TV’s Non-News Sell Outs

Granted, there’s no going back to the days of 15 minutes of local, loss-leader TV news. And nobody’s rebottling the genie of consultant-inspired window dressing and cosmetics — from set designs, catchy slogans and anchor demographics to tantalizing teases, “happy talk” chemistry and whether your weather person looks better in suspenders. It is what it is.

But isn’t it a new low that local affiliates have stooped to “covering” their networks’ cheesy reality shows as if they were, well, news? They all do it. It’s beyond the requisite, tacky promotions we’ve grown inured to over the years.

The most recent example is WFTS, ABC-28, which ran a “Desperate Housewives Look-Alike Contest.” And it didn’t stint on the video and air time – although the latter is, of course, severely limited by weather, sports, anchor blather and commercials.

But that’s show biz.

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