Democratic Convention Coverage

So we decided to watch and listen to the opening speeches of the DNC last night. In the living room KET (that's Kentucky Educational Television) was showing PBS's coverage while in the kitchen NPR's coverage was playing. While visiting my aunt we also saw some of CNN's coverage. I must say I was more than disappointed by both NPR and PBS. I expect breathless excitement and self centered reporting from CNN et. al. but I expected to hear and see the speakers on public broadcasting. Unfortunately narcissism was running unchecked on both outlets with constant talking and "analysis" from overly large cadres of the usual talking heads on both channels. While a former Republican was giving an excellent speech, NPR's staff was burbling about how signs were being handed out, and interviewing people on the floor. During the introduction for that speaker (which was a good speech in and of itself), PBS was showing their panel of "experts" analyzing something that hadn't even happened yet! NPR's coverage was particularly vacuuous with numerous mentions by the staff members of their own shows where they will have plenty of time to analyze the speeches the next day!


In short I give our public broadcasters a big F for failure. CNN, Fox, and the rest of the 24 hour "news" vomit on cable are doing just fine at talking breathlessly about how important they and their coverage are. PBS and NPR should shut the fuck up and let us hear the speeches.