Is it just me...

[Ripley]

Or has every single thing on TV been corrupted by the Corporate Advertising push for more sensationalism and more ratings and more revenues?

In particular I am offended by The Weather Channel this weekend. They are so obviously phony with their actors (oops, I mean meteorologists) in the field. One guy was leaning over and screaming and the adjectives he was using sounded like they came from a soap opera. They clearly played up the disaster angle and not for informing people with safety news, but with sexy, edge of your seat...is he gonna get hit by that big wave and die on camera? crap.

I want the news. I want the Weather news. Is it going to flood my house? I don't want to see MTV sex kittens pouting about outflows and wind sheer. I don't want to see body builders strutting into Army vehicles acting macho in the storm's path.

Is that too much to ask?

[NMDemDist2]

1. it's not just you and i fear it IS too much to ask from our culture today

:cry:

[wrang_wrang]

2. Haha. You want the truth from your TV?

It might be too late for you!

[MuseRider]

3. Driving me insane.

I have basically quit watching all of that. It really pisses me off too. I loved getting up every morning, cup of coffee, newspaper and a news show. Now they are all full of dim bulbs looking cute and giggling while telling things that make a thinking person shudder. Loval news? Worse. Weather channel? Be very afraid of...UV, pollen, smog, temps, wind, storms. Don't forget your jacket, sunglasses, sun screen, air conditioners etc. Whatever happened to a report so you knew what was coming without your weather Mamma telling you what to do after your weather Dad tells you what to be worried about? Sorry, I am having serious news withdrawl. I miss it a lot.

[Ripley]

4. That's funny...weather Mamma and weather Dad!

Yes, the types of ads are most bothersome as well. TWC has their special "gardening" segment which is sponsored by Ortho. They tell you how healthy it is to grow a garden! But you have to buy these pesticides and those herbicides and this fertilizer!

I think TWC really got noticeably shitty during the Iraq War. They started a segment about "Iraq Weather." You know, for the families of the soldiers. Well, if your son is in Tikrit today, he can expect 110' temps and a sandstorm! Then as if a magic button was pushed, they stopped. Well, aren't there still 100,000 soldiers in Iraq. Doesn't Mom and Dad still care about the sandstorms?

Yeah, I know....kill my TV. But weather is something you NEED to know if you and your property are in jeopardy. It's disgusting.

[MuseRider]

5. Kill your TV, well

I can't or won't I suppose. My youngest just took off for college and I finally have the controls! I am loving seeing movies I was just never able to see. Hard to sit through Shakespeare when your kid is moaning 3 feet away about another Cosby re run but that is not the topic. Yes, it is all commercial crap and it has gotten worse. I did notice that the Iraq weather stopped and wondered about that. And yes, I love it when they tell you how healthy it is to grow your own vegetables but you must spray them because the pesticides are by far less disgusting than the possibility of a hole in your tomato.

I loved your post. I gripe all the time about the dumbos and dumbo news. Giggle and Shake have done their last newscast in my house.

[Ripley]

7. Okay, who the heck are They???

Giggle and Shake? Never heard that, but let me guess...morning show? Could it be Gums Katie as Giggles? But who is Shake? I only catch some of the morning shows at the gym, and that's only to flip over from Highlander or ESPN to see someone like Meryl Streep being interviewed...cause I know I won't get News there for Goodness Sakes!

[MuseRider]

10. Just another name for

the generic news females. The sports guys are Flex and Strut. So for my local news I have Giggle and Shake and Flex and Stut and the weather are Mamma and Dad. THIS is what I do when I can't get news, I get nasty and make up insults. I will stop here because it gets much worse when the usual RW guests appear.

[onecent]

6. Heck on MSNBC over the weekend some guy was telling

everyone to locate their dental records...because they could be used to identify bodies....Jesus....I couldn't believe my ears....

[Ripley]

8. Hahahhahaha!

No, they didn't! My stomach hurts, make it stoppppppppppp!

[69KV]

9. I saw that too

The Weather Channel had reporters dressed in storm gear standing in 60 mph winds and blowing rain shouting into the mic like they were sports announcers, very sensational. It looks like TWC is now using disaster flicks as the model for their reporting.

I was cracking up laughing. My most cynical thought was that their reports were being produced in some Los Angeles studio with big fans, a sprinkler system, and a video backdrop of blowing palm trees.

[AnnInLa]

11. AAR will just have to start reporting the weather!.......eom

[are_we_united_yet]

12. HA. The sad thing is it is not limited to your TV.

:(