It's 5:00 on WABC-TV

As the clock strikes 5:00, the familiar faces of both Sade Baderinwa and Diana Williams appear on screen. Featured on channel 7, WABC-TV strives to provide news coverage within the New York Area and to present coverage on national and worldly issues. The news program began it's coverage by reporting the devastating earthquake which had occurred in Italy. According to the news coverage, more than 150 people were found dead in it's aftermath. Continuing on, the program discussed many local stories including the death of a New York City police-officer, and the brutal beating of a teenage girl in the Brooklyn area. Overall, a majority of the stories presented last evening consisted of either lifestyle or entertainment stories.

Obviously stories concerning lifestyle often appeal to the general public. WABC-TV has definitely picked up on that notion. Last night, lifestyle stories included ways to detect Restless Leg Syndrome and how many drivers shall benefit from the recession. Of course the forecast of the weekly weather is important, but is it really necessary to broadcast stories in how drivers can benefit from the recession? Immediately after, WABC-TV went into Entertainment stories in how Farah Fawcett is struggling with liver cancer and the latest coverage of the Criss Brown trial. Sure these stories can be appealing to some, but are they really that benefitial to the general public?

Sure, you could probably pick up some facts regarding Restless Leg Syndrome, but it is really necessary to report on how Criss Brown returned to court that same day? Overall, it is evident that there was more of an emphasis on stories regarding entertainment and lifestyle as opposed to stories with political content. In fact, there were hardly any political stories focused on at all. After watching, I felt that the only story which had some political content was how former president Bill Clinton had given praise to Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his environmental campaign for New York City. Overall, I was dissatisfied with the news coverage presented on WABC-TV. Although the anchors did an effective job in reporting the news coverage, I felt that a majority of the stories had been geared around entertainment or lifestyle.

May the force be with you!

Lauren