MEMO TO LOCAL TV STATIONS:

Folks, it is the winter season. Sometimes it even snows...but that is no reason to bend your news judgment and head the newscast with a report that a light snow may be heading our way; making it the "Big Story"...that is after we get the "Breaking News"--half a day old, and a "Developing Story", and maybe even a "Follow Up."

BTW, "dusting" is a word not to be used in any Lexington weather-cast, even when said in jest.

And one more local advertiser has used a fake news report to promote its product. Shame on KIA.

More shame on our station managers who continue to dilute their most important service, local news, by allowing such pseudo-newscasts on their air; as in that fake home security system interview. Years ago, when all 3 stations belonged to the Radio-TV News Directors Association, that group's Code of Conduct forbade using commercials which mimicked newscasts. The Code is gone, so what's next--a pitchman/woman on a news set..."I'm not a reporter but I play one on TV, and I'd like to tell you about this great offer...?"

We're in a ratings period, so we have the Monday Mystery, and various other features designed to get you to watch. I wish stations would spend the time and energy on exploring issues before the legislature: redistricting (has anyone seen a map illustrating this most important issue on local newscasts?), those cold remedies that also support meth labs, the need for extra social workers, why courts in our 120 (!) counties can't talk to each other and alert authorities to the baddies amongst us...or...so many others.

Have you noticed the plethora of ads supporting public charter schools? Enough to float a political campaign; and from groups that just popped up (including one with the intriguing initials: KERA) Who are they? Who funds them? Why this issue now? Surely worth looking into. Shirley.

Finally, since most local news room staffs are young, and lack what J-Schools call "institutional memory", it was no wondner the recent death of former UK First Lady Gloria Singletary didn't get the coverage it deserved. For those of us privileged to know her, she truly deserved her nickname "Glo." She did; the UK projects she championed did; UK and Lexington are much better off because she lived among us.

I'm just sayin'...