vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

11.29.2007

Need more news?

New junkies across the state might want to clear their plate for 10 p.m. Monday.

That's when WFFF, Fox 44, will broadcast its brand-spanking-new, 30-minute news broadcast from its brand-spanking-new studio in Colchester.

"We realize that we're going to have to be different from other local news," said WFFF's VP/GM Bill Sally. "We're going to have to give viewers a reason to tune in. That's what we'll be aiming for."

The printed version of the Free Press will have more on this in Saturday's edition, but we can confirm the following:
* Fox 44 has hired 22 people and designed a state-of-the-art 1,200 square foot studio. The news crew has been practice broadcasting most of the fall, and has been reporting stories for months now. Anybody who's been to a news conference around these parts has likely seen the Fox crew at work.
* Greg Navarro, who worked for New England Cable News, will be one anchor. Lauren Maloney, a Lyndon State grad, will be the other.
* The 10 p.m. news will be broadcast seven nights a week.
* It'll be the first all high def news broadcast in the market.
* WFFF's Web site won't be spiffy and newsy like that of WCAX or WPTZ for a couple of months, but Sally said the Web site will be relaunched sometime early in 2008.

Should the CBS and NBC stations in the market be worried? Fox affiliates across the country seem to be having good success with 10 p.m. broadcasts, and with the strength of programs like "American Idol" and "24" Fox certainly has eyeballs to appeal to.

"WCAX and WPTZ are well established in this market and do a very, very credible job reporting the news," said Sally. "They've set a standard we'll have to rise to."

Are you going to watch?

--- Matt Crawford contributed this report

posted by vt.Buzz | 12:20 PM |

Comments:

It's good to have more choices.

I'm sure I'll choose not to watch Fox News.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:55 PM, November 29, 2007

So our TV news choices are Viacom, Rupert Murdoch or General Electric.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:08 PM, November 29, 2007

I have watched local news and programming on FOX for years and see no difference between them and ABC, NBC, CBS. Besides, GE owns the far-left NBC but pretty much reserves there worst vitriol for MSNBC.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:19 PM, November 29, 2007

I guess all of the news programs use those big words that Bubba can't understand.

You should stick with the cartoon network, Bubba. It's your speed.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:50 PM, November 29, 2007

"So our TV news choices are Viacom, Rupert Murdoch or General Electric."

Don't forget our liberal pals at CNN

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:13 PM, November 29, 2007

I won't watch because we all know that FOX is an ultra-conservative channel that thinks they produce news.

Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly keep telling us that they are the only "reporters" bringing the true news to us.

I guess we know what station Bubba will be watching!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:34 PM, November 29, 2007

CNN is a corporation whose only responsiblity is to it's shareholders.

Profit trumps truth, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There is nothing wrong with profit ... but don't expect a whole lot of actual "news" from the Corporate News Network.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:17 PM, November 29, 2007

Does anybody even watch the local news in Vermont? It's awful. Just look at the quality talent delivering the news. That creepy Parsons guy, scratchy voiced Michelle Mortonson (sp?), the bug-eyed Kelly woman, Darrin "hey, my name rhymes" Perrin, etce. etc.

It's like the island of newscast misfits.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:25 PM, November 29, 2007

I don't mind their looks and their names as much as I do the lack of quality and balance in their news reports.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:58 PM, November 29, 2007

Ummmm gosh folks here seem to be confusing "FoxNews" (a 24 hour cable news network) with "Fox" (a national network airing NO national news that has local affiliates). I'm not in the know, but I would assume the locally-produced program would have zero connection to the FoxNews network . . . correct me if I'm wrong!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:26 PM, November 29, 2007

Anonymous said...

"Don't forget our liberal pals at CNN"

Which ones, Glen Beck? Nancy Grace? Lou Dobbs?

You can start tryin' any time now, sport.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 5:07 PM, November 29, 2007

You are wrong. They are connected by the FOX corporation.

The local affilate might or might not have the hard editorial bend that the cable network does, but they are a branch of FOX News.

More importantly, they are both tools of Rupert Murcdoch.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:09 PM, November 29, 2007

I agree the CNN has a conservative Republican bend to their news.

I also agree that both jwcoop and Bubba bring every conversation down to a lower level, making it very difficult to have an intelligent discussion on this forum.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:11 PM, November 29, 2007

Apparently the only thing that would satisfy the progressive morons would be to have Hugo Chavez beam his Venezuelan TV directly into Burlington.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:38 PM, November 29, 2007

I totally agree that jwcoop, Bubba and Doug Hoffer bring every conversation down to a lower level.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:28 PM, November 29, 2007

You are certainly 67% correct.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:42 PM, November 29, 2007

Actually, Hoffer brings good arguments. He supports them with verrifiable facts.

Bubba and jwcoop just fling crap back and forth. They add nothing.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:27 PM, November 29, 2007

As much as I disagree with Hoffer's views, I would agree that at least he makes coherent arguments (albeit, with snarkiness occasionally thrown in), but that Bubba and jwcoop just fling unproductive nastiness.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:15 PM, November 29, 2007

nonymous said...

"I also agree that both jwcoop and Bubba bring every conversation down to a lower level, making it very difficult to have an intelligent discussion on this forum."

Gee, that's a shame. So, what you're saying is that you don't like anything posted by anyone not posting as one of your various anonymous personalities.

There's help for the likes of you.

Too bad it's not here.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:39 PM, November 29, 2007

"Apparently the only thing that would satisfy the progressive morons would be to have Hugo Chavez beam his Venezuelan TV directly into Burlington."

Painfully, I think you are right.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:23 AM, November 30, 2007

Well, sport, at least you've won one of your identities over.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 7:37 AM, November 30, 2007

Do the other stations in town reflect the news philosophies of their respective affiliates? Really folks. Get past your conspiracy theories and give them a try. I'm thinking anything's got to be better than the news that puts me to sleep each night. Who needs Ambien?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:06 AM, November 30, 2007

"I agree the CNN has a conservative Republican bend to their news. "

Wow. What planet am I on? CNN is anything but conservative Republican.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:45 AM, November 30, 2007

"Get past your conspiracy theories ..."

Not on this board. It's as paranoid a crowd as you can find.

Did you hear the theory that the Federal Reserve is an illegal entity formed to subvert the US government? or that the Government really is covering up alien encounters in Area 51? or that Marilyn Monroe was knocked off at the command of the Kennedy's? and BTW all Corporations are inherently evil and out to get us.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:50 AM, November 30, 2007

How about the crazies that believe we blew up our own trade center? And then there is Dennis Kucinich, who "sees" UFOs with Shirley McClain. And lets not forget the "progressives" that still believe Vermont is a low-tax state!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:03 PM, November 30, 2007

How about about those crazies who think Bubba's opinion really means something. And let's not forget the gullible Vermonters who still believe Bubba is an intelligent person. What are they smoking?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:15 PM, November 30, 2007

"And lets not forget the "progressives" that still believe Vermont is a low-tax state!"

Bubba...you make me laugh. You may be the only sane one on this board.

Having said that, jwcoop don't go feeling all forgotten and neglected.

Your pal,

Sport.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:37 PM, November 30, 2007

FLASH: this just in: Last 4 November Gallup polls report that 58% of Republicans rate their mental health as EXCELLENT, compared to 43% of Independents and 38% of Democrats! This explains a LOT!!!

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:43 PM, November 30, 2007

"FLASH: this just in: Last 4 November Gallup polls report that 58% of Republicans rate their mental health as EXCELLENT, compared to 43% of Independents and 38% of Democrats! This explains a LOT!!!"

Clearly you can't place any credibility in Gallup. We all know they are a big, Republican leaning corporation only out to get us.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:37 PM, November 30, 2007

Yeah, Hitler thought he was of sound mind, too. How'd that work out for him?

That's what I thought.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:50 PM, November 30, 2007

Anonymous said...
"How about about those crazies who think Bubba's opinion really means something. And let's not forget the gullible Vermonters who still believe Bubba is an intelligent person. What are they smoking?"

Why do ya think they call it dope?

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:53 PM, November 30, 2007

There's a certain type of personality that likes to use "Hitler" as a comparison when debating. It's an abnormal personality.

And personalities who like to pose a question and then answer it themselves by saying "that's what I thought" are also disturbed. Essentially, you're talking to yourself. When we see people doing that on the street we recognize them as troubled.

Get help.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:12 PM, November 30, 2007

Bubba,
where did you watch local news on Fox 44 for years? Or did you mean you've watched the Fox News Channel? I don't know that I've seen political bias on "House" or "That 70's Show" or "American Idol." You do realize that Fox News Channel and a local affiliate are two different channels? Or is your beer buzz clouding your ability to see what you're watching?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:24 AM, December 01, 2007

Finally someone is making sense. Thanks right above.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:42 AM, December 01, 2007

Anonymous said...

"There's a certain type of personality that likes to use "Hitler" as a comparison when debating. It's an abnormal personality."

As opposed to ignorant, ill-informed, spineless nitwits posting under the name anonymous on multiple accounts, sport?

Nice try. No sale.

"And personalities who like to pose a question and then answer it themselves by saying "that's what I thought" are also disturbed. Essentially, you're talking to yourself. When we see people doing that on the street we recognize them as troubled."

Yeah, troubled republicans.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 6:17 AM, December 01, 2007

Where did I say I watched FOX 44? I have watched several local FOX (NOT FOX NEWS) stations in different parts of the country. Also, my point was that FOXNEWS is different than FOX local! Where did I say politics entered into their prime-time programming (FOX that is)? You sound like little jw now! Try reading my post again.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:41 AM, December 01, 2007

"Nice try. No sale."

Did you hear this phrase a lot around the house when you were a kid?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:59 AM, December 01, 2007

Nice try. No sale.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:13 AM, December 01, 2007

""And personalities who like to pose a question and then answer it themselves by saying "that's what I thought" are also disturbed. Essentially, you're talking to yourself. When we see people doing that on the street we recognize them as troubled."

Yeah, troubled republicans. "

JW...buddy....are you saying you are a Republician? ...party of the fat cats?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:45 AM, December 02, 2007

Anonymous said...

"JW...buddy....are you saying you are a Republician? ...party of the fat cats?"

No, are you?

Good luck makin' that case, sport.

Actually, I believe they call themselves republicans

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 7:00 AM, December 02, 2007

anything is better than 3 and 5...it really is like the island of newscast misfits...fox, please jazz it up!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:54 AM, December 02, 2007

It doesn't matter if this newscast is good, bad or indifferent. It's on at 10pm.. which will be the ONLY reason anyone will watch it. They have all day to put together one half-hour and don't compete with 3 or 5.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:37 PM, December 04, 2007

Anonymous said...
Feel free to cough up one of your thoughtful, substantive posts for purpose of comparison, sport.

"How about the one directly below yours of 7:56, sport? There's more information there than in all of your posts combined since you barged your charming way into theis blog a few weeks ago, sport."

What about it? Precisely where is this factually-based evidence of which you speak?

That's what I thought.

All you've done in this post is the same thing you always do. You merely served up another heapin' helpin' of your ignorant, ill-informed opinion before hacking up another pathetic attempt to diss me for calling you on it.

"I'd also point to the one below mine, from another poster, at 10:56."

You, yourselves and bubbles can point out all the examples of your ignorant, ill-informed opinion all you want, sport. It didn't make it evidence then. It doesn't make it evidence now.

"Compare either one of those to your response to Bubba at 11:34. Not one attempt to refute his statement that Dean was anti-business."

Where's the evidence supporting "his statement that Dean is anti-business."?

There's nothing to refute. There's not one piece of evidence in that post to establish Dean is anti-business, sport. It's just another one of your baseless coalition of the clueless allegations with no supporting evidence or factual foundation to support it.

And once again, neither me or anyone else is under any obligation to disprove a case that you, yourselves and bubbles didn't make in the first place.

If any of you loons ever manage to cough up anything to refute, I'll be happy to refute it.

So far, you haven't and I haven't had the opportunity to swing the bat because you haven't thrown anything near the plate.

"All you do is repeat Bubba's statement, then hurl several lines of insult, followed by the jerky remark "dismissed."

No, I cite his post - just like I do yours - to give him an opportunity to demonstrate the fact that - like you - he's got nothing to offer but his ignorant, ill-informed opinion and that ain't evidence. It's not my fault you clowns keep hangin' yourselves with your own rope and proving my point.

Feel free to cough up one of your thoughtful, substantive posts for purpose of comparison, sport.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:15 AM, December 05, 2007

Jeezuz, you hateful misguided a-hole. Bubba accused Dean of being anti-biz and an environmental zealot. I made the case that Dean was at least moderately pro-biz and that the hard-core enviros didn't like him. So did the poster below me. Instead of commenting one way or another on the *substance* of the actual issue under discussion, you simply launch into another one of your hateful, lengthy "I-don't-have-to-prove-anything" tirades.

If you continue to insist that you're under no obligation to actually *add* anything yourself, then why be here? There's absolutely no point in repeatedly adding posts that simply say "you're wrong" and then adding 52 lines of insults. Care to point out in a civilized, calm way, with a fact or two, why everyone on this board is wrong and you're right?

Actually contribute something substantive to the discussion of an issue, or leave.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:41 AM, December 06, 2007

Hello Bubba, JWcoop and Anonymous,
Has anybody watched the newscast you all feared would be the spawn of the Fox News Channel?
I have. It looks really good. What's missing? Biased reporting and a sleepy slow pace.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:17 PM, December 07, 2007

If you want biased reporting just watch NBC or PBS. If you want both sides watch FOXNEWS! GO O'REILLY!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:07 AM, December 08, 2007

It seems like everyone here is capable of watching the various news programs critically and dsicerning any agenda that they may have. So what's the problem.

Alternative #2 is to turn off the f-ing TV.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:30 PM, December 08, 2007

bubba said...
10:07 AM, December 08, 2007

"If you want biased reporting just watch NBC or PBS. If you want both sides watch FOXNEWS! GO O'REILLY!"

And if you want the most reliable supply of psychotic shrub-shilling, stupidity and hysteria this side of horsebrit hume, bubbles, sport and his little anonymous friends are your Burlington Beltway Boys.

Yeah, bubbles, those wmd were right where rummy said they were and Iraq has paid for its own reconstruction just like wolfie said it would.

I've gotta hand it to you lunatic fringe schmucks, given the law of averages and all that, it's hard to be wrong about absolutely everything all the time, but damned if you coalition of the clueless clowns don't just about pull it off.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 6:14 PM, December 08, 2007

Anonymous said...

"Jeezuz, you hateful misguided a-hole. Bubba accused Dean of being anti-biz and an environmental zealot. I made the case that Dean was at least moderately pro-biz and that the hard-core enviros didn't like him. So did the poster below me. Instead of commenting one way or another on the *substance* of the actual issue under discussion, you simply launch into another one of your hateful, lengthy "I-don't-have-to-prove-anything" tirades."

You're referring, of course, to one of my frequent reminders to you that I don't have to disprove something you've failed to prove in the first place.

Get used to it, shmendrik, because unless and until you start backin' up your gop-slop nonsense with something even remotely resembling evidence to substantiate your invariably ludicrous claims and assertions, you're in for a steady diet of it.

"If you continue to insist that you're under no obligation to actually *add* anything yourself, then why be here?"

Nice try, nitwit.

You're referring, of course, to one of my frequent reminders to you that I don't have to disprove something you've failed to prove in the first place.

Moreover, your statement presumes that you, yourselves and bubbles bring something to the table apart from your generic lunatic fringe gop-slop.

The phrase assumes facts not in evidence comes to mind.

"There's absolutely no point in repeatedly adding posts that simply say "you're wrong" and then adding 52 lines of insults. Care to point out in a civilized, calm way, with a fact or two, why everyone on this board is wrong and you're right?"

So knock it off, already.

Again with the delusional drivel that you, yourselves and bubbles speak for "everyone" on this board.

Ya might try reading it sometime. Even if you're responsible for half the anonymous postings here, clearly, you don't.

"Actually contribute something substantive to the discussion of an issue, or leave."

Oh, yeah, that's gonna do it.

Let me explain somethin' to ya, little fella. Ya see, it's like this. If you don't like me shredding your psychotic nonsense on a regular basis, stop posting psychotic nonsense that's easily shredded.

Otherwise, if you're gonna keep doin' what you're doin', you're gonna keep gettin' what you're gettin'.

So, ya see, your fate is really in your own hands, sport.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 11:21 PM, December 08, 2007

"Let me explain somethin' to ya, little fella. Ya see, it's like this. If you don't like me shredding your psychotic nonsense on a regular basis, stop posting psychotic nonsense that's easily shredded."

Psychosis revealed.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:06 AM, December 09, 2007

Anonymous said...
11:06 AM, December 09, 2007

"Psychosis revealed."

Your cards were showin' long before I got here, little fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 7:11 PM, December 09, 2007