Thursday, November 29, 2007

'DUDES MAN'

We know this post is a bit delayed, but forgive us. We just want to point out a couple of things.

Let's begin with CNMG's Mark Bassant. For the life of us, Media Watch could not figure out if Mark was reporting on a fashion show or a serious story in Monday night's 7pm news. He struck a real "dudes man" pose with his left hand in his pocket as he did a stand up for the story on the little girl who died.
Before that though, Golda Lee read the lead in to the story and said the man involved "had drank a poisonous substance".
And later in the story, Mark said there was "...no distinction between her gray and white matter...meaning she was shaken violently." Eh? We are to assume you are speaking about the child's brain?

Point to note Mark: once your viewer gets distracted by your confusing script and has to go over in their mind what you just said, then you've lost them for the rest of your story. Remember you are not writing for a newspaper, where you can befuddle the script and the person reading it can go over it ten times until they get the gist. You only have one chance to catch the viewer's attention. Don't blow it.

Your colleague Charlene Ramdhanie has started shouting again when she reads her scripts. Charlene the training is going out the window already? And when did Gilbert Reyes become Clyde Reyes? You supered the crime chief as Clyde three times. That secret name should remain secret to the two of you. Don't confuse the viewer.
And that police press conference story went on and on and on.

And finally, Shelly Dass over at CNC 3 why are you commenting on what your "Big Story" callers say? Leave the comments to your guests, and maintain your objectivity as a journalist while you host the show.