On The Media

This interview was conducted in such an unprofessional manner, the host was so condescending. He even offered as a reason for the quality of the spanish tv news that the spanish networks havent figured out how to attract audiences, while the english networks of course clearly know what they are doing in offering garbage. Had I been interviewed by this grossly incompetent journalist-wannabe I would have walked out on him.

Just heard the ridiculous clip of Governor Arnold saying his Spanish-speaking constituents just need to 'turn off the Spanish TV' and learn English. And Bob seconded that, saying people probably *would* learn English faster if they weren't watching Spanish-language television.

Wrong. People would learn English if they could get into classes. I run an ESOL program in Brooklyn. We enroll several hundred students a year ... and we have a waiting list twice as long as the number of seats available. The same is true all over the City. Funding for adult education is pathetically low. People want to learn English, but they cannot find classes. So, while they wait, should they live in media silence by turning off the news in their home languages?

I expect such short-sighted foolishness from Arnold, not from On the Media. Yes, I hold you to a higher standard. Just now you disappointed me.

--Stacie

BOB: I'm not sure whether English is your first language, but I wanted to point out that Spanish-speaking people would learn English MORE QUICKLY - not, as you said, "quicker" if [blah,blah,blah]. It would be GREAT if members of the media knew - not to mention, used - correct English! (Verbs are modified by adverbs, etc.)

What resonated with me was the indictment of English language local news.

While it is true that far too much canned publicity is supplanting real reporting, local news operations can achieve impressive things owing to new technologies. Recently, within minutes, a morning assignment editor at WTNH in New Haven was able to assure me by email that my 92-year old mother would not have to evacuate from her condo due to the fire I was reporting to him at 4am in the morning.

One of the big problems I see in our local news here is the competing interests of the urban and suburban audiences and the seductiveness to media ownership of serving one of those audiences more faithfully. A multitude of society’s problems end up aggregated in our cities which ends up fodder for the dramas the networks exploit but is never seriously enough considered by the suburban oriented local news operations. Connections between the policies of the State, largely set by suburban representatives, and the health of our cities are never adequately drawn.