Chicago Dog
Well-known member
It's all jus' a little bit of history repeatin'...
The thing you don't seem to understand is that introducing the system gradually or not -- the employees always lose. Here, you have Alex Lucas, who gave the system a bona-fide shot. He's just one guy. From his forum posts alone, I can tell he's an excellent writer and has a good head on his shoulders. Therefore, my B.S. detector isn't going off.
The system wore on him. That's why the system fails. It simply asks too much of too few people donning too many hats.
Do I once again have to refer to New York 1? You know -- it's the station that was supposed to be the "flagship" of the OMB/VJ model? They've since switched back to two-person crews -- twelve years later.
The system was a failure then, and it's a failure now.
So, no. I'm definitely not agreeing with you.
At what point do you think anything you just said is any different than what just happened at WKRN and KRON? You're describing the entire situation just as it happened. The only difference here, though, is you're claiming it can be a success when it's already a proven failure.
And I'm the one whose confused? That's a laugh.
Better go back and read what you responded with, then, because that's pretty much what you said.Dink said:No, I'm afraid you're the one missing the point. I never said anything about the failure having anything to do with inept employees.
Um, KRON and WKRN didn't use it as a comprehensive replacement for the current system -- and it still failed.Dink said:What I said was that the system failed at these two stations because it will not work as a comprehensive replacement for the current system.
Again, see my response above.Dink said:It's easy to see that an "all live" system would fail. It's easy to see that an "all VJ" system will fail. But if you open your eyes, it's also easy to see that in both cases a limited restructuring of the system WILL work, or at least won't fail in a sufficiently spectacular manner as to make the managers realize it has eroded their quality and viewership.
The way it's already happening? Uh -- where, exactly? These two stations are failures.Dink said:The numbers might tank if you tried to replace your entire system with VJs. If it's done gradually, the way it is already happening, the ratings numbers won't be eroded as quickly as salary expenses.
The thing you don't seem to understand is that introducing the system gradually or not -- the employees always lose. Here, you have Alex Lucas, who gave the system a bona-fide shot. He's just one guy. From his forum posts alone, I can tell he's an excellent writer and has a good head on his shoulders. Therefore, my B.S. detector isn't going off.
The system wore on him. That's why the system fails. It simply asks too much of too few people donning too many hats.
No, I'm really not -- and that's why you're missing the point.Dink said:In both cases above, you're actually agreeing with me and don't realize it.
I'm wondering -- how long do you think OMB/VJs have been around? This idea is nothing new. Simply because some overpaid messiah consultant comes along and tosses around a few expensive-sounding buzzwords doesn't mean it's an epiphany for newsrooms to behold in golden light.Dink said:In regard to #1, you're right, stations do use VJs sparingly, for now. But the point is that they're actually using them. As they learn how to use them, they'll use them more often. As they use them more often, they'll learn new ways to use them, and the news model we know now will change to make use of the cheaper system.
Do I once again have to refer to New York 1? You know -- it's the station that was supposed to be the "flagship" of the OMB/VJ model? They've since switched back to two-person crews -- twelve years later.
The system was a failure then, and it's a failure now.
Once again, please refer to my comment at the beginning. Neither WKRN nor KRON went entirely OMB/VJ. They kept a few two-person crews around.Dink said:As for #2, that's exactly why it works at those stations. They DON'T try to make the entire station VJs. That's why WKRN failed.
So, no. I'm definitely not agreeing with you.
... And that's when I started beating my head against the wall.Dink said:Stations have been using OMB for ages.
This almost made me shoot cottage cheese out of my nose -- and I'm not even eating cottage cheese.Dink said:What makes this different is that there's a perception that the new cameras make the OMB model cheaper and easier. You will not be able to dispel that perception. From a corporate manager's point of view, if a cheaper model is available that will (in their eyes) achieve similar results, why not adopt it, especially when other stations with the reputation of KUSA are doing it on a limited scale?
At what point do you think anything you just said is any different than what just happened at WKRN and KRON? You're describing the entire situation just as it happened. The only difference here, though, is you're claiming it can be a success when it's already a proven failure.
And I'm the one whose confused? That's a laugh.