I haven't written a blog post here in more than a year. MORE THAN A YEAR.
year.
years?
Oh, well, I guess I could blame my lack of motivation... the business of the day to day grind... being a father and wanting every free moment to be with my little man, not a keyboard.
BUT... today I found my motivation. I'm at work right now, but don't have to leave for said grind for another 30 minutes. And my little man is at the pool with mommy right now.
So, no excuses.
My motivation came in the form of a phone call to our news assignment desk just a few minutes ago.
Like a slimy sleazeball I eavesdropped upon the entire conversation from a distance.
"We do plenty of positive news, sir," the assignment manager said into the phone. "But a lot of bad stuff happens in town these days."
Yada, yada... you can probably guess what this conversation is all about.
There's too much negative news on TV... not enough positive, fun or uplifting news.
WELL... without getting into whether people actually want positive news, or are just saying that to be a little preachy to us news people (because what's more fun than bashing the media, eh?)
 |
| My favorite bumper sticker on the road right now... subtle, understated. |
And frankly, while EXTREMELY awesome and impressive... it can be hard to make someone's 105th birthday, or 60th wedding anniversary exciting television.
Often, these stories require long interviews... careful writing to the heart of the story, shooting that makes a bunch of sitting around look "active"... and all that takes TIME.
But I love it.
And luckily I've been given the freedom to take my days and commit my energy to positive, interesting, funny, odd, not-blood-splatter-on-the-windshield stories.
Here's hoping that continues.
For just about four years at FCN I've done these stories. But still, people will walk up to me on the sidewalk, grocery store or during my daily horseback ride and say "Hey Lewis, I'd watch you more if you did some positive stories from time to time."
After the horse is done rearing back, and I get her calmed again, I smile and say "Thanks for the suggestion, and we appreciate you watching."
That's the canned response. Gotta take it all with a smile.
What I want to say is, "You're watching the wrong station... for four years all I've ever done is positive stories."
Sorry... just venting.
From now on... I'll just refer them to this blog post... and tell them nicely, politely, "you should start watching FCN more, because here's some of the positive you've missed:
Rare "Corpse Flower" blooms, stinks up Mandarin
Yulee Amputee on American Ninja Warrior
People of Jacksonville: The Dog Man
Soldier killed in Vietnam given high school diploma
First reality show romance sizzles 60 years later
Colbert Talks Smack About the Jags, Rebuttal
Lights After The Flood
From Foes To Friends
The Jacksonville Cap Lady
Dart at a Map: Everyone has a story
Mother finally gets to adopt the boy she's always loved
The Vacuum Repairman
The Typewriter Repairman
Ok.
Phew.
Sorry about that rant. Those are just some I've found with a quick search. There are way more... not bragging... just giving people a reference point here.
But here's the question... the deeper point... I've been doing what I consider pretty good stories, positive stuff, and above average quality television. Yet, people still fall back on the ole "I don't watch because there's no positive news" excuse.
So, do people really want it? Or do they just say that because it sounds good?
Just curious, really. Because either way, I'm gonna keep doing what I love.
Thanks for reading... time to get on the grind.
By the way, if you want some positive, not bloody, news today... check out my story I'm leaving to go work on now. It's about a local firefighter who was on the TV show Naked and Afraid. How can that not be a cool story?
Mahalo,
Lew
