It seems like we’ve waited an eternity to hear a local television newsman say: “Reporting crime all the time is not a responsible or accurate reflection of life in our city and I am proud to work with a news team that wants to inform you, not scare you.”
The fact that it was said by the widely respected and the preternaturally professional Richard Ransom was cause for celebration as he moved from the champion “if it bleeds, it leads” coverage at WREG-TV to become anchor and managing editor at WATN TV’s Local 24.
For years, people at civic meetings, focus group sessions, and in conversations about Memphis’ self-image regularly bring up the consistent and persistent coverage of crime night after night, week after week, year after year.
In its way, crime coverage is the broadcast equivalent of clickbait that is recommended by consultants who think more blood equals more viewers. With Mr. Ransom’s move to Channel 24, viewers, for the first time, can cast a vote for less crime coverage by changing channels. Rest assured, it is a move that can reverberate throughout the local television news hierarchy.
Voting For Better Coverage
With this in mind, it will be illuminating if balanced and objective journalism will be rewarded with higher ratings. Mr. Ransom declined to discuss ratings, but we are told by a media buyer that Channel 3 is down and Channel 24 has seen a significant uptick along with Action News 5 (whose strong ads reminding viewers about anchor Joe Birch’s ties and contributions to the community appear to hit their mark).
Because of those commercials, coupled with the exit of Mr. Ransom, who had presided over the climb of his former employer to its lengthy #1 rating, we would be surprised if Channel 3’s ratings haven’t suffered. We will know more with the official November ratings.
Mr. Ransom will preside over the station’s 5, 6, and 10 p.m. as anchor, and in his role as managing editor, he will set the agenda for a station that doesn’t treat crime as the main Memphis story every night.
He will also produce and host a weekly new commentary program, “Local 24 This Week,” which we’ve already added to our DVR list. Mr. Ransom, an Emmy-winning writer, primed his civic and political analysis on the “Informed Sources” program on Channel 3, which has not been the same since he left the station. His new program once again brings to the air his informative interviews and depth of knowledge about what makes Memphis tick.
If It Bleeds, We Leave
We remember a leading Memphis CEO who once said that he quit watching local TV news because “there’s nothing that I learn that can help my company succeed or help me succeed as a citizen.” We arrived at a similar place in an entirely different way. Our experiment was this: we decided we would immediately turn off a news broadcast if it began with a violent crime story. After a month or so, we realized we had essentially stopped watching local news, and when we didn’t click off the channel, it was often newscasts by Mearl Purvis and Darrell Greene on Fox 13.
That said, we wrote off Channel 3 as it led with coverage that hyped a crime that took place shortly before the broadcast. It was curious how often the night’s big story would never be mentioned again or covered by any other news outlet. Apparently, some people Mr. Ransom at Channel 3 miss his influence, judging from the bio still buried on the station’s website.
The persistent drumbeat of crime coverage already aims at conservative stereotypes, but it will get even worse when the purchase of the station by arch-conservative Sinclair Broadcasting is approved by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission.
Rather than emphasizing local news at its 233 stations covering 72% of the country, Sinclair Broadcasting is known for its bare-bones operations and for injecting its right wing agenda into local coverage and requiring stations to broadcast its canned “expert” commentary from people like former Trump White House official Boris Epshteyn.
The Federal Communications Commission has requested additional information from Sinclair, and approval of the acquisition has appeared likely because the FCC recently relaxed rules for broadcast station ownership and the political climate currently favors deregulation.
Questions And Answers
We asked Mr. Ransom a few questions and his answers follow:
Q – Was the opportunity to be managing editor and set the tone of the news your motivation for joining Channel 24?
A – Absolutely, it was a major reason. No matter what the career, I think when you’ve invested a significant amount of your life doing something — and have had some success — you want to have a seat at the table. That truly is the case here.
Q – Have you felt that there is an unfulfilled appetite for news that doesn’t put crime first in every newscast (understanding there will be crimes that will still lead the news)?
A – I’m very passionate about this. For years, it’s all I would hear from viewers I’d meet. They’d say, “I used to watch the news, but it’s not relevant to me anymore. All you do is crime, crime, crime.” At some point, the bar was lowered on crime coverage. So, everybody races to crime scenes, without waiting for details. They label it “breaking news” and don’t worry about whether it’s a legitimate story until later.
My colleagues — most of whom I consider friends and respect a great deal — will admit privately it’s a bunch of bull. But, in their defense, they’re just doing what they’re being told to do. They go live to a shooting with little or no information, only to learn an hour later some guy was shot in the big toe and that no one else was in any danger. Then the story just disappears into the news vacuum.
Look, the bottom line is “crime all the time” coverage, as I like to call it, is lazy. It’s low-hanging fruit. It also doesn’t reflect the city I know. It glorifies violence and can fuel racial stereotypes.
I’m not saying you start doing a bunch of good news stories. I am saying there’s so much real news to report on other than crime scene tape and flashing blue lights. We all know crime is a real problem here and has to be covered. But Local 24 News will show-up at a crime scene and have the courage to wait for the details to flush out before putting it on the air.
That forces us to cover other news. Education. Three Memphis-based Fortune 500 companies. A huge health care industry. It’s a tremendous commitment and I’m proud to be a part of it.
A – How are you defining success in your new role?
Slow and steady wins the race, but we’re under no illusions. You don’t change decades of viewing habits overnight, but we think there’s a real appetite for a refreshing approach. If we see viewers are responding, that will be success. So far, the feedback we’re getting is very positive. Ultimately, it’s up to the folks at home.
Q – What is your operating philosophy as managing editor, understanding that these are difficult times for the news business
A – We just have to keep doing better tomorrow than we did today. These are challenging times, for sure. News stations are competing against more than just each other. There are hundreds of channels, social media sites, news apps, even X-box. So, to grow at all in a declining business environment is a huge victory.
Q – What’s the single most exciting thing about assuming your new dual role?
A – That’s an easy one, Tom. I look forward to going to work now!
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Crime will always be the single most important local news story in Memphis.
Crime is a cancer for all city residents and deserves to be covered on local tv newscasts and and in print news.
It is indeed unfortunate that there is simply not much other local news to report on in Memphis.
Crime can’t be swept under the rug. Memphians need to know what kind of city they are living in.
Ransom does not seem to be causing much change. I just looked at Channel 24’s web site and the vast majority of all the stories on the site involve crime and violence. That’s about all that’s in the news in Memphis.
Thank God. Finally, someone who gets it. Showing crime every night when there’s really no news value is simply pandering. Where are all the stories about poverty, schools, etc.? They never get to them because they are too busy blowing crime out of proportion. There is all kinds of other news that gives a fuller view of Memphis.
I couldn’t disagree more with the “Crime will always be the single most important …” comment. Crime is certainly 1 important local news story in Memphis, just like it is in every other big city, but there are so many good stories here to report that it does local news viewers a disservice by focusing so much on crime to the detriment of everything else. Folks who think that there is “not much other news to report” must not be paying attention. There are tons of people and organizations in Memphis working diligently to improve our community and their fine work deserves coverage but seldom gets it. We all know there is crime, but the breathless and relentless TV coverage of it does nothing but create fear and play into the hands of people like the first commenter who are usually the ones who can find nothing good to say about Memphis. I have been a lifelong Channel 5 viewer, and I finally got sick of all the crime coverage and switched to Channel 24 when Richard Ransom moved over there. It’s nice to see somebody with a broader and more positive perspective on the local news for a change.
Anonymous 10:06: Beautifully said. Thanks for the comments.
“…Mr. Ransom, who had presided over the climb of his former employer to its lengthy #1 rating…”
Uhhh, presided? Sexist much? I believe Claudia Barr presided, and Ransom happened to be there too.
As lifelong residents we every day we want to know about the crime wave that has been sweeping Memphis for decades. This city is dangerous and crime continues to grow. It really is a cancer. Our government and the police do very little to stop it. We always depend on tv news to let us know how bad the crime is and where it’s located which is pretty much everywhere in Memphis. We always watch either Channel 3 or Channel 5 because they have the crime scene stories we want to know about. Being informed helps us keep safe. Nobody reads the newspaper any more so tv is the best way to know.
Anybody whose only source of news is Channels 3 or 5 is seriously misinformed. Do you really feel safer after watching the nightly crime report?
I watched WREG for many, many years, but have already switched to channel 24.
I have always been an avid local news watcher. Recently I have started watching ch24 news just because I’m tired of the other stations. I’m especially tired, and very disappointed, in the way TV5 has *alarmingly* framed some of their stories. The lead ins generally do not reflect the substance of the story. In other words, it’s misleading, and very disappointing. I do always switch over to Ch3 for sports about 10:22. They far and away have the best sports coverage.
I wish we could all go back and watch a ABC13 newscast from the 70’s with Ed Craig, Charlie B. Watson and Dave Brown. We’d all be amazed at the simple and fact filled news presentation that didn’t try to generate ratings by pandering to a certain economic and political base.
“Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio our nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you”
Without a doubt Channel 3 is the best local news and they’ve been #1 in Memphis for years.
I’m a realist and know this topic needs to be covered. I watch all channels and don’t really think crime is over-sensationalized by any station. But I do realize many others may be frightened by what they see. If they listened to the police scanners everyone would freak out at just how much really bad stuff happens all across Memphis every day 24/7.
Don’t forget that November is a “ratings” month for tv do expect to see each tv network and local station do all kinds of “special” reports and packages as well even more reports on the crime in Memphis. Crime stories and weather forecasts are the two highest rated segments for tv news.
I switched from 3 to 24 when Richard Ransom appeared on 24. And I haven’t regretted the switch one bit. Ransom is a professional newsman and anchor who was rewarded for his hard work at Channel 3 by some station managers who failed to understand or appreciate how good he is. That they let Ransom go after he took them to the top spot in the local television ratings tells you how smart they are. I’m enjoying 24. Wish I had switched earlier.
By all means cover crime. It’s Memphis. But don’t sensationalize it. The same standards should apply for crime stories as for other breaking news. Why shouldn’t Local 24 try a different approach? I mean, if you like crime that much, there are 3 other stations that will give you plenty!
Thank you Richard. It’s time for a major change in the way we look and feel about City. Crime will continue unabated until we find a way to change the cycle of poverty and family abandonment. But, that does not mean that our local news coverage has to focus on the worst of out community. Move ahead with vigor.
“Memphis’ Grit Grind Defined By Crime” tonight at 10pm. Say what?
Crime is a part of the Memphis community. It is sadly an everyday reality for many in our community. Kids who automatically know to hit the floor when they hear gunfire. Kids who know what drugs are before they start school. Kids who would go hungry if It were not for free breakfast and lunch assistance in SCS. To not see these things on a daily basis in this community means you’re looking the other way. Our community outreach groups can only do so much. I️ don’t know what the solution is to fighting poverty and crime but It is yes indeed an issue in this community.
I’m sorry, but nowhere did I read that Richard is saying look the other way or ignore the problem. He’s saying stop glorifying it as breaking news without checking the facts first. Why is that controversial?
Why exactly would viewers want a one-dimensional view of Memphis? Stations have been going for the ratings by terrifying us for years. Let’s support a different approach. I’m switching.
Does the local news still come on at 10:00 p.m.?
🙂
People just don’t watch local tv news today the way they once did. There are so many other sources to get news. It is true that weather forecasts and crime news get the best tv ratings so I’d not expect less of either. Especially true in a city like Memphis where not much else happens that is newsworthy.
“where no much else happens that is newsworthy.” Your opinion is immediately discounted by such a stupid comment.
What if a news station began to highlight a non-profit organization a night from the Memphis community whose work is making a real difference in the communities it serves? That would certainly take up their lead story EVERY night for nearly 20 years!
How can we say, “There isn’t much good to report on in Memphis”? People helping people, one of the heartbeats of civil rights history, several major companies headquartered here, poverty (and what’s being done to alleviate it), education (and the many men and women who make a difference every day in the lives of our city’s youth), juvenile crime and other crime (and what’s being done to combat that phenomenon), new venues in which to entertain, new restaurants, amazing lives creating transformation at every turn … not much to report on? Really?
We need to celebrate what’s right … not what’s wrong. If my child brings home three “C”, two “B”, and an “A” grade, which one do I focus on … I suggest we all WANT to focus on the “A” – not discount or stop working on the B and C, but celebrate her “A”.
If you believe there is a lot of good in Memphis, share it, spread it around like butter on a biscuit, take it to Collierville and outside the city, scream it from the rooftops, rap about it, write about it, tell your minister, pastor, priest or rabbi about it, relentlessly focus on IT!
If you believe there isn’t a lot of good in Memphis, stay inside and continue to refuse to see the loving hand of God in ALL our citizens …
One small point. My old friend Richard is going to do a great job with Local 24 This Week. But it is not a new program. Brandon Artilles had been anchoring that program and also did a very good job with it. Just thought that was worth mentioning.