Asheville News

For WLOSers, a sweeps score

Jason Sandford May 18, 2007

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

What do you get when you put together one camera-hog sheriff, some over-hyped crime news and a local television station desperate for ratings? You get a crime telethon, which is essentially what WLOSers came up with for their sweeps stunt on Thursday.

And we say – BRAVO!

“Pat “Simple” Simon,” looking like his head was two sizes too big for his body, reported live from the Henderson County sheriff’s department office with stories about the Mountain’s Most Wanted suspects. These criminals have executed heinous crimes, Pat and his crew told us, and have so far gotten away with it. So the viewers’ job was to call in tips to the cops, a la America’s Most Wanted. WLOSers found the perfect partner in the publicity hound of a new sheriff down there in Hooterville, who just laps up any and all camera attention.

So that was the big news. And WLOSers, as well as the local cops, were already claiming that they’d received lots of useful calls. But get back to us with a firm number on actual arrests, and we might believe you’ve made a difference. Until then, continue to tell yourselves that you were doing some public good by over-hyping some petty crime news. But we give your props for the sheer audacity of trying to emulate America’s Most Wanted on a local level.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

It’s still sweeps, but where’s the fun?

La Zoom

9 Comments

Jeff June 2, 2007

WSPA has high def CAMS!

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A to the P May 24, 2007

Nope. In fact none of our markets stations have high def cameras.

Only the national shows are in high def right now (In our area at least).

But the deadline for digital broadcast is under 2 years, so I would imagine that around the end of this fiscal year, when next years budgets are being approved, they will purchase some high def cameras.

But it’s almost worth not watching it to see guys like Yocats just BS and fall flat on their face.

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Apple Jack May 23, 2007

When will WLOS get high def cameras? I would have figured that would be standard in today’s broadcast industry.

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A to the P May 23, 2007

Yocat…they don’t have high def cameras…

The show is on a high def channel…but its still just regular def with boxes on the side…

Foot. Mouth. Insert.

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yocat May 19, 2007

W-losers are now in hi-def..their makeup is gastly!! Check out Darcell’s neck and Larry’s hairline.

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whodey May 18, 2007

Probably Sinclair seeing something working in one of their other markets and came up with the idea that maybe the other stations down the line should do something similar?…not like SBG has been known to do that before or anything O:-)

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RadioLongAgo May 18, 2007

Who fakes their voice the most when they are on the air?
A. WLOS Pat Simon
B. WSPA Chris Cato
C. NBC Chris Hansen
Easiest way to catch it is at the end of sentences, sounds like a cross between Mr. Howell (of Gilligan’s Island fame) and the movie voice over guy…

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Catnap May 18, 2007

Must be the latest thing. One of the stations in Columbus – could be the Sinclair one (I don’t watch any of them so I only know from promos)- is doing this most wanted thing every night.

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mississippi May 18, 2007

one arrest. many leads. beefcake and his six pack abs chased the dude down to a trailer park with the cops. was like america’s most wanted goes broadway

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