Media Decides Winner and Losers?

Kudos to WOWO's Pat Miller for a Monday afternoon faux pax, and quick recovery. 

Mr, Miller, WOWO afternoon host and staunch Conservative was interviewing Andy Downs, PFW professor and democrat party activist about Tuesday's Municipal election.

While discussing the Republican candidates in the highly contentious primary race, Mr. Miller remarked that on the Democrat side, incumbent Mayor Tom Henry was unopposed. 

After some texts were sent to WOWO, and running a Gina Burgess for mayor commercial in the next commercial cluster, Mr. Miller quickly mentioned that Ms. Burgess and Tommy Schader were also on the Democrat primary ballot. 

To his credit, Mr. Miller's misstep was minor and was quickly corrected. However, the issue of how the local media generally treats "fringe candidates" continues to show how media is complicit in choosing winners and losers. The cozy relationship between the current political ruling elite and the media elite is easy to see. The Journal Gazette can't seem to decide if Ms. Burgess is a Republican (as stated in print) or a Democrat (as stated in print). Other media feature "mainstream" candidate interviews at more favorable times than those pesky "fringe candidates" because they fear viewers will flee if Tommy Schrader, for example, pops up during a high viewership newscast slot.  

Because media helps determine winners and losers, the Maven ponders the money that could be saved if we just let the news media tell us who our next "rulers" will be. 

Local Weather Radar Disappears

On May 1, WISE-TV  added 5 new "channels" to their line up. Good news for "cord-cutters" abandoning cable, but bad news for people concerned about blizzards and tornadoes. 

By adding the new services on 33.2, 33.3, 33.4, 33.5 and 33.6, and dumping the radar from 33.2, WISE (now owned by former competitor WPTA) has alienated a segment of their viewers who, as the Maven understands it, are rather angry. 

In comments seen on related Facebook pages, a station spokesperson responded to concerns of viewers in a rather "corporate" way by, in essence telling viewers that the radar channel is going away and to get over it. 

This is the same "radar" that WPTA once promoted as "an extra layer of protection". 

While concerned viewers can contact the station(s) locally, there are other avenues available to them. 

For those who feel motivated to make a phone call or write a letter, the FCC website is a good source of information about an individual station. Each broadcast station is required to keep a "Public Inspection File" which, among other things, contains ownership information, a copy of their current license, and other helpful items. Public files are now required to be accessible via the internet, saving viewers a drive out to 3401 Butler Road. Keep in mind that this information mirrors typical government forms so they may take some time to digest. 

The Ownership Report for WISE-TV is available at this link (as a .pdf):

https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wise-tv/ownership-reports/

The Ownership Report for WPTA TV is available at this link (as a .pdf):

https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wpta/ownership-reports/