It is easy to criticize much of what passes for “news” today on local TV stations.
After all, most of them are “consultant-driven” with most stories designed for viewers with an attention span of a gnat.
That’s what makes KCPT’s “Local Show” so refreshing.
Co-hosted by public TV veterans Nick Haines and Randy Mason, the show officially went on the air July 2010 and takes the time necessary to examine important local issues in an in-depth fashion.
As an example, the most recent half-hour edition (below) that aired (4/11) examined the status of North Kansas City Hospital and whether the hospital was in the process of being sold. Reporter Sam Zeff (he used to be the investigative producer at KCTV when that station won numerous journalism awards) talked to key individuals in the community to get to the heart of the issue.
While some denied it was actually for sale, Zeff made a compelling case that there were definite plans to put a “For Sale” sign on the community landmark. Former Kansas City Star reporter/editor Jim Fitzpatrick did a superb job of explaining how important the hospital is for the community.
A second story on the latest program highlighted the use of computers in area schools. Reporter Danny Woods tried to determine if the KCK School District benefited by providing high school students with expensive Mac laptop computers for free. The conclusion viewers received was that teachers seemed to like the computers, but that there was no real evidence that test scores or any other measure improved.
The final piece was a brief interview about Jazz Appreciation Month (Link).
It should be noted that KSHB recently devoted an entire hour to an examination of the massive gas explosion at JJ’s Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza, but that is the exception rather than the rule in local TV.
When the “Local Show” officially launched on July 15, 2010 it was billed by Haines as ”your new place on KCPT to discover our local artists, entrepreneurs, leaders and overachievers from all walks of life – and in the process, help you learn a lot more about this place we call home.”
Haines told Bottom Line KCPT is very good at discussing local political issues, but the Local Show was specifically designed to examine areas of the news that rarely get in-depth TV coverage.
“At KCPT, we tackle local politics, but what about the arts and entrepreneurship, education, health and science?” asked Haines. ”With the ‘Local Show’ we have a place to regularly tell those stories.
“Along with interviews we work with KCPT producers and a team of very talented independent producers to create original content such as what we you saw last night.”
The “Local Show” highlights what local TV can do when it is given the time and talent to examine important issues affecting the community.
FITZ’S THOUGHTS
Thanks for the mention, John. I told Sam he did a great job with the story. He and the NKC Hospital doc whom he included in the story blew wide open the city’s contention that the city was just on an exploratory foray. They want to sell it. Previous mayors and councils have blown a ton of money on the community center, real estate investments and other out-of-proportion expenditures. They got to thinking they were a big fish. Not so; NKC is still a minnow and always will be. The hospital is its only big-time operation.
COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS
I am going to watch the show, as I want to see the segment on KCK computers in schools. When I was at KCMO News, I did a number of stories on the decision to hand out what were basic laptops in District 500 in 2002-2003. I thought it was curious that students would be expected to work on school related items after hours when a majority of the district population couldn’t afford internet access.
I recall seeing, somewhere, the recent story about District 500 students standing outside school buildings to work in the hot spot prior to buildings being opened for the day. I think that piece was tied to the possibilities (and limitations) of having Google Fiber available in neighborhoods.
I think Google Fiber is fabulous, and I look forward to having it in my neighborhood. Yet, if you have a kid in school, and he/she has a computer with wi-fi, and you have to decide between internet service and food on the table..