Live Wired

This is the last of a two-part rant focusing on needlessly phony movie scenes. A few weeks ago, it was hockey. Today, I turn my attention to television news “live shots.”

First, some background information gleaned from my experiences as a TV News journalist.

In 1978, the Phoenix CBS affiliate where I began my career was still shooting some stories on 16 millimeter film, which had to be processed and developed before being edited (spliced by a razor) into usable segments. There were two film projectors in the studio control room, labeled A and B. The interview soundbite reel was loaded onto the A projector, while the reel in the B projector contained all the cover shots and background scenes. That is why, to this day, all non-interview news footage is called “B-Roll.”

Newly-developed satellite technology and portable video cameras then made it possible to do “live reports” from the field, a technique that quickly became an industry standard. Mobile vans equipped with satellite dishes and video tape machines gave journalists the option of editing stories “in the truck” without having to return to the station.

Reporters could put together taped stories, feed the material back to the station before introducing their pieces live from the scene of action, or in most cases, no action. Updated information was usually added in the closing cross-talk between the studio-bound anchor and the roving reporter.

Today’s electronic media companies love the sense of conveyed urgency, especially when accompanied by a red, on-screen “Breaking News” banner which often stays visible long past the moment when or if anything newsworthy has broken.

24-hour cable news stations, cell phone technology, and social media outlets have added fuel to the burning perception that faster is better. Hurried, “in-the-moment” reports often turn out to be wrong. Later corrections are sometimes added, but by then, the misinformed fire is out of control.

The “let’s go live” war cry was growing in volume when I entered the TV business in the late 70’s - a trend that was at odds with my natural skill set.

I’m not good at memorization or reading aloud without stumbling, an unfortunate combo for someone working in a profession that values both attributes. To compensate for my deficiencies, I found it easier to ad-lib on most occasions. Still, anything that could go wrong often did, resulting in verbal miscues and other flubs.

The mistakes were embarrassing at first, but I developed a survivalist mentality. If the basic content was unique, useful and informative, people would usually excuse my speech imperfections...even identifying with my occasional gaffs. What real-life person speaks in perfect sentences?

Now that I am retired from the airwaves, many of the goof-ups are remembered with a smile…especially one specific incident while toiling as a Phoenix sports anchor in 1980. Our oldest child Matt was about 9 years old at the time, and a little league baseball player.

I rarely got a chance to see him play because his games conflicted with my work schedule.

One afternoon, I notified the news producers of my intent to use a generic kids’ baseball game as a backdrop for my 6pm sportscast, never mentioning that the particular game was chosen because my son would be in the lineup. Before going on the air, I informed Matt to refrain from any personal contact just to keep the ruse alive.

DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRESENCE!

But, life and circumstances intervened.

Matt was running the bases just as the live segment began and crossed paths with me near home plate. While speaking to the TV audience, I stuck to our plan and tried to ignore his presence, but little Matthew, loving son that he is, couldn’t pass up the chance to give his father a quick hug around the waist. Due to our size difference, his arms and one hand made contact just below my belt.

The visual didn’t work to my favor.

No arrests were made.

Life moved on.

In 1996, the movie “Up Close and Personal” focused on the relationship between a young female TV reporter and her male boss.

A prison riot put the visiting reporter in a position to cover the developments on a live newscast. What happened in the movie could never have happened in real life, prompting me, and a now grown-up Matt, to voice our puzzled reaction.

“Let’s Go Live”

(Runs 4:01)

For paying subscribers, the forty-second Phoenix TV clip highlighting Matt’s awkward “hug.” Plus, a behind-the-scenes video showing how an NBC TODAY live segment comes together…in this occasion, right from our Winnetka, Illinois front porch.

Stories below.

“The Unwanted Hug”

(Runs :41)

“Today on the Porch”

(Runs 5:33)