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It symbolizes a major shift in TV news

L F6 Orlando Sentinel SUNDAY, APRIL 10,2005 It symbolizes a major shift in TV news HHBHjBpjBHHHBHBBB NEWS FROM Fl drea Jackson says. "It's infotainment." It represents another example of how executives from CBS and CNN to local stations are rethinking television news. A yearlong Orlando Sentinel series will explore the upheaval in news as programs rework formats, bring on new anchors, inject more personality and cater to elusive younger viewers. The Daily Buzz symbolizes a major shift in news packaging and values. The program has no reporters. The men never wear ties. Jackson throws her legs over the anchor desk to illustrate secrets of the first-class flirt. Co-host John Brown drops to the floor to demonstrate his break-dancing spins. The show wants no part of traditional newscast stodginess. "We're not pretending to be what we're not," says executive producer Troy McGuire. "We're some entertainment, some news, some laughs. . . . We do entertainment. You know why? Because people want to see it. And we make no bones about it." The Daily Buzz could mortify a news purist. It's less Peter Jennings and more Jon Stewart. McGuire even cites Stewart's Daily Show as a good model for comedy. The court-jester style of Stewart, a fake newsman, is influencing actual news. Newscasts replay late-night monologues, and morning anchors readily reveal their zany sides. CNN's American Morning prominently features "90-Sec-ond Pop," a humorous panel discussion. Stewart's popularity raises questions about whether simply reporting the news is stimulating enough for younger viewers, says Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, a Washington think tank. "Does it have to be satirical news so people under 35 watch?" he asks. "It's really important for journalism and for old media to create new product that reaches out to the next generation. We know local TV news audiences skew older. Network news audiences skew even older." The Daily Buzz caters to the 18-to-49 age group with a mix of comedy and entertainment that trumps serious news. The program spends less time on the pope's death than on an interview with Jordan Knight, a former member of New Kids on the Block, or the latest testimony at the Michael Jackson molestation trial. Hosts Brown and Jackson, who describe themselves as in their mid-30s, say The Daily Buzz liberates them from more restrictive news formats. Brown recalls that, in working on a typical newscast, people made comments during breaks that he can now say on the air. "Michael Jackson is a classic case," Brown says. "People are watching and thinking everybody in the whole thing is crazy." The Daily Buzz might strike first-time viewers as a bit crazy. Gasps and hoots can be heard when Brown talks about research on teens and oral sex. His effervescent cohort Jackson frequently dances at the anchor desk and describes her comments as "adding to the irreverence of the news and just making it accessible to people." Access is the whole point of "Water Cooler," a regular segment during which Clayton Morris reads viewers' comments. "Old School," another standing feature, replays primi tive educational films. Weath-ercaster Mitch English comports himself with a goofy bravura far beyond Al Roker's jokey style. "You really have three morning shows that are pretty much the same when you look at ABC, NBC and CBS," Jackson says. "What we try and do is try to provide some alternate form of morning news program. Nine times out of 10, most of our viewers are actually listeners. They're listening to our show as they get ready. It's the music, a laugh or a comment that might draw them out of the bathroom back to the television." The program plays music as often as other newscasts use news footage. The Sopranos theme accompanies an interview with cast member Jamie-Lynn DiScala. "Smokin' in the Boys' Room" is heard under a "Water Cooler" segment on smoking. But the program avoids any music on serious stories, such as the Terri Schia-vo case and school shootings. "We have our limits," McGuire says. "We go right up to the edge a lot of times on stuff." Competition in the a.m. The Daily Buzz started three years ago in Dayton, Ohio, when Acme Communications wanted original fare to bolster local ad revenue and replace in-fomercials and reruns. Emmis Communications, which owns WKCF, became a 50-50 partner in the show last year. The program moved to Orlando last summer. "Dayton, Ohio, wasn't exactly a hotbed for guests," McGuire says. "You get better play with Disney World. There's just more going on. We're here for good." The Daily Buzz, which airs from 6 to 9 weekdays on WKCF, usually runs behind Orlando newscasts in household ratings. But the show hopes to change that with increased promotion of its talent. The show employs about 30, and the tight control on costs is evident in the no-frills production. The program relies on outside contributors, such as Sentinel columnist Greg Dawson. The program reaches roughly 36 percent of the country through 136 markets, such as San Francisco, Cleveland, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and New Orleans. The Daily Buzz estimates that it averages a million viewers a day a figure that Nielsen Media Research could not confirm. That's far fewer than the 6 million for Today and the nearly 5.4 million for Good Morning America. But competition is heating up in the morning, with more and more programs jockeying to reach viewers before they leave for work. The Daily Buzz stresses that it's growing as it adds markets. Beating the morning giants doesn't matter, McGuire says, because the syndicated program will find its niche on WB, UPN and Fox stations. "We'll make money for them and meet their expectations in the program," he says. "We haven't even started selling the show really. The growth has been through word of mouth between the general managers of TV stations. We're about to hire a syndicator." Not shy about news Three hours of live, fresh content will be one selling point. But the key to success will probably be the hosts' ability to say things that viewers are thinking. McGuire notes that For hosts Andrea Jackson and John morning news . . .' from that offered Camera operators, such as Rachel Cochran, aren't afraid to offer their 2 cents on a topic on 'Daily Buzz,' produced Fox News Channel has thrived with a similar approach. "If we do a story on a bad guy, we'll call him a scumbag," McGuire says. "We still do the J journalism school stuff. We get the facts right, and we believe in all that. But we tell it in a way that resonates with the viewer more than trying to act like big J." The Daily Buzz puts up the headlines CNN and The Associated Press are its sources before the hosts start sharing The 'Buzz' claims a viewership of a million, which is far below that of 'Good Morning America' (left) and 'Today.' But an executive insists the show is growing, adding markets and viewers all the time. PHOTOS FROM ABC AND NBC RED HUBERORLANDO SENTINEL Brown, the format of the 'Buzz' is liberating. Jackson says they try 'to provide some alternate form of by major networks. The show's combination of comedy and entertainment is aimed at 18-to-49-year-olds. their opinions. That way the humor has some context: It's funny news and not simply the funnies. "There's plenty of stuff to make fun of and laugh about and do news on," McGuire says. "We just gotta make everything content-based." In recent days, the Michael Jackson trial has been a recurring target, with the hosts expressing their scorn and disbelief. The chatty approach probably matters little to viewers when a region is under a tornado warning or a major story happens. But The Daily Buzz aims to keep viewers coming back with its down-to-earth format. "We want you to go to work and have some general news ideas and maybe an idea about the weather in your area, and also something you can chat with your co-workers about," Jackson says. McGuire says The Daily Buzz offers more pertinent in- RED HUBERORLANDO SENTINEL in Lake Mary and seen nationally. formation than updates on a murder in an apartment complex or a traffic accident staples of local morning broadcasts. "We're making you think a lot more than local stations," he says. More crucially, they're making people think about the future of television news. Hal Boedekercan be reached at hboedekerorlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5756. Jon Stewart's comedic style as a fake newsman on The Daily Show' is having an influence on the news. TINA FINEBERG THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Article from 10 Apr 2005The Orlando Sentinel(Orlando, FL)
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