to the viewers.

With respect to what we call special projects they can still be done but without the celebrity anchor royalty weighing down the stories.  Political gabfests can still happen when real news slows down such as on the weekends.  

Nasty weather always leads in importance and sometimes sports.  These are best left alone except that more live reports from storm chasers are needed. 

The assignment desk areas and reporters cubicles should replace the ridicules news sets and anchor thrones.   Perhaps the time has come for opening the editorial meetings to cameras.  The public would love to see what drives the news gathering efforts. 

Can anyone even imagine transparency of a news operation?  Aside from protecting news sources there should be no secrets.  Remember its journalists that always complain about the lack of transparency, lets put the shoe on the other foot for a change.

As for reporting high profile court trials they should be packaged and reported on four times per day with the exception of verdicts and important breaking news related to each trial.  All those trial pundits truly suck and need to be banished from the earth. 

The new approach to news is to take many more interesting local breaking news stories and making them national.  A supermarket shooting, a horrible highway accident, police chase, a nasty fire or the arrest of some con artist fleecing the elderly is always more interesting than watching mindless anchor babble.

Was CNN’s Susan Roesgen Fighting For Obama Or Reporting News?

Chicago, IL—At Chicago’s Tea Party CNN reporter, Susan Roesgen waded into the crowd to spin the event as anti-government. I guess she thinks anyone that wants to protect the Constitution along with its liberty and freedom must be anti-government. Roesgen also called the event anti-CNN and proclaimed it was being led by Fox News.

Roesgen could not grasp the concept that excessive taxation also takes liberty. Taxation to the point of slavery is anything but freedom. There is a strong argument that today’s working Americans are slaves to corrupt politicians and their contributors. I thought we outlawed slavery long ago.

The problem with Roesgen was that she did not like the answers to her questions and chose to pick fights with the demonstrators. Roesgen became emotional and unprofessional as she tried to advocate the Barack Obama talking points to demonstrators. It was lousy TV news but great TV.

I imagine the public referendum results on this battle of the cable news outlets are in the latest ratings on Tax Day.

FOXNEWS 3,390,000
MSNBC 1,210,000
CNN 1,070,000
CNN HEADLINE 909,000

Fox News played Roesgen’s confrontational clip over and over as a solid demonstration of perceived CNN’s pro-Obama bias. CNN is playing to their own smaller audience and they have every right to do that because the ethical matters of traditional journalism have gone by the wayside.

True journalism gave way to subtle slanting. Over the decades the subtle slanting became full blown advocacy. News as we knew it is dead and today we have a free-for-all. Perhaps it’s more honest. They can report and we will decide.

I have to say in the final analysis if news presenters and writers would all disclose their bias instead of pretending the public would be better served. Saying that I can’t condemn Susan Roesgen for her bias.

Captured video by a bystander:

Here is the CNN story: