Ain't Richmond

Saw the other day on the TV that Richmond has become notorious (in a good way) for having some of the most fantabulous Christmas light displays. Good for them.

We’ve got some nice light displays around Albuquerque – but I don’t think anyone here has gone that extra mile to get network TV coverage.

A friend has a pretty spectacular display. As we would give directions in a small town, “It’s right behind Hoffmantown Center, you know by the Albuquerque Library and rose garden, in that area. You just turn south off Menaul just before you get to Wyoming and there it is.” It takes a certain talent to secure Santa on a surfboard.

Here are a couple of views of our front yard. A bright display for our conservative neighborhood! Plans are underway for next year. To make it easier, when we landscaped this fall I had a couple empty 2” conduit pipes put underground to serve as the major extension cord avenue to the house.

Merry Christmas

Here's the photo from the White House Christmas card this year.






Some folks (including that woman from Alaska) have gone nuts because it's not "traditional enough".

What can be more traditional that a dog, a fire in the fireplace, red and green garland, books and a flower?


Merry Christmas everyone!

Sweeping the Ratings

There’s a dustup going on in every TV market in the country this time of year.
The ratings are back, and everyone is trying to figure out some way of promoting the fact that “we’re #1”.

It’s important to be #1. It allows the #1 station to set the bar for advertising rates. And advertising brings in the bucks. If #1 charges $1,000 a spot, then #2 has to charge less…etc.

You might have noticed during November there were a lot of shows with guest stars and news programs uncovered all kinds of issues that were promotable. The stations and networks tried to get people to watch. Lots of people watching meant a win in the ratings, which translated to cash in the pocketbooks.
A bit of ratings history –

In the mid-1960’s, the Albuquerque TV news market was dominated by KOB-TV-4. Tom Doyle (That’s it, that’s The News in Sight, thank you for tuning in and (wink) good night!) At KOAT-TV-7, we tried like hell to win with The Big Seven News – our hopes rested with anchorman George Morrison and soon to be anchor Dick Knipfing. KGGM-TV-13 lagged behind with Clyde Jay and numerous other anchors including Linda Thorne and John Andrews, children of the owner.

KOAT finally won the ratings war in the early 1970’s after Tom Doyle and George Morrison left the scene. Since then each station has taken its turn at being on top of the heap.

Numbers are important to the front office and the sales teams. They must have facts & figures to sell time.

To those of us on the street, covering the news – we knew when people were watching – because they’d recognize us in the grocery store (or across the counter at the package store that was selling us beer on Sunday before it was legal).

I call that, The Recognition Rating. It still exists for anchors and other on-air folks who have been around for more than a year.

The Recognition Rating lasts a long time…I haven’t been on the air regularly in almost 30 years and last week on two different occasions people stopped me to say hi, and wonder why I left TV.

Times change. For the most part now, field reporters come and go – with little sense of duty to inform the community (they'd rather look good for the live shot). For that, the viewing public, we all suffer.

Some of the field reporters are good and go on to bigger & better things -remember David Gregory working at TV-13 in Albuquerque and Kate Snow working at TV-7?

Other field reporters just go; to another market that will pay them a little bit more – many hoping that someday they too might benefit from The Recognition Ratings.

Wondering about the weather?

Here's an "official" posting from NOAA about that terminology we hear from the weather persons:


Warning A warning is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely. A warning means weather conditions pose a threat to life or property. People in the path of the storm need to take protective action.

Watch A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so. A watch means that hazardous weather is possible. People should have a plan of action in case a storm threatens and they should listen for later information and possible warnings especially when planning travel or outdoor activities.

Advisory An advisory is issued when a hazardous weather or hydrologic event is occurring, imminent or likely. Advisories are for less serious conditions than warnings, that cause significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that may threaten life or property.

(The picture is from the veranda at our condo in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico.)