| Thinking back about 25 years, I can remember a time | | | | the way feedback worked. Although the responses |
| when once a week, some old white guy would pop up | | | | were obviously filtered, when the old white guy would |
| on TV after the news in the commercial break before | | | | pop up on TV a few days later to read some of the |
| Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy. They would start out | | | | responses received from his last statement, they gave |
| saying something like, "I'm So N. So, General Manager | | | | some that were for it, some that were against it, and |
| of this fine television station that we are happy you | | | | usually threw in a quirky response just to make the |
| are watching. I've got something to say about | | | | whole thing fun. The main filter was the willingness to |
| something and will use this two minutes of regularly | | | | pick up the phone or write and send a letter, both with |
| scheduled commercial air time to expound upon it." In | | | | only a little cost of time and money, but enough of a |
| some cases, Mr. So N. So would end his commentary | | | | cost to keep from being flooded with nonsensical |
| by telling the viewer they could call or send a letter to | | | | ramblings and responses. |
| the station if they would like to comment on what he | | | | Today, you don't have to own a TV station to deliver |
| had just said. In most, they would just put up a slate | | | | your video commentary to the masses. You just have |
| with the address and phone number and the voice | | | | to have access to a digital video camera and a |
| over guy would let you know how to properly lodge | | | | computer of some sort. You could essentially record |
| your agreements or disagreements of the statement | | | | yourself on a cell phone at basic standards for the |
| just released by Mr. So N So. | | | | day, and sent out your video manifesto to the world at |
| I say it was always some old white guy popping on | | | | large for a rather small fee--possible free. And you |
| TV for the editorial comments because as a kid in the | | | | can respond to just about anyone's commentary in an |
| 80's, TV stations seemed to all be owned by old white | | | | instant, by calling on the before mentioned cell phone, |
| guys. And if an old white guy who owns a TV station | | | | or sending the new electronic equivalent of a letter: via |
| wants to give some old white guy who works for him | | | | email, in a short 'letter-like' burst via text message, or |
| time out of the stations revenue (because it would be | | | | even using various other social networking protocols. |
| separate from any actually programming and the slot it | | | | You could be an average ordinary citizen, but could |
| would go in would have been paid commercial time) to | | | | have a ongoing commentary on a blog with a following |
| blab about things the old white guys the station is | | | | that would have the attention of all the important |
| programming for kinda want to hear, who was I to say | | | | newsers, and you could be making their lives more |
| anything against that. It all seemed fair to me. It actually | | | | interesting--possibly even more frustrating--as they |
| made me want to be a young black guy who owned | | | | keep track of your comments and commentary. |
| a TV station so that I could put some young person | | | | Or maybe not. |
| (color and race wasn't as much of an issue as them | | | | There is something I miss about the old white guy |
| not being old) on my TV station to talk about | | | | taking money out of his stations pocket to put forth a |
| something the young people I would be programming | | | | little commentary as a part of a public service |
| for would want to hear. | | | | requirement (you didn't think they would just drop a |
| I was also going to ban golf and play nothing but | | | | commercial break to get some issue off their chest, |
| basketball when I became President of the United | | | | did you?). As more of our news reporting and |
| States. My being elected President seems highly | | | | entertainment in general turns to talking heads |
| unlikely to happen at this point in time, although | | | | over-giving us commentary on the issues of the day, |
| President Obama seems to play more pickup games | | | | and more and more of us fire off quick and usually |
| than any past President in my lifetime, so there may | | | | thoughtless responses to that commentary, it stops |
| be hope for that ban on Executive Branch golf outings. | | | | being about the message. |
| The quick point about banning golf was as a kid I found | | | | The whole exchange starts to turn into information as |
| it boring (as an adult I find it frustrating), most of my | | | | just another means to fill time that has to be filled. If it |
| friends where into basketball, so it seemed like the | | | | becomes just about filling time, and just about anybody |
| common thing to promote. As a black kid, I found what | | | | can fill the time, the cheaper you can fill that time, the |
| old white men were talking about boring, especially if | | | | better. |
| they were talking about it while playing golf. | | | | Leaving the world of commentary and response a |
| But I was in love with the medium of the local TV | | | | world with no one actually trying to articulate a |
| editorial comments. I was in love with the way the | | | | coherent or critical message that needs to be heard, |
| message was delivered. And I was truly in love with | | | | and a sad place to be. |