NY Daily News TV scribe Richard Huff blasts Fox-owned WNYW and Tribune’s WPIX for the fluffery filling out their 10 p.m. newscasts. Huff says there’s a little too much comedy–either the purposely funny or the unintentional stuff–masquerading as news.
His report notes that WNYW has a comedienne among its 10 p.m. crew.
Last week, on the night of the second major snowstorm to hit the city this winter, Ch. 5 aired a segment from comedian Jessie Cantrell that poked fun at Mayor Bloomberg’s press conference.
Previously, Ch. 5 aired a skit with Cantrell showing viewers how to have fun in the snow. It included her doing snow angels and then visiting a cleaner.
“How do you get dog urine out of a coat?” she asked the cleaner, who smelled the coat and asked how it happened.
“Snow angels,” Cantrell said.
Spectacular.
Jessie C.
WPIX, meanwhile, is attempting a short-term ratings spike through stunts such as money giveaways in the 10 p hour. That, and too many unhinged pundits hamper the CW affiliate’s primetime news, says Huff.
Greg Mocker, who started out as an intriguing addition to Ch. 11’s mix, has turned into a walking stunt, seemingly unable to appear without a prop. He’s become the Gallagher of TV correspondents.
Factor in Lionel, who appears like he’s going to jump through the screen, and Larry Mendte, who may be the sanest of the bunch, and there’s a good chunk of time out the window.
Huff says cut them both back to 30 minutes.
After the jump, the Daily News reports that Chuck Scarborough now does the 6 p.m. news for WNBC solo, with Sue Simmons–back from surgery–filling in at 6 periodically, and still doing the 11 p.m.
