Wednesday, July 1, 2015

NewsNight

I'm always saddened when a news program gets canceled.

The latest victim, "Up to the Minute."  It airs on CBS overnights.

It's good broadcast-- serious, interesting.  It's a different approach than ABC News uses.  I like them both.  CBS is good at the hard news.   ABC's features are always entertaining and attention getting.  ABC has a strong presentation, while CBS is considerable more laid back.

The CBS broadcast began 30 years ago, when it was called "Nightwatch."  Tradition and heritage seem to mean so much at CBS.  I guess money won this time.  I understand.  After all, television is a business.

CBS promises to have another news product in place when "Up to the Minute" goes away in mid September.  There's speculation CBS will just put its internet news service, CBSN, up on the network for local stations to use.

I note the passing of Jay Daniels today.  Jay passed away Sunday at a hospice in Kingston.  He had been ill for some time.  Jay spent many years at KRZ and Rock 107.  There was at least one station in Massachusetts before that.  Jay had a long career in a business that chews up people and spits them out.  He was half of a morning duo for quite a while-- the straight man.  It's harder to be the straight man than the jokester.  I'm not going to pretend I knew him.  We met a few times over the years.  Always cordial and professional.  My sympathy to his family, friends, and fans.