Ben Bogardus

The revolving door between the newsroom and the Connecticut statehouse is spinning once again.  On July 22, NBC Connecticut’s political reporter Max Reiss will become Gov. Ned Lamont’s new communications director.

Ben Bogardus. An outbreak of “if true-itis” is spreading through newsrooms across the country.  It peaked last Friday, when BuzzFeed News posted an article claiming Special Counsel Robert Mueller had evidence President Donald Trump told his former lawyer to lie to congress.  The story instantly spread around the world, via social media. “If true,” many […]

Last week’s Nor’easter was supposed to be one of the biggest of the year – bringing 15 inches of snow to Connecticut, according to some television meteorologists.  Schools closed early, businesses sent workers home, and plows stood ready on the sides of highways.  But this storm, unlike the one two weeks prior, never lived up to the hype. That caused a lot of TV weather crews to get a lot of criticism on social media. But this anger is misplaced.  Don’t blame the meteorologists! 

The past few weeks have seen the biggest upheaval in years in morning television. On Nov. 21, CBS This Morning anchor Charlie Rose was fired after the Washington Post reported on his sexually-oriented behavior towards at least eight female co-workers. Then, eight days later, NBC fired long-time Today Show anchor Matt Lauer after a newsroom staffer told similar stories about his behavior behind closed and locked office doors. NBC political analyst Mark Halperin, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly and former Today Show personality Billy Bush also lost their jobs in the last year or so, because of similar circumstances. But the firings of these “anchors behaving badly” isn’t limited to the networks. Here in Connecticut, local stations have also had to deal with anchors doing things they shouldn’t do.

Workers across Connecticut are enjoying a shortened week, thanks to the Labor Day holiday.  But as we honor the work of everyday men and women, let’s give a special thanks to one group that’s had a tough time recently: local TV news reporters and producers.  It’s a job that, despite what the president says, isn’t at all “fake news!”

“Shop Local” is a phrase you hear a lot when it comes to shopping for food and holiday gifts. The theory is that you get higher-quality products when you buy from people you know, and help support the local economy at the same time. But “shopping local” could soon be a lot more difficult when it comes to watching TV news in Connecticut.

Connecticut was dealt a double-blow by winter storms Chris and Diana earlier this month. Or was it winter storms Niko and Orson? Or just Thursday and Sunday’s winter storms? The answer depends on which TV station you’re watching. Not only is that confusing, but it can also be dangerous.

We’re going to see a lot of changes in Connecticut television news in 2017. New Haven’s ABC affiliate, WTNH, is getting a new owner for the second time in two years. WFSB, the state’s top-rated news station, is reportedly cutting back on sports coverage – eliminating dedicated sportscasts at 6 p.m., and instead only giving sports a few minutes of coverage at 11 p.m., and only on Wednesdays through Sundays. And News 12 Connecticut plans to begin broadcasting its shows from studios in New Jersey, starting in March.

Were you surprised at how the presidential election turned out? Your answer probably depends on which candidate you supported. Many Democrats were shocked at Hillary Clinton’s loss. But a lot of Republicans claim they saw Donald Trump’s win coming for a long time. How can both reactions be right? The answer is that many people are trapped inside “media echo chambers.”

Television stations seem to love one word above most others. Marketing consultants have come up with dozens of ways to say it. It’s almost a game: how many ways can you weave the word “local” into a catchy slogan?

The 2016 presidential election is easily the most fact-checked contest in American history. A combination of extremely “truth-challenged” candidates and a bandwagon mentality among news organizations has caused it. But, just weeks away from November 8, has fact-checking “jumped the shark?”