Department of contentless information

The longer I watch politics--and I haven't, in two years--the more grating I find the television anchors. Their need for verbal filler to occupy air space (terrifying thought: what if the viewers are the ones who require this filler, to refocus their minds after all those glittering montages of automobiles and alchoholic beverages) is mind boggling--but even more amazing are the things they come up with to fill it. Favorite so far: "He's leading among women. And he's leading among men. That'll do it." But that was weeks ago. Tonight we have Wolf Blitzer introducing an election segment thusly: "Here we are waiting for the primary results. Some states have picked winners; some states have not." Yes, that about covers it.

Comments

You're looking at their comments the wrong way, Megan. If you look at them as meaningless phonemems to fill up the time between thoughts, they make perfect sense.

Posted by Occam's Beard | February 5, 2008 11:38 PM

Heh. I remember watching live TV coverage of the Kingdome demolition. The expected time of the demolition was vaguely known in advance, but something came up to delay it quite a while, and those poor TV people had to just stand there on camera forever and yammer to fill the time...

It was almost enough to make me feel sorry for them.

Posted by Kirk Parker | February 6, 2008 2:56 AM

Wolf Blitzer? Ugh, you should be watching Brit Hume.

Posted by sarah | February 6, 2008 3:27 AM

I liked PBS' coverage. Fewer zany graphics, and it was cute to hear them talking to each other with stage directions etc. Reminded me of a pledge drive (in a good way).

Posted by Matt B | February 6, 2008 9:35 AM

Shouldn't our derision be directed at whoever is writing what appears on the cue cards and teleprompters? The TV Anchors are little more than speakers blaring whatever the crummy sound system that is our media is playing.

Posted by matt foley | February 6, 2008 10:12 AM

Anchor blather is one of the several reasons why I despise, and avoid, all forms of televised news. Two minutes of actual substance for every five minutes of Avoid Dead Air.

Posted by anony-mouse | February 6, 2008 12:36 PM

I had the same reaction while watching the Super Bowl. After so much of Troy Aikman's commentary I started thinking about cutting myself, but then realized I could hit mute.

Posted by Matt | February 6, 2008 12:53 PM

I think network news changed a lot since 9/11. I gradually transitioned to watching more C-SPAN and PBS Jim Lehrer around that time and I haven't looked back since. Nowadays I get a headache whenever I watch cable news and network news.

I share Megan's concern that perhaps it is the viewers who demand this type of filler. I wonder if we could design a study to compare ratings.

Posted by Biomed Tim | February 6, 2008 2:47 PM

Contentless information . . . Not surprising we have gotten to this point, since everyone is now receiving contentless educations, especially in college.

Posted by Troy Camplin, PhD | February 6, 2008 3:42 PM

Fear of Dead Air

TS Eliot wrote:

Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

I think this poem needs another line:

Where is the information we have lost in _______?

Fill in the blank: graphics, entertainment, air time, cross talk?

Posted by wph | February 6, 2008 7:42 PM