A vast wasteland?

I think it might have been Spiro Agnew who used the phrase about  television way back in the past.  He called it a "Vast Wasteland".  Maybe he had something.

OK OK it is election time in Florida!  That means lots (I mean LOTS) of political TV commercials.  But I am not talking about quantity -- it is the Quality I want to address.

Lest you are not familiar with my background -- I have a couple of degrees in Mass Communications and many years of work in the Radio/TV business.  Over a period of more than 30 years, I have recorded or read live thousands of commercials and hundreds of newscasts on both radio and TV.  I am not bragging -- Those are my credentials  for this critical blog.

When I began my career back in the late 50's --  there were only two major female voices on national broadcasting -- Nancy Dickerson (Mother of John at CBS) and Pauline Fredricks of NBC.  That was about it.  Virtually all newscasters and announcers were men -- most with big deep voices.  Let me be clear -- I am not a chauvinist.  As manager of a small radio station in Crawfordsville, Indiana many years ago, I hired two women as DJ's -- not to read recipes and household hints -- but to play records and read the news just like their male counterparts.  That was unheard of back then. And they did a great job.  I love to hear good female talent.  But, as time moved onward, female newscasters and announcers became more and more a part of the broadcasting business -- and now women  are probably more numerous than men these days.  Understand -- I have nothing against a pretty face as long as it has some talent behind it.

I live in Ocala, Florida -- about an hour north of Orlando.  That is where we get our TV programming.  Orlando -- the home of Disney and all the great theme parks -- grew up very fast.  It is now a large metropolitan city.  They now have several TV stations on our satellite system from which to choose -- but they are all about the same.  Each one has a pretty face co anchor or two reporting the news.  I am convinced that the pretty face took precedents over the talent.  They are not bad -- just not the quality that a city of that size should have as their major news anchors.  They seem to "sing" the news with not much attention to what they are saying.  A few are good -- but most are in need of some coaching.  

But the commercials!!!  OMG.  You know what a "motormouth" is? Someone who talks faster than their brain can function.  It is easy to see what kind of business is making the big bucks -- just check the commercials on the local TV news shows.  Lawyers -- Car dealers and now politicians.  And they all think they are great TV personalities.  Or they get their sister-in-law or wife or whoever is the sexiest to do their commercials on TV.  That doesn't take much convincing does it?  "Ya wanna be on TV? -- I can make you a star, sweetie -- just do my commercial for me."  Or even worse -- they do their own commercials.  Heaven forbid!

Let me tell you something, folks.  People who sell cars or practice law are NOT good announcers -- nor are their kids or their girlfriends.   It takes a lot of natural talent to do that but most of all it takes years of study and practice and experience to be a good  TV pitchman (or woman).  They should, at least, take a look at what a good commercial looks like -- and there are a few on the networks or created by a good ad agency.   For God's sake -- get a professional writer to create and a good professional talent to represent you on TV!   And please stop trying to squeeze ten pounds into a five pound bag.  Be a good car salesman or a good lawyer or good politician (is that possible?) or whatever you do for a living -- and stop trying to be a TV announcer.  You are NOT good at that.  Leave the TV to the pros who do that for their livelihood.  They ARE good at that.

Oh -- by the way -- I am available ...LOL

From the heart of Olaf Hart.....