TV station website news (York: buy, store, best)

[y8tiger]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

Not to be contrary, but I don't see opinion based. Would you please give an example?

Can you also give an example of why you think WAAY does a better job? Thanks.

In 2020, WHNT went after Huntsville City Police with a vengeance for their use of tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protestors.

Numerous Protestors came in from out of town. After the Protest Permit time had expired, protesters refused to comply with a lawful order to disperse for two hours before the force was used. The Police used the force that was necessary to prevent our downtown from being looted and burned like what happened to so many other cities that Summer.

ICE Agent arrests 2 months later received the same negative reporting.

WHNT shifted their reporting to an anti-police focus following this. I believe in Police oversight, but IMHO they lost their objectivity and jumped on the defund the police band wagon. Eventually, I tired of their overt use use of adjectives to steer news stories to match their view points.

I was able to go to WAAY, WAAF, and WZDX and see a clear difference in the way the same stories were being reported.

That said, I am sure that Tennessee Valley Progressive group in Huntsville eats up the slant from WHNT reporting.

Nowadays people tend to only listen to the news that they agree with and want to hear.

[pathrunner]

Thank you. I moved here 2 years ago at the end of this month, so I didn't see that. I will take your word for it. I got rid of YouTube TV 18 months ago, so all I get is what's on Paramount+. I don't watch enough TV to warrant $65+/mo. I'm sure I can get what's on the other channels if I'm willing to wait a day. That's less than optimal.

[y8tiger]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

Thank you. I moved here 2 years ago at the end of this month, so I didn't see that. I will take your word for it. I got rid of YouTube TV 18 months ago, so all I get is what's on Paramount+. I don't watch enough TV to warrant $65+/mo. I'm sure I can get what's on the other channels if I'm willing to wait a day. That's less than optimal.

Gotcha

We have all the local stations with DirecTV Stream. (previously AT&T TV Now and DirecTV Now)

I also have Digital TV converter box with Indoor Digital TV Antenna as a backup for when the Severe Weather knocks out the Internet.

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

In 2020, WHNT went after Huntsville City Police with a vengeance for their use of tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protestors.

Numerous Protestors came in from out of town. After the Protest Permit time had expired, protesters refused to comply with a lawful order to disperse for two hours before the force was used. The Police used the force that was necessary to prevent our downtown from being looted and burned like what happened to so many other cities that Summer.

ICE Agent arrests 2 months later received the same negative reporting.

WHNT shifted their reporting to an anti-police focus following this. I believe in Police oversight, but IMHO they lost their objectivity and jumped on the defund the police band wagon. Eventually, I tired of their overt use use of adjectives to steer news stories to match their view points.

I was able to go to WAAY, WAAF, and WZDX and see a clear difference in the way the same stories were being reported.

That said, I am sure that Tennessee Valley Progressive group in Huntsville eats up the slant from WHNT reporting.

Nowadays people tend to only listen to the news that they agree with and want to hear.

WHNT has a history of anti-police reporting. A while back one story was so slanted that the police stonewalled WHNT completely on reporting. IIRC, it was selective editing where use of force was needed, but the perp abusing the police first was edited out. The news director of the time had to leave a couple years after. I forget what happened to the reporter, but he is long gone.

[pathrunner]

I had a long term friend whose husband worked in high level TV news production during his entire career. Heard lots of stories about the various TV stations where he worked (about 4 different states). It's a dirty, nasty, cut throat business. Positions usually lasted from 2-4 years if even that. Others last a long time, i.e. with weather people. Other positions? Not nearly so much. The guy who "left a couple years after" was lucky to stay on that long.

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

So where do you get up-to-date LOCAL news online?

Well to be honest, I don't really try to keep up with the nonsense very much. However, I do listen to WLRH in the mornings while driving so I get the highlights and brief more important stories. Same for the national and world news. Then some get mentioned here and people talking during the day while I am out and about. I will just google anything I am interested enough in and skim over the story somewhere real quick. I have the newsbreak app on my phone that will send notifications of breaking and big news but I turn it on and off from time to time. I turned it off for quite a while due to all the constant Covid nonsense and i haven't turned them back on. I have a low tolerance for the constant on and on and on the news media does when they get on a particular topic. Now it is the Ukraine and Russia war.......seriously unless you are Russian or Ukrainian do you really want constant updates on that war? I don't even want that much when we are involved in a war or conflict.

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

Playing devil's advocate - but how do you know it hasn't improved if you haven't watched for over 10 years?

There will be a football or basketball game on CBS or ABC and it will end. The TV will get left on the channel for a little while and the news will come on. I happen to end up seeing a few minutes of it and as usual cannot tolerate it and change the channel. Seriously, talk yourself into not watching it at all for a couple of months and then try to watch it one day. You will see just how bad it really is if you are away from it a little while.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

Thank you. I moved here 2 years ago at the end of this month, so I didn't see that. I will take your word for it. I got rid of YouTube TV 18 months ago, so all I get is what's on Paramount+. I don't watch enough TV to warrant $65+/mo. I'm sure I can get what's on the other channels if I'm willing to wait a day. That's less than optimal.

You can get all the local channels and their subchannels free over the air - just get a small antenna (supposedly the ones you put on the wall are good, like a Leaf). With the subchannels, you'll get close to 30 free channels and all the local news.

[pathrunner]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

There will be a football or basketball game on CBS or ABC and it will end. The TV will get left on the channel for a little while and the news will come on. I happen to end up seeing a few minutes of it and as usual cannot tolerate it and change the channel. Seriously, talk yourself into not watching it at all for a couple of months and then try to watch it one day. You will see just how bad it really is if you are away from it a little while.

Yes, that has happened for me. I usually watch to get the local weather, but increasingly I get it from weather apps and one or two good YouTube channels created by meteorologists.

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

You can get all the local channels and their subchannels free over the air - just get a small antenna (supposedly the ones you put on the wall are good, like a Leaf). With the subchannels, you'll get close to 30 free channels and all the local news.

Looked at that option last year, may still go for it. So far, we haven't felt the need or desire to do it.

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

You can get all the local channels and their subchannels free over the air - just get a small antenna (supposedly the ones you put on the wall are good, like a Leaf). With the subchannels, you'll get close to 30 free channels and all the local news.

Willing to test this out. Currently have YouTube tv with a Roku but a simple modern version of “”rabbit ears” is worth a try. If it’s 30 channels for the cost of an airwave antenna, that may change the ballgame.

To add to this thread, there was a local WHNT suv (with all the markings) that was stuck in the ditch a couple years ago; young kid, north near hwy53. And it was a while before a farmer hitched up a tractor to pull him out. Wonder if the timing or patronage affected the timing. As Alabamians, I’d say no, but it’s possible.
The kid could have been doing sports for all we know….

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Willing to test this out. Currently have YouTube tv with a Roku but a simple modern version of “”rabbit ears” is worth a try. If it’s 30 channels for the cost of an airwave antenna, that may change the ballgame.

To add to this thread, there was a local WHNT suv (with all the markings) that was stuck in the ditch a couple years ago; young kid, north near hwy53. And it was a while before a farmer hitched up a tractor to pull him out. Wonder if the timing or patronage affected the timing. As Alabamians, I’d say no, but it’s possible.
The kid could have been doing sports for all we know….

I haven't actually counted the prime channels and subchannels so it may not be 30, but it's quite a few. Many of them are secondary networks with a plethora of old popular shows, like Gunsmoke. I have Dish Network, and use an over-the-air with an antenna for backup when it rains. I also have a Roku that will give you a lot of the channels streaming (like the Weather Channel, Fox News, CNN, ESPN, SECN plus a couple other regional sports networks, and many more) assuming you already subscribe on cable or satellite.

I have an antenna in my attic for locals, but depending on where you live and the terrain and trees, modern-day rabbit ears might work quite well (I'm down in a little valley with lots of trees, both of which have a negative effect on picking up digital television). I think Consumer Reports likes the Leaf antenna. Amazon is a good place to buy them, or locally a store like Best Buy. Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=leaf+ante...cceptance_3_12

Regarding WHNT - at one time, they were owned by the New York Times. Don't know if that's still the case, but it could be an reason for their anti-police stand (if in fact that's the case - I rarely watch).

Here's a good site that will help you in choosing an antenna based on your location: https://www.antennaweb.org