Comments on: Death of the TV critic http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:43:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Nicholas Quixote http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-355093 Nicholas Quixote Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:03:10 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-355093 Virginia Heffernan is seems to be one of the very few people covering online video who seems to have much depth to draw from. Virginia Heffernan is seems to be one of the very few people covering online video who seems to have much depth to draw from.

]]> By: John Stodder http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-355067 John Stodder Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:23 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-355067 Jeff, your use of the Shister quote is more than a little unfair. You make her seem rather grandiose about her beat, but that's not accurate. I clicked over to the link and here's the full context: "Shister says she's equally perplexed by the trend. "'We're seeing it in all the popular arts, (with) papers cutting back on movie and rock music critics,' she says. 'It's mind-boggling. In my experience, readers have a virtually insatiable appetite for any news about television. If there's one beat that's sacrosanct, it should be TV.'" You make it seem as if she thinks there's nothing more important than writing reviews of TV shows. That's not what she's saying, as the quote above makes clear. She's saying the audience for "news about television" has an "insatiable appetite." Obviously, you're enjoying a little too much schadenfreude about her fate, but if you thought a second or two longer about her comment, she's saying her newspaper is choosing to drop a popular feature, despite evident reader interest. Shister questions this strategy. Haven't you also questioned this strategy elsewhere on this blog? I don't recall you demanding that newspapers try to survive by giving their readers broccoli only. Quite the reverse. Jeff, your use of the Shister quote is more than a little unfair. You make her seem rather grandiose about her beat, but that’s not accurate. I clicked over to the link and here’s the full context:

“Shister says she’s equally perplexed by the trend.

“‘We’re seeing it in all the popular arts, (with) papers cutting back on movie and rock music critics,’ she says. ‘It’s mind-boggling. In my experience, readers have a virtually insatiable appetite for any news about television. If there’s one beat that’s sacrosanct, it should be TV.’”

You make it seem as if she thinks there’s nothing more important than writing reviews of TV shows. That’s not what she’s saying, as the quote above makes clear. She’s saying the audience for “news about television” has an “insatiable appetite.”

Obviously, you’re enjoying a little too much schadenfreude about her fate, but if you thought a second or two longer about her comment, she’s saying her newspaper is choosing to drop a popular feature, despite evident reader interest. Shister questions this strategy. Haven’t you also questioned this strategy elsewhere on this blog?

I don’t recall you demanding that newspapers try to survive by giving their readers broccoli only. Quite the reverse.

]]> By: Marjorie http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-354969 Marjorie Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:04:01 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-354969 Sadly, this is a growing trend as print publications are seeing their budgets and circulations slashed. It's all the buzz this week at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour. Unless they get their blog on soon, the majority of TCA members will be attending the winter tour next year without health insurance. Sadly, this is a growing trend as print publications are seeing their budgets and circulations slashed. It’s all the buzz this week at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour. Unless they get their blog on soon, the majority of TCA members will be attending the winter tour next year without health insurance.

]]> By: Amanda Chapel http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-354943 Amanda Chapel Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:32:10 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-354943 Once a TV critic... always a TV critic. Once a TV critic… always a TV critic.

]]> By: Steve Boriss http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-354916 Steve Boriss Sat, 21 Jul 2007 11:56:39 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/07/21/death-of-the-tv-critic/#comment-354916 Yes, and we will particularly be watching the death of the <i>local</i> critic. There is no reason to have people in each metro area covering the same mass audience TV/movie productions when we could have a handful of the most talented do it for the whole country. This will be an example of a “productivity gain” our economy will get from the Internet (Steve Boriss, <a href="http://www.TheFutureOfNews.com" rel="nofollow">The Future of News</a>) Yes, and we will particularly be watching the death of the local critic. There is no reason to have people in each metro area covering the same mass audience TV/movie productions when we could have a handful of the most talented do it for the whole country. This will be an example of a “productivity gain” our economy will get from the Internet (Steve Boriss, The Future of News)

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