Thanks for this view from the inside. I suspect a lot of anchors are frustrated with the emphasis on graphics, the swooping visuals that bedazzle the audience, and not the actual substance of the news. Keep the computer generated audio-visuals flowing and then you don’t get married to the need for a Walter Cronkite?
I will always need Walter Cronkite; he made me want to write news. There is never a day tha I don't watch a breaking news story and wonder what Walter would do. It sure wouldn't be this
Thank you Dave. A recent ad on your former station featured one of the anchors out supposedly talking to someone on the street while she narrated about how much she loved being out in the community getting stories. I laughed to myself - wondering how many real stories she ever gets to report on. I thought, probably zero.
Well, the stations always like to promote the idea that they have “working” anchors who can do more than sit there and read copy. They do occasionally get out on a big story and most of them got to be anchors because they were good journalists. But if you’re prepping for and anchoring four newscasts a day, there’s NO time to leave the building and report. The anchors could do it if there was time but it’s one of the realities of the business nowadays. More newscasts equals more ads to sell equals more revenue.
Your getting into management reminds me a bit of my career. I went from writing (which I loved) to project editing/managing entire books and publications. I soon found had no talent for getting people to do what I needed them to do. I went back to writing--that was my niche and my only niche!
This is a great peek behind what anchors do. I always thought they were more "managing editors" than just front-of-camera talent. And, BTW, I'm really going to miss Lester Holt.
Exactly. It’s not exactly the Peter Principle, but people tend to get promoted out of the area they’re really good at. And it’s nice to return to that foundation.
Hey, I thought I was the only (now-former) news director who ascended to the job that way! I love to remind Dave Boylan, the GM who promoted me, that he looked up at his office TV one day, saw me anchoring and said, "You know, that guy has a future in management."
In fairness to those who've been holding down the anchor desk more recently, I have to say I think they do a lot more than look and sound good. My friend Jill Geisler and I train anchors in leadership skills. We find they're serving as copy editors, performance coaches, ethics influencers, and role models off air, as well as in front of the camera. They are often the most experienced people in the newsroom, with the deepest knowledge of communities. Many of them use that to continue reporting, along with everything else. In short, the best ones are leaders, not just readers.
It still looks to me like pretty good work if you can get it, and in my experience, former anchors usually land pretty well. Just wanted to tell your readers there's more to the job than meets the eye.
I don’t think I was a TERRIBLE anchor. Technically, I was okay but think I lacked that spark or charisma that the very best have.
You make excellent points, as always, Scott. Anchors definitely should play a role as the final gatekeeper, as an advocate for viewers, and as mentors to younger staff members. Some anchors are really good at that. Others get on autopilot and simply read what’s put in front of them.
Every anchor is the country would benefit from spending time with you and Jill.
Readers should know Scott is an outstanding former news director in MSP and is much sought after to lead workshops for broadcast journalists. I always appreciate his added commentary in this space.
Thanks, as always. I'd love your take on the Trump admin taking over control of the White House press pool, unless you've already done so and I've missed it.
Jim, I haven’t honed in on the press pool takeover just yet. I did write two weeks ago about booting out the AP, which a judge now says the WH can do. Outrageous. I likely will get into the press poll at some point soon.
Thank you Dave. In our viewing area we are lucky to have experience, most of the time, at the desks. As we see cut backs I imagine the anchors will be doing a lot more to get their stories, especially the high level ones. When you and Kevin were there and then it went to national news, I think Dan Rather, we had very concise actual news. I appreciate anyone who is willing to go on set. Sometimes now the jokes and laughter drown out what is being said.
Sharon, my wife will tell you I sit in my recliner giving anchors the wrap sign on the chit chat on many nights. They don’t get the message now any better than they did when I worked there.
Don’t cry for this former news anchor. I had a better career than I could have ever imagined, at a great station, with very talented, totally committed news professionals. But I left the anchor chair sooner than I had planned because I had no input on our news product. A new management team wanted me to read the day’s news copy, and that’s it. They wanted no part of my perspective as a lifelong Iowan, with nearly 40 years of experience in the market, more than 30 of them on the street as a reporter, and my deep passion for the city, county and state in which I still live. I loved my career. I still can’t believe it happened. But I do miss the days when TV news was king and a reporter’s experience and instincts were much more valuable than some newscast formula put together by a consultant who knows nothing about our city and the people who live there.
Reporters being promoted to the anchor desk...what a concept! Wish it were a rule, but it is not. Flashy young anchors without street reporting experience--or imported from another market-- show their shallowness during live coverage of breaking stories. Thinking on your feet--or in the anchor chair--and providing context over live "smotherage" can quickly advertise to an audience "I really don't know what I am talking about."
It was a problem I noticed in particular for attractive young women. They would get promoted to the anchor desk after only a year or two of reporting in the field, and that’s not enough time to develop a good journalistic foundation. It would result in asking a dumb question that revealed their lack of field experience, or not really comprehending a complicated story they had to read. And 99 times out of 100, it was some male manager who put them in the anchor chair before they were ready.
I would get a lot of eye rolls from young journalists when I would counsel them about proper grammar, or suggest they read a good newspaper every day, or read a particular book. I knew they were talented and I would simply say, “Some day, when you’re in a major market or at the network, you will thank me for insisting on this stuff.” A few have!
I couldn't edit my original post, but the opening sentence should read "Reporters being promoted to the anchor desk..."
I would only add to this discussion that some of the most egregious "instant anchor" levitations I experienced in a 40-year broadcast career were engineered by a female news director.
Dave, as always, your perspectives from the ranks of a reporter, anchor, and manager are excellent. I did my bit in the anchor chair on WHO-TV intermittently back in the early 1970s. My sense was that TV anchoring was not for. That sense was confirmed a number of years later when I was on an elevator in the 801 Grand building. A gentleman asked if I was George Davison. My response was yes. His closing comment, "You have the body for radio!" That was the highest accolade I could have been paid. Unfortunately local radio is not what it was; I fear that local television is heading the same direction as a result of group ownership and too few owners holding too many licenses.
Great article. I wondered about that. I managed a small newspaper once where I got to do it all but when a new owner shifted things around and we weren't doing as much local news and printing stories from the head office, stuck behind a desk, I hated it. I think being with the people doing interviews and never knowing what was coming next is what attracted most people into a journalism career and it's changed drastically over the last 20 years or so.
I think another consideration is the lack oftruth in the news these days; it's geared toward pleasing advertisers and if they don't like it, it's likely out or altered into something the writer doesn't even recognise. Truth matters and we don't seem to get a lot of that these days. We need more truth in broadcasting, less Starbucks and McDonalds have a new menu item and more indepth reporting with real people and less press releases from CEO. Thanks Dave. Miss you by the way!
Kathy, at real news organizations, there’s still a high wall between advertising and news. Where the lines get blurred in most people’s minds is distinguishing between real news and all the other stuff out there these days, like blogs, social media posts, advocacy websites, etc.
Kathi, you are too kind. I loved reporting. I will say my experience on the anchor desk, though less than scintillating, helped me both in hiring anchors and coaching them. I knew the challenges they faced and could help them improve their skills.
I DON’T like news presenters! Anchors should be authority figures because of what’s in their head, not what the outside looks like.
Great perspective, Dave! Expertise, experience, empathy, information—thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this view from the inside. I suspect a lot of anchors are frustrated with the emphasis on graphics, the swooping visuals that bedazzle the audience, and not the actual substance of the news. Keep the computer generated audio-visuals flowing and then you don’t get married to the need for a Walter Cronkite?
I will always need Walter Cronkite; he made me want to write news. There is never a day tha I don't watch a breaking news story and wonder what Walter would do. It sure wouldn't be this
Well said.
Interesting as always. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Dave. A recent ad on your former station featured one of the anchors out supposedly talking to someone on the street while she narrated about how much she loved being out in the community getting stories. I laughed to myself - wondering how many real stories she ever gets to report on. I thought, probably zero.
Fake, feel good (to her I suppose) ad.
Well, the stations always like to promote the idea that they have “working” anchors who can do more than sit there and read copy. They do occasionally get out on a big story and most of them got to be anchors because they were good journalists. But if you’re prepping for and anchoring four newscasts a day, there’s NO time to leave the building and report. The anchors could do it if there was time but it’s one of the realities of the business nowadays. More newscasts equals more ads to sell equals more revenue.
Your getting into management reminds me a bit of my career. I went from writing (which I loved) to project editing/managing entire books and publications. I soon found had no talent for getting people to do what I needed them to do. I went back to writing--that was my niche and my only niche!
This is a great peek behind what anchors do. I always thought they were more "managing editors" than just front-of-camera talent. And, BTW, I'm really going to miss Lester Holt.
Exactly. It’s not exactly the Peter Principle, but people tend to get promoted out of the area they’re really good at. And it’s nice to return to that foundation.
Hey, I thought I was the only (now-former) news director who ascended to the job that way! I love to remind Dave Boylan, the GM who promoted me, that he looked up at his office TV one day, saw me anchoring and said, "You know, that guy has a future in management."
In fairness to those who've been holding down the anchor desk more recently, I have to say I think they do a lot more than look and sound good. My friend Jill Geisler and I train anchors in leadership skills. We find they're serving as copy editors, performance coaches, ethics influencers, and role models off air, as well as in front of the camera. They are often the most experienced people in the newsroom, with the deepest knowledge of communities. Many of them use that to continue reporting, along with everything else. In short, the best ones are leaders, not just readers.
It still looks to me like pretty good work if you can get it, and in my experience, former anchors usually land pretty well. Just wanted to tell your readers there's more to the job than meets the eye.
I don’t think I was a TERRIBLE anchor. Technically, I was okay but think I lacked that spark or charisma that the very best have.
You make excellent points, as always, Scott. Anchors definitely should play a role as the final gatekeeper, as an advocate for viewers, and as mentors to younger staff members. Some anchors are really good at that. Others get on autopilot and simply read what’s put in front of them.
Every anchor is the country would benefit from spending time with you and Jill.
Readers should know Scott is an outstanding former news director in MSP and is much sought after to lead workshops for broadcast journalists. I always appreciate his added commentary in this space.
Thank you, Dave. You're too kind, as usual -- and I'd bet you were a better anchor than I was during my justifiably brief time in that role.
Thanks, as always. I'd love your take on the Trump admin taking over control of the White House press pool, unless you've already done so and I've missed it.
Jim, I haven’t honed in on the press pool takeover just yet. I did write two weeks ago about booting out the AP, which a judge now says the WH can do. Outrageous. I likely will get into the press poll at some point soon.
Thank you Dave. In our viewing area we are lucky to have experience, most of the time, at the desks. As we see cut backs I imagine the anchors will be doing a lot more to get their stories, especially the high level ones. When you and Kevin were there and then it went to national news, I think Dan Rather, we had very concise actual news. I appreciate anyone who is willing to go on set. Sometimes now the jokes and laughter drown out what is being said.
Sharon, my wife will tell you I sit in my recliner giving anchors the wrap sign on the chit chat on many nights. They don’t get the message now any better than they did when I worked there.
😊
Amen to all of this 👆👆👆
Don’t cry for this former news anchor. I had a better career than I could have ever imagined, at a great station, with very talented, totally committed news professionals. But I left the anchor chair sooner than I had planned because I had no input on our news product. A new management team wanted me to read the day’s news copy, and that’s it. They wanted no part of my perspective as a lifelong Iowan, with nearly 40 years of experience in the market, more than 30 of them on the street as a reporter, and my deep passion for the city, county and state in which I still live. I loved my career. I still can’t believe it happened. But I do miss the days when TV news was king and a reporter’s experience and instincts were much more valuable than some newscast formula put together by a consultant who knows nothing about our city and the people who live there.
Thanks for the honest feedback from your perspective, Steve. Our profession is always evolving, sometimes in good ways, but not always.
Miss you too Steve!
Thanks Dave! I’m old enough to remember those days when you reported and later anchored!!
You must have been watching when you were 5!
Thanks..but hardly 😂
Reporters being promoted to the anchor desk...what a concept! Wish it were a rule, but it is not. Flashy young anchors without street reporting experience--or imported from another market-- show their shallowness during live coverage of breaking stories. Thinking on your feet--or in the anchor chair--and providing context over live "smotherage" can quickly advertise to an audience "I really don't know what I am talking about."
It was a problem I noticed in particular for attractive young women. They would get promoted to the anchor desk after only a year or two of reporting in the field, and that’s not enough time to develop a good journalistic foundation. It would result in asking a dumb question that revealed their lack of field experience, or not really comprehending a complicated story they had to read. And 99 times out of 100, it was some male manager who put them in the anchor chair before they were ready.
I would get a lot of eye rolls from young journalists when I would counsel them about proper grammar, or suggest they read a good newspaper every day, or read a particular book. I knew they were talented and I would simply say, “Some day, when you’re in a major market or at the network, you will thank me for insisting on this stuff.” A few have!
There are a couple who have gone on to do good things; a couple I still follow even though they aren't any where close.
I couldn't edit my original post, but the opening sentence should read "Reporters being promoted to the anchor desk..."
I would only add to this discussion that some of the most egregious "instant anchor" levitations I experienced in a 40-year broadcast career were engineered by a female news director.
I knew what you meant. Interesting comment about female ND’s.
Dave, as always, your perspectives from the ranks of a reporter, anchor, and manager are excellent. I did my bit in the anchor chair on WHO-TV intermittently back in the early 1970s. My sense was that TV anchoring was not for. That sense was confirmed a number of years later when I was on an elevator in the 801 Grand building. A gentleman asked if I was George Davison. My response was yes. His closing comment, "You have the body for radio!" That was the highest accolade I could have been paid. Unfortunately local radio is not what it was; I fear that local television is heading the same direction as a result of group ownership and too few owners holding too many licenses.
Wow. You should have smacked that guy! I’ve heard the “face for radio” comment, but that’s a new one.
Great article. I wondered about that. I managed a small newspaper once where I got to do it all but when a new owner shifted things around and we weren't doing as much local news and printing stories from the head office, stuck behind a desk, I hated it. I think being with the people doing interviews and never knowing what was coming next is what attracted most people into a journalism career and it's changed drastically over the last 20 years or so.
I think another consideration is the lack oftruth in the news these days; it's geared toward pleasing advertisers and if they don't like it, it's likely out or altered into something the writer doesn't even recognise. Truth matters and we don't seem to get a lot of that these days. We need more truth in broadcasting, less Starbucks and McDonalds have a new menu item and more indepth reporting with real people and less press releases from CEO. Thanks Dave. Miss you by the way!
Kathy, at real news organizations, there’s still a high wall between advertising and news. Where the lines get blurred in most people’s minds is distinguishing between real news and all the other stuff out there these days, like blogs, social media posts, advocacy websites, etc.
Dave, you were a great reporter and anchor. You led the News division at KCCI through some difficult and rapidly changing times. Well done.
News Presenter is an interesting title isn’t it?
Kathi, you are too kind. I loved reporting. I will say my experience on the anchor desk, though less than scintillating, helped me both in hiring anchors and coaching them. I knew the challenges they faced and could help them improve their skills.
I DON’T like news presenters! Anchors should be authority figures because of what’s in their head, not what the outside looks like.