Getting the red out
Former news director challenges stations to lead with something other than crime

Guest commentary by Alan Goldstein

Challenge guidelines/rules:

1. Pick the least critical month for ratings. Your choice.

2. Do not lead any newscast with episodic crime story. (For bonus points: no episodic crime stories in first block. not group crime stories together. (The first crime story may have some merit; the following ones are usually routine police blotter types. But in a practice that began in 10 AC (After Consultants), producers were trained to couple like topics, since consultants felt it provided a certain viewing comfort to the audience. Ironically, over time, this practice has had the opposite effect, feeding the public's anxiety that crime is more prevalent than it actually is.)

4. Do not, until further notice, use the following words: Bombshell. Bizarre. Shocking. Dramatic. Stunning.
Explosive.

5. Replace the episodic crime lead with the most important local story of the day. (The one you think the community you serve really needs to know about, not just what you think they want to see.)

6. Assign your most journalistically skilled reporters to these stories.

7. Follow overnight ratings closely. If ratings do not drop, rub your chin, say "hmmm, there may be something to this." If ratings do drop, I give up.

8. But, if ratings do not drop, try extending this challenge beyond one month.

The challenge winner will receive nothing more than the warm satisfaction of knowing they have have served the public well.

What do you think?

Alan S. Goldstein is a veteran of both network and local television news. He was news director at KRON and associate news director at KPIX. He is also a former member of the Grade the News Advisory Board.