# Da News Media **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 16, 2001, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-news-media/87643 "2001-10-16T03:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-news-media/87643/1 "2001-10-16T03:19:29Z")
Okay, sometimes they do a decent job, but I am so fucking sick of people taking advantage of this crisis. [ul]“The world may end tonight, tune in at eleven to find out.”[/ul] This kind of bullshit drives me crazy. I live in LA, and almost every night I hear some fucking little “teaser” like that on TV. [ul]“Anthrax outbreak in LA? Watch the ten o’clock news to find out more.”[/ul] So, if I don’t watch **YOUR** news program then I guess I’ll have to suffer the consequences, i.e. maybe get Anthrax and die. Gee, I better watch tonight. [ul]“More terrorist attacks on the US? Could LA be next? Tune in…”[/ul]You get the picture. Fuck these assholes. This really pisses me off. Why can’t they do something like this: [ul]“Anthrax _scares_ in LA turn out to be false - tune in tonight for full details.”[/ul](Yes, I know why they don’t do this - that’s the point. Are we being scared into watching **their** fucking show? I think so.) So here’s a question for all: What **exactly** can I do to stop this shit? IOW, whom do I call, send a letter to, etc.? Cause even though it’s nice to vent, I think it’s better to do something about it, rather than just bitch and moan. HELP PLEASE!! ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-news-media/87643/2 "2001-10-16T03:34:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by leander \* > \*\*So here’s a question for all: What **exactly** can I do to stop this shit? IOW, whom do I call, send a letter to, etc.? Cause even though it’s nice to vent, I think it’s better to do something about it, rather than just bitch and moan. > > HELP PLEASE!! \*\* Best bet? Write to the advertizers as well as the news-show. While you’re at it, send a copy to the papers. The more people you get to send letters to the sponsors, the more likely they are to pressure the station. Sponsors don’t like controversy. A couple o’ pointers: Be vaguely regretful ("…in my many years of enjoying the nightly news on this station, I have rarely been so disappointed as I have been with this recent trend…") Be firm ("…but I can no longer stand by and watch in silence. I believe this behavior must stop and I will protest in the only way available to me. I will no longer be buying the products of those advertisers who support such a practice, and I will be telling my friends and family to do the same until this stops…") But above all, be polite, or you’ll get tossed into the crank file. In other words, as much fun as your rant was to read in this forum, _don’t send it!_ :eek: 😉 Fenris BTW: I hate that too. “Axe-murdering serial killer loose in Denver. He only kills hairy guys who post on the SDMB. Want to know his last known location and the direction he was heading? Tune in later and _after_ 20 minutes of banal chatter, we might tell you.” ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-news-media/87643/3 "2001-10-16T08:27:46Z")
I second **Fenris**. Write, write, write your guts out about how much you hate it. About how much that simpering drivel convinces you **not** to watch. Write in complete sentences, don’t go overboard on the fury, and we’ll pay attention. But don’t bother phoning. There are many, many people out there who think I’m their special friend just because I work at a TV station and somehow their phone call gets bounced to me. Every complaint phoned in to a television or radio station gets ignored. Unless you’re threatening violence, in which case you’ll be getting a nice visit from da poh-leece. ---
**Author:** ![Chupacabra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chupacabra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chupacabra)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-news-media/87643/4 "2001-10-16T10:26:23Z")
[/Kent Brockman] A popular soda found to be fatal. Find out which one at 11! [Kent Brockman/] (Never done the other person’s voice thing before. Did I do it right? ) ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-news-media/87643/5 "2001-10-16T10:48:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chupacabra \* > \*\* > (Never done the other person’s voice thing before. Did I do it right? ) \*\* Other way round: the / ends the voice, not begins it. Fenris