Television and madness for Martha



I think my little talk yesterday to the Mesquite high school students went well. I gave 'em a little song and dance and wrapped up with my tap number... Actually, I talked about my career path-- what led me to radio to television to the newspaper, stuff like that. They seemed to like my tape of stories I did in College Station, even though that was 4 1/2 years and about 25 pounds ago. But I think I burst their idealistic bubble a bit when I told them how much I made then and why I got out. (Two different reasons, but pertinent nonetheless) I think I may have effectively scared all of them from ever pursuing a career in television news.

The speaker who followed me is a DJ for a local country station. He started off by saying how his first professional radio job paid him $6 an hour... He didn't realize how bad that was until he went to Jack-in-the-Box after a shift and saw a sign recruiting employees. Starting pay: $8 an hour.

Being on the air doesn't pay a whole lot, at least not when you're starting out.

Afterward, I got to talk with Jeff for a little bit. He works in the same building, doing video production for the school district. He showed me a project he was working on, which was really too good to be used by a school district. Jeff, you have great talent! You should be making 5 times what they're paying you, whatever that is.

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Any shred of hope I had for the future of television news was dashed last night. We turned on the TV at work to CNN to find live team coverage of Martha Stewart's release from prison. This put the OJ coverage to shame. I mean, there was a reporter & camera outside the jail, hoping to get footage of Martha leaving. They caught two SUVs leaving the property... you couldn't see inside either one. Nevertheless, CNN replayed the video of the SUVs over and over.

Actual quote from last night: "And this just in... Martha Stewart has been released. MARTHA STEWART HAS BEEN RELEASED!"

What... are we supposed to lock up our children? Is she going on a raffia spree? Is it no longer safe to use store-bought instant cake mix? She lied about a stock sale and spent five months in prison... it's not like she's a serial killer or anything. (Cereal, on the other hand...)

Then there was a reporter & camera at the municipal airport, where Martha boarded her private jet. And Nancy Grace at CNN's studios anchoring the whole shebang with two analysts in studio. IT'S JUST MARTHA STEWART, for cryin' out loud!

I liked the play-by-play on savemartha.com last night:

FREEDOM! At 12:30 AM Martha is released!!!!

Update: 12:56 AM MARTHA ARRIVES AT THE ARIPORT...12:50AM. Martha's plane taxis up and prepares for boarding...carvan is 15 minutes out...12:31: 10 media chase crews following Martha from Alderson Prison to Greenbrier Airport 30 minutes away....Falcon jet will take Martha and Alexis back to Westchester...fans are gathered at the gates....media goes wild for Martha: Nancy Grace says "We are waiting for Martha to break out of the big house"..."MSNBC: Midnight release is highly unusual, most let prisoners go at 7 or 8AM...Fox News shows split screen: Middle east crisis on right, Martha watch on the left...everyone waiting in 16 degree bitter cold...

Now, the big news is Martha's broken cappuccino machine . Oh, the horror!

Posted: Fri - March 4, 2005 at 02:19 PM          

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