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Broadcast Veteran Lund Explains Different Demands of TV News

Two weeks ago, South Dakota media eminence gris Doug Lund lobbed a blog blast at Patrick Lalley, content strategist of that Sioux Falls paper. Lund got the impression that, in the paper's November 19 100 Eyes podcast, Lalley showed no feeling toward his numerous colleagues whom Gannett canned in downsizing the paper. Lund also took umbrage at Lalley's claim that broadcasters don't do reporting.

Pat Powers picks up Lund's statement because it gives him a chance to slobber over what he passive-aggressively question-mark-calls a "slappy fight."

Pat Powers does not cite Lund's invitation to an intelligent discussion of the differing demands and merits of print and broadcast journalism, because... well, golly, what does Lund say that would keep Pat from mentioning that?

What Mr. Strategist knows and isn’t saying is that when his two pet reporters need more time for investigative reporting or to read Cory Heidelberger’s blog for ideas, they will have it and all the page space they need.

He also knows that stations like Keloland turn out five newscasts and one web newscast a day... while maintaining the top web site in the state. Reporters, including anchors, are expected to contribute daily packages that tell the story with facts and interviews while fitting it into the newscast time restraints... or going live from the scene when a situation warrants [Doug Lund, "The Only Good Reporter Is [a Sioux Falls Paper] Reporter," KELOLand.com, 2014.11.21].

There's a reason you don't see much original video here. Video is a pain. It takes much more time to rehearse, edit, and publish quality video than it does to pound research into good text. Give me a studio, a couple camera operators, a producer, and a maybe live studio audience (are you listening, KELO?), and I could put together some quality weekly infotainment that would tickle the masses. But that's more resources than I'm going to pull out of my backpack.

Every hour I spend wrestling with video software is an hour I'm not reading the Governor's budget or my EB-5 documents. If my job is to help other people get ideas, I probably do it better cranking out five text posts than I do one video post.

That equation does inform a distinction between the news content in our print media and our broadcast media. We get more news stories and more detail in most news stories in the paper than on TV and radio. But print and broadcast media are changing their content and their business models because of the Internet.

10 Comments

  1. larry kurtz 2014.12.03

    Piling on presents prototypical Powers. Patricks prone to prattle prolifically presume predominant preeminence.

  2. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.12.03

    Say that 3 times fast Larry.

  3. 96Tears 2014.12.03

    Lalley really made an ass-hat of himself in an argument on Lund’s on Facebook page, which carried on with what started on the KELO blog. Really clueless, egocentric stuff. He compared his two scribes to far better known and respected veteran reporters and called the scribes better reporters. “Unparalleled,” said he. "There are no reporters in this state doing the work that Ellis and Montgomery are doing."

    And this gem: "I can start listing our investigations here if you'd like. But I can guarantee that nobody in this state measures up to our record. Nobody."

    And, "Jonathan Ellis is simply put the best investigative journalist in South Dakota."

    And, "I was the editor for both Wosters. They are both quite good and I have enormous respect for what they've done. But Ellis' work especially is a cut above."

  4. Joe K 2014.12.04

    The only time I pick up the Argus Leader is on Sunday. That is just to browse the ads, and nothing else. I page through the paper and get nothing newsworthy that I have not gathered from other media sources online.

    The argus is all fluff. 9 bucks a month for their online content? Hell no. Matter of fact, I just pulled up their website - the front page article is "Maker Movement Turns Hobbies Into Business." Really?? Is there nothing more important in SD than someone cross-stitching and her hubby making musical instruments, and selling them for profit? Good job reporting Argus, good job.

  5. JeniW 2014.12.04

    Joe K, what is happening in the Sioux Falls area, or South Dakota do you think the Argus is not covering?

  6. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.12.04

    96: wow. Does Lalley really think he does his business any good by suggesting that his reporters are better than the Wosters?

  7. Joe K 2014.12.04

    Jeni: That is a question that I really am unable to answer. As I mentioned in my comment, as I rarely read the Argus anymore. Also, I can not comment on what is not being covered in SF as I live west river. I just feel that a lot of their articles stop short of giving the whole story.

    One good example is the article posted last night on the Gov's K12 plan on property owners "pitching in" for aid programs:
    http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2014/12/03/daugaards-plans-ask-property-taxpayers/19871273/

    This article left me with more questions than answers. How does this affect districts that have already "pitched in" via opt-outs? How is the proposed .5% increase over what the state law requires hinging on property owners? What exactly is the governor proposing for the increase in K12 funding?

  8. Jenny 2014.12.04

    That is really unprofessional to be getting in a tizzy on FB about whose employees are better.
    C'mon Lalley - you should be above that! It is turning readers off to 'that S Falls paper', dude!

  9. Bill Fleming 2014.12.04

    Big mistake by Lalley.

  10. Moses 2014.12.04

    I think its just gret not to go the war college, at all.

Comments are closed.