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Macy's thanksgiving parade coverage.
Dec. 1st, 2014 10:40 pmI was enjoying my thanksgiving weekend. Everything went well, I'm still eating leftovers. But I really want to vent about the TV network coverage of the annual Macy's parade in NYC.
It was on here in Boston on two of the major TV networks. I like looking at interesting parade floats, big balloons, and good performances, especially of marching bands. I set the DVR to record both channels, in case I overslept. But I woke up in plenty of time to see it live.
The live broadcast starts before the parade actually reaches the two broadcast locations, so there was the the expected semi-random filler bits and history of the parade bits, and lots of the hosts yakking about various things. I can listen to this more or less in the background as I am making my breakfast and so on. Finally the parade reaches the locations and actual parade coverage starts.
Except the advertisements in all but name for the various network shows, specials, and so on are continuing. I can see various floats and groups marching down the street in the background of the co-anchors sitting at a desk. And I keep waiting for them to cut to the live shot of the whatever it is that is going by as part of the parade. You know, the thing that I actually wanted to see when I tuned into the show.
I flip back and forth between the two networks, and they both are ignoring the parade so they can keep the parade of lesser known TV actors and actresses from their own network's shows. Whose only purpose there is to promote their particular TV show. Dammit, I want to watch the parade, not listen to endless prattle about this or that TV show or watch yet another ad for tampons or viagra. Especially when I can only see glimpses of the parade over the shoulders of the TV anchors.
Yes, they did show us the biiiig floats, and the big name acts, and a couple of the marching bands, and a few of the balloons. But they didn't show me the damned parade. They showed me a bunch of performers doing a big song and dance routine for the TVs, but they didn't show me these folks doing their act while marching or riding in the damned parade!
So, I have come to the decision that the coverage of the parade isn't worth expending three hours of my life on anymore. I can watch advertisements on TV anytime, But they won't show me the parade that is the ostensible purpose of the whole TV show. A pox on the empty suits at the big TV network who are value-engineering the networks into a slow slide to oblivion.
It was on here in Boston on two of the major TV networks. I like looking at interesting parade floats, big balloons, and good performances, especially of marching bands. I set the DVR to record both channels, in case I overslept. But I woke up in plenty of time to see it live.
The live broadcast starts before the parade actually reaches the two broadcast locations, so there was the the expected semi-random filler bits and history of the parade bits, and lots of the hosts yakking about various things. I can listen to this more or less in the background as I am making my breakfast and so on. Finally the parade reaches the locations and actual parade coverage starts.
Except the advertisements in all but name for the various network shows, specials, and so on are continuing. I can see various floats and groups marching down the street in the background of the co-anchors sitting at a desk. And I keep waiting for them to cut to the live shot of the whatever it is that is going by as part of the parade. You know, the thing that I actually wanted to see when I tuned into the show.
I flip back and forth between the two networks, and they both are ignoring the parade so they can keep the parade of lesser known TV actors and actresses from their own network's shows. Whose only purpose there is to promote their particular TV show. Dammit, I want to watch the parade, not listen to endless prattle about this or that TV show or watch yet another ad for tampons or viagra. Especially when I can only see glimpses of the parade over the shoulders of the TV anchors.
Yes, they did show us the biiiig floats, and the big name acts, and a couple of the marching bands, and a few of the balloons. But they didn't show me the damned parade. They showed me a bunch of performers doing a big song and dance routine for the TVs, but they didn't show me these folks doing their act while marching or riding in the damned parade!
So, I have come to the decision that the coverage of the parade isn't worth expending three hours of my life on anymore. I can watch advertisements on TV anytime, But they won't show me the parade that is the ostensible purpose of the whole TV show. A pox on the empty suits at the big TV network who are value-engineering the networks into a slow slide to oblivion.
