WIT and exceptions

I take this opportunity to address Michael Peschardt as a result of what he said at the latest Web in Travel (WIT) presentation.  Michael is a TV presenter and host and is frequently seen on the BBC’s television program, Peschardt’s People.
I listened, attentively, to him while he was being interviewed by Yeoh Siew Hoon, editor and producer of WIT, and enjoyed them both.  However I took one great exception. 
As close as I can relate, Peschardt was stating that viewers under the age of 35 or so were being driven away from television news. I also wrote down that he related during this presentation that he did not know why.
Perhaps I can enlighten him.
I have to single out the BBC and CNN here. You see these are the only two all-news channels that we in Bangkok are allowed to view. We are force-fed these channels by True Visions, a company that has as close to a monopoly on distributing TV to Thailand as you are likely to see anywhere.
However I can go on record here by telling you that I have not bought a local newspaper in, oh, two years nor a magazine in the past months. Who needs to pay for old news and dead trees when all is free and up-to-date online?
Anyway back to Mr. Peschardt and his comments on the folks around 35 and under that do not watch TV news anymore. Presumably they have turned, on-mass, to the Internet (my presumption).
I agree that many viewers under 35 are not getting their news on all-news channels anymore. Really, have you watched CNN lately? Everyone is a star for goodness sakes. I mean they have a program called Political Mann presented by somebody called-yep you guessed it-Mann. They have the I-Desk with its own star presenter Hala Gorani, plus Anderson Cooper 360. As well they have Larry and Wolfe and Amanpour and King (not Larry, John, the one that has the “magic” board and went on to replace Lou Dobbs).
 In Thailand we have never seen John King in his new job- or Lou in his old one for that matter. Instead we get an Asian view of the news, which as far as I can see is the same as everybody else’s view. But the ones that irritate me most are that braying hyena that runs “CNNNNNNNNNN BUSINESS TRAVELLLLLLER” and the guy that points out how wonderful his “Back Stories” are. Gee how did we ever live without them?  These two bug me so much I can’t even mention their names. Oh I could go on, but I am sure you get the picture. Yet they wonder why, in the great ratings race, CNN plays follow the leader.

The BBC fares better, but not by much. Methinks it is down to a reluctance to spend big money. Heck “Hard Talk” was started by Tim Sebastian and the show, to me, was nothing but a thirty minute argument between Mr. Sebastian and whoever (again my assumption) the unfortunate guest at the time was. It was better (at least at first) when the new guy took over but he, Stephen Sackur, let his show slide into the lets-make-the interviewee-look-stupid, department also. What do I think of Peschardt’s People?  Err; I have never watched it, sorry Michael. However I did talk to a friend at lunch yesterday and his opinion was along the lines of; who the hell does Peschardt think he is calling the person who was the first to climb Everest one of “his people? Hmmmmn!
The BBC also has the guy that was formerly calling the shots for sports on a different, mostly business channel (another story). He is now the BBC’s expert on Asian business trends and happenings. Plus they (the BBC again) have the guy that breathes. Aloud! There more to come course. You see BBC has the habit (my perception again) of copying almost everything CNN does. So, as they say…watch this space.
 Put it all together and the viewer should really and truly beware.
I pose this question; is there really a need for a 24 hour news channel, especially in the Internet era?  News only channels often get (especially CNN) one news story and play the hell out of it. It sometimes can go on for hours; no, make that days.
Watch it? Hell I go to the Internet for my news. It’s how I like it; free and up to date.
Oh! Did I mention I’m 72?
Bill Fogarty