Important News Bulletin!

[blas87]

Slap me if you want, but I absolutely hate when I'm in the middle of watching something on TV (this almost always happens in the later morning), and all of a sudden "This is an NBC Special News Bulletin.....President Obama live from the White House discussing the Gulf Oil Spill."

Oh Jesus Christ, enough already. Thanks for ruining Y&R and whatever else was on since 11:30.

I don't give a shit. Get off every channel and get back on CNN where this belongs.

[jackfaire]

Exactly I thought the reason for having a 24 hour news network was so they could stop interrupting our shows.

These days if you have TV, Internet access or step outside of your home then you know when something like this happens.

[Giggle Goose]

I hate that! Especially when I'm home from work in the daytime and I'm watching something trashy like Maury and Tyra. I can go online anytime and look at whatever news they were talking about, but it'll be hard to get another chance to find out the baby's daddy!!! Or what happens to the out-of-control teen or whatever.

[Rageaholic]

I remember years back there was a bulletin which interupted a show just to tell us that Rosa Parks has died. Okay, it's news, but couldn't they have waited until the 11:00 oclock news? Why is it so urgent that we know right now that Rosa Parks has died. Most people never even knew her! Even if the news is a matter of life and death (weather alert, amber alert), most stations can get by with just flashing it across the screen. And that's with stuff that actually matters. When it's just sports updates, and political updates, there really is no excuse.

[HYHYBT]

I would be especially ticked, but also intrigued, to see an NBC news bulletin preempting "The Young & The Restless."

[blas87]

My bad, it was CBS. But it pre-empted everything on every main channel (FOX, NBC, CBS, etc).

[insertNameHere]

Outside of September 11 2001, I really don't see the need to break onto every major network. Especially with weather updates, or here is an idea if it is so damn important cut over the commercials I don't care about.

I really don't care what Obama has to say about the oil spill if I did I would watch it on the daily show and colbert report as it was being made fun of. I really should watch CNN / FOXNEWS / Whatever your 24hr network is more often but, they just keep up on the same "breaking" news for a day or two.

I remember one time at least 9 years ago I had to miss an episode of one of my shows because a puppy fell down an abandoned well and they were attempting a rescue for 2-3hrs. Yes, a puppy not a child, the same puppy that they would put down for being at dog wardens for too long. I really don't think it was worth having a live feed on the rescue efforts when I wanted to watch my show, maybe a quick break or two. but 2-3 straight hours!

I think the networks need to learn when and how long to break into a show is appropriate, such as even in weather emergency after saying something 3 times you don't need to repeat it another 4 times.

[jackfaire]

I think the networks need to learn when and how long to break into a show is appropriate, such as even in weather emergency after saying something 3 times you don't need to repeat it another 4 times.

Or such as when it is appropriate to start playing Heidi?

[protege]

I really don't care what Obama has to say about the oil spill if I did I would watch it on the daily show and colbert report as it was being made fun of. I really should watch CNN / FOXNEWS / Whatever your 24hr network is more often but, they just keep up on the same "breaking" news for a day or two.

Since we're forced to have CNBC on all day at work...I'm a bit tired of the Obama speeches. Seriously, he's been on at least twice a week since he was elected. Nothing really new to say either.

Even better, are the "breaking news stories" that happen locally...and, it's always "breaking news on the North Side." Uh, did I mention that the "North Side" (that's across the Allegheny from Downtown for you not local) is a big place? Why not give a street or intersection where the event is going on?

[HYHYBT]

See, I can understand stretching a weather interruption: people flip channels, and there *is* a legitimate reason to catch as many as possible. Meanwhile, something like 9-11 it would be nice if a few stations had kept regular programming (or maybe aired every other regular show) to break it up a bit. After all, for much of the day, there wasn't really anything new; they just kept saying the same things, and showing the same videos, all day and well into the night. It's not good to watch that much, and times like that are when people need something that's both ordinary and fun. But nobody wants to be the one channel *not* showing the disaster, even when we've been watching it for twelve hours already.

[jackfaire]

It's not good to watch that much, and times like that are when people need something that's both ordinary and fun. But nobody wants to be the one channel *not* showing the disaster, even when we've been watching it for twelve hours already.

The show Friends had that attitude and was one of the only shows that took place in NYC that decided in their world 9/11 never happened.

[LadyBarbossa]

I'll often sit and watch old CSI and Cold Case repeats with Mom in the afternoons. If I had a dollar for every time I never found out the mystery because of a sooper dooper important Obama speech . . .

[Racket_Man]

Or such as when it is appropriate to start playing Heidi?

OMG someone else who remembers that!!!! NY Jets vs the Oakland Raiders game if I remember correctly

[jackfaire]

OMG someone else who remembers that!!!! NY Jets vs the Oakland Raiders game if I remember correctly

A coworker of mine was bitching about it one day so I heard all about it. I love hearing about American history of the 20th century it's a love of mine and I love hearing people's stories.

I do however remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series. Of course it was 2 years later before I would know what the hell that meant.

[Amanita]

The show Friends had that attitude and was one of the only shows that took place in NYC that decided in their world 9/11 never happened.

I never got into Friends, but practically every other show that I liked which took place in NYC had something about 9/11 in the days and months after the attack.
NYPD blue referenced it, and Third Watch had one special episode which featured real rescue workers who were there. The attack also figured into the storyline featuring the show's characters as well.
Heck, even CSI:NY has made mention of 9/11.

I wonder though- the show "Friends" seemed to be relentlessly upbeat- perhaps the writers couldn't figure out how to integrate something like 9/11 without completely changing the mood of the show, or coming off as insincere, so they just decided not to try.

On a 9/11 media related note, one thing that angered me royally- The media went on a hunting expedition to expunge virtually every image of the WTC they could find, censoring the towers from shows and movies. But at the same time, it was wall-to-wall footage of them getting hit by planes and collapsing. As if they had never existed at all, save for the wretched fate they met with.