Is News Fading Fast?
Just last week, I was driving to work and listening to WRIF and was saddened to hear that Steve Wilson from WXYZ (Channel 7) was being let go. From what I heard, it was a money decision made by WXYZ’s parent company, The E.W. Scripps Company. Pragmatically, I understood, especially after I heard that only about 10% of the stories actually make it to air. So if you were looking at this purely from a dollars and cents perspective, then it makes sense. If you look at it from the perspective of hearing real news, then it’s not a gain but a loss.
I’ll be honest with you. For the most part, I hate watching local news. In my opinion, much of what I see is fluff. How dirty is your house? Look at how people can break into your home’s wireless internet? I could go on and on. In the end, I always get the same outcome. I’m pissed off at being led to believe that there was more to these stories than there really was. Either I’m hearing something that I already know or I had minutes of my life stolen from me. What I really care to know about is about misdeeds, corruption or something deep that I wouldn’t have heard before.
When I think back to the major stories of my lifetime, I think of investigative reporters. I have so far been mostly a Channel 7 guy so I saw a lot of Steve Wilson’s pieces. I saw him get shoved by Kwame Kilpatrick’s goons. I remember the questionable Navigator lease being revealed. Of course, I can’t forget Monica Conyers’ infamous “I’m being harassed” incident. Steve Wilson was always tenacious and persistent—not giving up until he had his story.
So I thought to myself, if news stations let go of guys like Steve Wilson, who are out covering events otherwise wouldn’t have been covered and much less aired, then what else is there? I don’t care about how much bacteria is in my home—thank you very much. I don’t wish to live my life in fear. I wish to live a life that is informed. This is what guys like Steve Wilson did and continue to do—keep us informed. So thank you, E.W Scripps Company, for saving a few bucks, you have lost a viewer and I’m sure that many others will leave as well. Hope that it was worth it.
Author: José A. Rodríguez
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