A young North Dakota news
anchor is on a fast track to the national spotlight. Less than a week after beginning his career
in a very small market (that’s as it should be)
A.J. Clemente has landed a spot on the Today show and will be a guest on
Letterman as well. (That’s not as it should be.)
He got the seat on the couch next to Matt (that’s another
story for another time) not because he got an exclusive interview with a world
leader, or published an insightful best seller, but because on his opening
night, his opening words to the audience were on the FCC’s banned list. That’s right, he swore.
Know that he is not alone the anchor class—I know of at
least one well paid anchor in a larger market who has been known to rant during
commercials, using some choice words to berate managers and his
colleagues. Only by the grace of God (or
a good director in the control room) has his open microphone vitriol been kept
inside the station walls and off the public airwaves.
A. J. was on air, though, and his choice of words went
viral. He lost his job, which he should have, but who knows whether he will be
able to parlay his 15 minutes of fame into a longer lasting role? His classmates, meanwhile, will probably
continue to work 12-14 hour days in small markets for years before they get a
break and are able to land in medium markets, the likes of Omaha
or Reno
Anchoring the news may be living the dream but it’s also a
responsibility. Work hard, pay dues,
earn the audience’s trust so when a big story happens such as the Boston
Marathon bombing, good journalists are there for Americans.
Well, that’s as it should be but wasn’t last week when CNN’s
John King screwed up, reporting some incorrect information as millions
watched . There is more energy surrounding his “Boston
I don’t feel badly for young A.J. or for the highly compensated and very
experienced Mr. King. I do feel sad
however for KLAS anchor Paula Francis, a veteran of twenty plus years who has
guided Las Vegas audiences with a calming influence through some of the biggest
stories of the past quarter century.
Yesterday she had a rotten day, starting with a long and uncomfortable
visit to the dentist and culminating with some hate mail that she had the
misfortune of reading just before her newscast.
She broke down on air and had to leave the set. That’s a first and only for this stellar
journalist, and as the publicity swirls around this incident I hope her
qualifications, skills and years of excellence are mentioned in the coverage as
well.
She didn’t make a mistake.
King did, and at his experience level he can do better. He will get that opportunity. A.J. made a mistake and even as a rookie
should know better. The first lesson for
those in broadcasting: never say anything in a studio-whether you think the mic
is open or not – that you would not say in public.
There is a difference between famous and infamous. The latter isn’t flattering Reading bad copy
for years and years in newsrooms large and small, I found out that even a lot
of experienced journalists did not know the difference. A word to the likes of A.J.: if you want to become a household word, try
for the “f” word my friend – the other one.
