Maybe it's just me, but I don't need 40 minutes of coverage from 7pm to 7:40pm of an apartment fire that is burning an unoccupied building!

The firefighters had it surrounded, no one's life was threatened, it was just a big bonfire when all is said and done. Leave it to KOCO to turn a bonfire into a nuclear holocaust. They preempted the #1 ABC show for 40 minutes to drag out their excessive, sensationalized, overly dramatic coverage of a story which should have take no more than 3 minutes to tell.

Our local news media has lost its mind, and it has degraded to the point where coverage of any event which can generate spectacular pictures (like a big fire) becomes a pissing contest to see who can stay on-air the longest.

Congratulations KOCO, you pissed on everyone, including thousands of viewers who wanted to watch their favorite show.

To call them "news media" is an undeserved complement. Aside from running stories about what they read in the Oklahoman, TV news people don't actually know how to do real journalism. They just read from prompters, from newswire scripts, or they write 75 words to surround a couple of sound bites from a local police department's PIO.

Agreed, only it wasn't KOCO, it was all 3 news networks with nearly non-stop coverage. Drove me nuts so I decided to clean house instead. They care more about local ratings than the serious ad money they preempted from their prime time slots that pays for their jobs to overhype trivial stuff.

Here's an audition tape for local news tryouts:

UQ7dUlRUJIM

f'n ridiculous.

f'n ridiculous.

I disagree. That fire was the largest apartment fire I have ever seen in the Oklahoma City metro. Millions in damage and at least 6 hours to knock it down. I'm not sure, but I bet it went network.

I disagree. That fire was the largest apartment fire I have ever seen in the Oklahoma City metro. Millions in damage and at least 6 hours to knock it down. I'm not sure, but I bet it went network.

Yes, it was a big fire, exactly the kind of thing that makes KOCO salivate all down its own chin. But, it was just a fire, a big, stinking, bonfire at a construction site.

In one week, NO ONE will care. It was just sheer, gratuitous broadcasting, totally misguided without any consideration for the reason the viewers tuned in at 7pm.

Edmond did not change forever because of last night's fire. I drove around Edmond today, running errands. There was no nuclear holocaust, no dead bodies lying in the ditches, businesses were open as usual. It was "just another day". Somehow, the world went on unscathed, despite KOCO's heroic attempt to convince us that the world was coming to an end.

All this because you missed forty minutes of a two-hour show featuring celebrities dancing?

I think the news stations were waiting (hoping) for the winds to spread the fire and make it a bigger story.

ABC.com - Dancing With The Stars - Home (http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars)
Watch the full episodes and get over it.

Hell who needs the locals, go to the websites and watch it on the net!!

KWTV went on with regular programming at 730pm, the trade off was listening to a Ogle till then.

All this because you missed forty minutes of a two-hour show featuring celebrities dancing?

That's right. I tuned in to see the #1 show in America and I was forced to watch a bonfire for 40 minutes with anchors repeating two-minutes worth of information 20 times over.

If a fire broke out during a televised OU game, how would all the OU fans like it? Do you think Sooner fans would throw a fit missing the first half of the game, or better yet, the last half?

The entire point is not what it covered up, but the fact that it was a ridiculous choice on the part of management.

KOCO has an extra channel, they could use it either to broadcast the regular show, or to broadcast their cheap theatrics. I believe they did something like this during some basketball playoffs. Why? Because they knew the station would suffer riots if they didn't.

Stations have lost touch with the desires of the viewers.

[QUOTE=drumsncode;264046]Yes, it was a big fire, exactly the kind of thing that makes KOCO salivate all down its own chin. But, it was just a fire, a big, stinking, bonfire at a construction site.

In one week, NO ONE will care. It was just sheer, gratuitous broadcasting, totally misguided without any consideration for the reason the viewers tuned in at 7pm.

Edmond did not change forever because of last night's fire. I drove around Edmond today, running errands. There was no nuclear holocaust, no dead bodies lying in the ditches, businesses were open as usual. It was "just another day". Somehow, the world went on unscathed, despite KOCO's heroic attempt to convince us that the world was coming to an end.[/QUOTE

There are a LOT of people who will care. The owners of the place, the people who possibly had leases presigned, the people who drive by, the families of the girls hit by the SUV, the surrounding businesses that may have lost business (not permanantly, but it cuts into revenue), the city of Edmond, Oklahoma County, people with compassion (it's sad that is not as common now), passers by who see the rubble...

That's a LOT of people. Plus, one of the first things a journaism student learns is "if it bleeds, it leads'" Moreover, it stopped traffic for hours. The families of the people in the traffic need to know.

If you don't like the coverage, Cox has, how many channels to choose from? What is it?... 300? Change the channel.]

The problem is it is on Publicly owned airwaves, there's digital and damn marquee scrolls..let them report it that way till its time for a local news cast.
The passerbys are rubber necks who stall and cause traffic problems, just like some damn storm chasers or some arsonists.
They feed off this type of crap.
MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, GO HOME !!

If a fire broke out during a televised OU game, how would all the OU fans like it? Do you think Sooner fans would throw a fit missing the first half of the game, or better yet, the last half?

I'd think that watching a disaster like an apartment fire would be a refreshing change of pace for most Sooner fans--at least this season, anyway.

I hear what you're saying, though, DNC. I'd be irked if it happened during one of my favorite shows, too. And it has.

But still--it's celebrities. Dancing.

That's right. I tuned in to see the #1 show in America...

But NCIS isn't on until tonight?
Nielsen Television TV Ratings for Network Primetime Series - Zap2it (http://www.zap2it.com/tv/ratings/zap-nielsen-weekly,0,4143049,results.formprofile?SortBy=cdb_01 _num+,cdb_05_txt+&PageSize=50)

:-P I kid I kid.

> I was forced to watch a bonfire for 40 minutes with
> anchors repeating two-minutes worth of information
> 20 times over.

Did you call the policia? I woulda fought free and called the policia if some tv station ninjas burst into my house, and tied me up and forced me to watch their newcasts. No way, no how does anyone force me to watch anything in my own home. I am king of my domain and I call the shots, well, at least when the cat's asleep and the lovely doesn't ahve a show she wants to watch.

You oughta sue those freaks for forcing you to watch an apartment fire.
Unless of course, you really mean the remote was on the other side of the room and it was a really big room and the end of a long day.
;^)

btw, if it helps ease the pain, the laddies and the lasses with the great skills danced their hearts out,a nd the celebs tried to keep up, just like any other week.

It reminded me of a time when I was at OU when there was a large apartment fire similar to this one that one of the local stations was covering during the 10PM broadcast. The anchor headlined the story with spectacular nighttime scenes of flames leaping 30-40 feet into the dark sky, then turned it over to the field reporter who loudly started her report, "Right now, the fire is contained only to the buildings that are burning!"

"Right now, the fire is contained only to the buildings that are burning!"

Complete idiots!!
let me guess an Ogle?

I wish I could remember but I am pretty sure it was a woman who is long gone - 30 years ago literally. It was such an idiotic lead to the nights major story, I've always remembered it and still laugh about it.

Its the herd mentality, one station does it so Ill be damned if we dont air it.

Truth be told, if the stations didnt cover it, more people would of complained that they arent covering local news and keeping citizens aware of danger.

I think a simple crawl alerting people to avoid the area would of been a nice compromise.

Cover it, fine. But not for 40 minutes! Cover it for 1 or 2 and then maybe another minute later one until news time.

I've got to wonder if the tv news folks will ever realize that with the advent of digital tv they have the option of doing such live coverage on their secondary channels (KOCO, KFOR and KWTV all have them) and keeping viewers happy by maintaining normal content on the regular channels.
If I had to guess, these folks are creatures of habit and just haven't really figured this all out yet.
I miss the days when we got real news on tv, but I can't agree with the statement there are NO real tv news folks left. Alex Cameron, Gan Matthews, Kelly Ogle and Linda Cavanaugh all have had distinguished careers and I treat them as serious competition on any story. And there are several camera guys (Richard at KOCO in particular) who could kick my butt getting the scoop on a breaking crime or disaster story.

Some of you guys really miss the point, but I like the insights I'm reading from others.

And it's not about switching away from coverage I did not want to see, it's about being prevented from watching a show I wanted to see!

I really wish we could put pressure on stations to use their extra digital channel(s) in a useful way; that would solve a multitude of problems. Maybe stations are afraid to give us the option, because they might find out just how much we hate their ridiculously excessive coverage of so many unimportant things.

And I cannot possibly be the only one in the state infuriated by this. Surely the phones lit up at KOCO, and their InBox filled up with complaints.

And this all reminds me of the time that Frank Johnson (I think that's the weatherman's name) of KOCO covered up all but 10 minutes of an LPGA golf tournament just because of scary looking clouds, clouds which yielded no storms at all! I looked forward to that tournament all week, and I got a stupid guy lecturing about clouds for 2 hours.

Some of you guys really miss the point, but I like the insights I'm reading from others.

And it's not about switching away from coverage I did not want to see, it's about being prevented from watching a show I wanted to see!

I really wish we could put pressure on stations to use their extra digital channel(s) in a useful way; that would solve a multitude of problems. Maybe stations are afraid to give us the option, because they might find out just how much we hate their ridiculously excessive coverage of so many unimportant things.

And I cannot possibly be the only one in the state infuriated by this. Surely the phones lit up at KOCO, and their InBox filled up with complaints.

And this all reminds me of the time that Frank Johnson (I think that's the weatherman's name) of KOCO covered up all but 10 minutes of an LPGA golf tournament just because of scary looking clouds, clouds which yielded no storms at all! I looked forward to that tournament all week, and I got a stupid guy lecturing about clouds for 2 hours.

Most, if not all stations, are rebroadcasting the programs. You can always record them and watch them at another time. Major news is VERY important, at any cost. BTW. I did not miss your point. You missed ours.

Most, if not all stations, are rebroadcasting the programs. You can always record them and watch them at another time. Major news is VERY important, at any cost. BTW. I did not miss your point. You missed ours.

I didn't catch any signs that KOCO was willing to rebroadcast the show. Major news is VERY important --- yes it is. A bonfire of an unoccupied building shown for 40 minutes is not major news. KOCO was more interested in the cool looking promo they could generate from it, which they did within one day of the event.

And trust me, a couple of people missed the point. I don't want to attack anyone's views too directly; I'd like to maintain at least a shred of civility on this board. (You may have seen the days when there was very little on here!)

The most important thing is now that the big three stations all have extra channels, there's no excuse for not giving us the option to watch the network feed. I'm glad someone reminded me of that, and actually, it made me even more furious when I realized they could have shown the normal show on channel 5.2. The bottom line is that there is simply no excuse for not giving us the choice any more.

I'm with drumsincode on this one, it is all media hype, no reason they couldn't have had a scrolling update bar during the regularly scheduled show, and then come in for commercial breaks. Bad PR if you ask me.

I also agree with drumsincode. If this was a fire in a heavily populated area, then I can understand all the coverage. This was not one of those instances. It was an uncompleted apartment complex basically in the middle of practically nowhere, with the closest thing to it is Lowe's. Breaking in for quick updates during a commercial or two would have sufficed.

I didn't catch any signs that KOCO was willing to rebroadcast the show. Major news is VERY important --- yes it is. A bonfire of an unoccupied building shown for 40 minutes is not major news. KOCO was more interested in the cool looking promo they could generate from it, which they did within one day of the event.

And trust me, a couple of people missed the point. I don't want to attack anyone's views too directly; I'd like to maintain at least a shred of civility on this board. (You may have seen the days when there was very little on here!)

The most important thing is now that the big three stations all have extra channels, there's no excuse for not giving us the option to watch the network feed. I'm glad someone reminded me of that, and actually, it made me even more furious when I realized they could have shown the normal show on channel 5.2. The bottom line is that there is simply no excuse for not giving us the choice any more.

Tell me the last time a fire ANYWHERE that caused 14.5 MILLION dollars in damage was NOT major news. This IS in a populated area, which is VERY heavily traveled. It blocked traffic for several miles, disrupting lives, nearly caused at least two lives (could have easily been a lot more), and had departments from several surrounding cities renderling mutual aide. Although Oklahoma City moves engine and rescue ladder companies to other stations during MAJOR fires, a lot of people were in danger of reduced fire protection.

KOCO and KFOR only have two channels. The main (5.1) and one more. The backups are allocated to weather. They just can not arbatrarily change the content.

There are a lot more people who are interested in coverage of a MAJOR event than people who are not. They ARE giving you a choice... Change the channel and record the program that was preempted and watch it later. KWTV only has one channel. Plus, there are people who either have ne cable at all (although their loss) or do not have digital cable. Plus, the weather are networks with some local coverage. They don't even change programming for weather. In addition, most people do not watch those subchannels. If you owned a station, I bet you would do the same. Why? M-O-N-E-Y.

Funny... Not ONE person complained when the networks canceled programming when Kennedy was assasinated, the Challenger exploded, Reagan died, the Murrah building was hit, or during the Islamic attacks on America. All were MAJOR news events. (Please do not say "there was no cable during Kennedy." That's not the point):bow:

The above mentioned events were a little bit more important, in my opinion, than a burning, empty apartment fire. What would make it interesting is if they somehow figured out that some Edmondite started the fire, since so many people didn't want that complex built. THAT would be news.

Kennedy assassination/Reagan death: Presidents who meant a lot to the country.
Murrah building/9-11: terrorist act on home soil
Challenger exploding: can't explain why...dramatic death of who we consider heroes...big deal.

Empty apartment complex catches fire in a rich suburb--important only to those who actually live up there. I don't live in Edmond and really do not care about an empty apartment building catching on fire. Yeah, it was expensive...but I don't really feel sorry for anyone. They should have had insurance for this sort of thing, right?

The above mentioned events were a little bit more important, in my opinion, than a burning, empty apartment fire. What would make it interesting is if they somehow figured out that some Edmondite started the fire, since so many people didn't want that complex built. THAT would be news.

Kennedy assassination/Reagan death: Presidents who meant a lot to the country.
Murrah building/9-11: terrorist act on home soil
Challenger exploding: can't explain why...dramatic death of who we consider heroes...big deal.

Empty apartment complex catches fire in a rich suburb--important only to those who actually live up there. I don't live in Edmond and really do not care about an empty apartment building catching on fire. Yeah, it was expensive...but I don't really feel sorry for anyone. They should have had insurance for this sort of thing, right?

The arson angle is the first thing that popped into my head when this story hit. They kept stressing that these were luxury apartments, and I kinda wonder why they did that. Maybe it was to separate them from the other complex that was supposed to be low-rent. (Am I right on this, are there two complexes in this area?)

I also think that Coffee Creek residents would love to see any low-rent complexes burned to the ground during construction, so we'll wait and see. When you start messing with people's quality of life, filling up their area with people that they deem "undesirable", the gloves come off, and I doubt arson is off the table.

When you crowd their school system with kids they don't want there, things get ugly. People moved to the Coffee Creek addition to have very beautiful, peaceful, quality of life. When a bunch of greedy developers move in to threaten that lifestyle, things get ugly.

Stay tuned, film at 10.

Ponder this --- what kind of resistance do you think you'd see if a developer wanted to place a low-rent complex in the midst of Nichols Hills? Yeah, I rest my case.

You don't see all the junky houses around Heritage Hills going up in flames, though, do you?

You don't see all the junky houses around Heritage Hills going up in flames, though, do you?

It's different there. A few junky houses don't materially affect the quality of life in that area.

But --- take an "enclave of the rich" and inject a "cancer" into it, you get at least the possibility of arson if the residents feel they are helpless to protect their way of life.

Those Coffee Creek residents were not happy campers if you saw the meeting.

If someone tried to do that to Nichols Hills, not only would there be arson, Aubrey McClendon would probably set the fire himself, assuming he couldn't buy the members of the city council. ;-)

You don't see all the junky houses around Heritage Hills going up in flames, though, do you?

As drumsncode pointed out, not even close to the same picture. Edmonites are hard-core against apartments. Look at their public outcry and turnout at city council meetings, etc. Wayyyyyyyyyyy more than would ever show up at an OKC City Council meeting, and they mean business too. Part of the cool eclectic vibe of the inner city is the ecletic, hip, hippie, yuppie mix of things going on in the area. This is NOT the case with Edmond, or even close to it.

If someone tried to do that to Nichols Hills, not only would there be arson, Aubrey McClendon would probably set the fire himself, assuming he couldn't buy the members of the city council. ;-)

Assuming he hasnt already...I'm pretty sure he owns Jeff McCloud, and the State Treasurer.

No one cared at all. Had people been displaced, then it would have been "newsworthy", only because they could help get people support. But it's a construction site...big whoopie. And it's apartments at that.

No one cared at all. Had people been displaced, then it would have been "newsworthy", only because they could help get people support. But it's a construction site...big whoopie. And it's apartments at that.

It was an interesting contrast tonight (Wednesday) on KOCO as well as KWTV. They had another apartment fire in a different area of town, one that actually involved people, yet they only gave it a minute of time. Why? Probably because the fire was not spectacular in the least. They couldn't generate any sensationalism from it, so they just moved on.

Assuming he hasnt already...I'm pretty sure he owns Jeff McCloud, and the State Treasurer.

Who is Jeff McCloud?

No one cared at all. Had people been displaced, then it would have been "newsworthy", only because they could help get people support. But it's a construction site...big whoopie. And it's apartments at that.

There are a LOT of people who cared. For one of many, you can count me in those who did. So, that blows your comment about no one caring to crap.

KOCO and KFOR only have two channels. The main (5.1) and one more. The backups are allocated to weather. They just can not arbatrarily change the content.


Oh, come on now, they switch away from their programming frequently. I caught KWTV's second channel playing Letterman instead of a news replay the other night. Turn on KOCO's alternate channel at noon tomorrow and you'll catch Degrassi. And KFOR's second channel shows kids shows on Saturday morning.

Was the fire newsworthy? Of course it was. Could the channels have made all their viewers happy by diverting live news coverage to their digital channels with a scroll on their main channels informing their viewers of where they could see live coverage of the fire? You bet.

If I had to guess, state managers never even consdiered doing this. They will, however, if enough viewers call them and demand such moves in the future.

Who is Jeff McCloud?

THANKS SMOOTH!!

LOL actually he was a friend of mine from high school.
I meant to type Jeff Cloud....from the Oklahoma Corp. Commission..good grief..

Old age is a terrible thing lol

Oh, come on now, they switch away from their programming frequently. I caught KWTV's second channel playing Letterman instead of a news replay the other night. Turn on KOCO's alternate channel at noon tomorrow and you'll catch Degrassi. And KFOR's second channel shows kids shows on Saturday morning.

Was the fire newsworthy? Of course it was. Could the channels have made all their viewers happy by diverting live news coverage to their digital channels with a scroll on their main channels informing their viewers of where they could see live coverage of the fire? You bet.

If I had to guess, state managers never even consdiered doing this. They will, however, if enough viewers call them and demand such moves in the future.

I seen this..I was like well I be darn!!

This IS in a populated area, which is VERY heavily traveled.

Number of people living in the burned-down building: Zero.


It blocked traffic for several miles, disrupting lives, nearly caused at least two lives (could have easily been a lot more)

Number of people in cars watching Critical Hysterical Updates from Jive Five: Zero.


and had departments from several surrounding cities renderling mutual aide....

Number of firemen watching Critical Hysterical Updates from Jive Five: Zero.


Although Oklahoma City moves engine and rescue ladder companies to other stations during MAJOR fires, a lot of people were in danger of reduced fire protection.

"A lot?" How many are in "a lot?"



KOCO and KFOR only have two channels. The main (5.1) and one more. The backups are allocated to weather. They just can not arbatrarily change the content.


Come back when you know what you're talking about. They can, and have, run arbitrary content on these channels. It would have been simple to move their Critical Hysterical Updates to channel 222.



There are a lot more people who are interested in coverage of a MAJOR event than people who are not.

Empty burning building: Not a major event. Period.


They ARE giving you a choice... Change the channel and record the program that was preempted and watch it later. KWTV only has one channel.

Didn't you just say they had two?


Plus, there are people who either have ne cable at all (although their loss) or do not have digital cable. Plus, the weather are networks with some local coverage. They don't even change programming for weather. In addition, most people do not watch those subchannels. If you owned a station, I bet you would do the same. Why? M-O-N-E-Y.

Not me.



Funny... Not ONE person complained when the networks canceled programming when Kennedy was assasinated, the Challenger exploded, Reagan died, the Murrah building was hit, or during the Islamic attacks on America. All were MAJOR news events.]


Number of people who avoided laughing out loud at the straight-faced comparison of an empty building burning down to the Challenger disaster, the death of a former President, or the Murrah bombing: Zero


The one saddening thing is that so long as there is so much as one person who ascribes to the Critical Hysterical News Updates are Important To My Life philosophy, folks like KOCO will use them to justify their hysterics each and every day of the week - all to the detriment of the rest of us.

I'm now watching a riveting episode of Degrassi on KOCO's digital weather channel. An old guy in a tuxedo is on his knees delivering a boquet of flowers to a teen-age girl in a grocery store saying "Spike, you are my everything."
Clearly, this is a show you can't simply catch midstream.
Oops... now he's singing a very bad rendition of "Sometimes When We Touch." Maybe I'm wrong about her being a teenager. I really want to be wrong about that.

I'm now watching a riveting episode of Degrassi on KOCO's digital weather channel. An old guy in a tuxedo is on his knees delivering a boquet of flowers to a teen-age girl in a grocery store saying "Spike, you are my everything."
Clearly, this is a show you can't simply catch midstream.
Oops... now he's singing a very bad rendition of "Sometimes When We Touch." Maybe I'm wrong about her being a teenager. I really want to be wrong about that.

These darn episodes make it hell on teens when it romanticized some old bald and overweight guys interests in them.

I was happying along thinking how great it would be if the television stations would either move breaking news or programming to the sub channels making everybody happy. Then my overactive brain had to mess everything up:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sub channels are OTA only and are not available to cable viewers. That kind of puts a wet rag over what had been a really exceptional idea.

Isn't there a "sad face" emoticon here somewhere?

I was happying along thinking how great it would be if the television stations would either move breaking news or programming to the sub channels making everybody happy. Then my overactive brain had to mess everything up:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the sub channels are OTA only and are not available to cable viewers. That kind of puts a wet rag over what had been a really exceptional idea.

Isn't there a "sad face" emoticon here somewhere?

I think the big three have their sub-channels on Cable, but I don't have cable. BUT --- don't forget that you can get it all for free over the air, and that doesn't prevent you from switching the input source of your TV to over-the-air mode.

If your TV is newer, it already has a digital tuner, and all you have to do is hook an antenna to the input connector in the back.

Get creative, new TV's have lots of input source selections.

i would rather watch 40 minutes of bonfires anywhere than 40 seconds of "Dancing with the Stars"

Number of people living in the burned-down building: Zero.





Number of people in cars watching Critical Hysterical Updates from Jive Five: Zero.



Number of firemen watching Critical Hysterical Updates from Jive Five: Zero.



"A lot?" How many are in "a lot?"



Come back when you know what you're talking about. They can, and have, run arbitrary content on these channels. It would have been simple to move their Critical Hysterical Updates to channel 222.



Empty burning building: Not a major event. Period.



Didn't you just say they had two?



Not me.



Number of people who avoided laughing out loud at the straight-faced comparison of an empty building burning down to the Challenger disaster, the death of a former President, or the Murrah bombing: Zero


The one saddening thing is that so long as there is so much as one person who ascribes to the Critical Hysterical News Updates are Important To My Life philosophy, folks like KOCO will use them to justify their hysterics each and every day of the week - all to the detriment of the rest of us.

1. I never said the BUILDING. I said THE AREA. Number... Several hundred, if not more in danger.

2. It makes no sense. The friends and families of those people are the ones who were concerned about them.

3. How do you know this? They may have been watching from the day room.

4. Thousands.

5. First, I do not "talk" on a computer. Second, You can not pass judgement.

6. Over 15 million in damage? Not a major news evernt? Maybe not to you, but the rest of the world it is.

7. I said KOCO and KFOR had two. I said KWTV had one.

8. You are only one person.

9. So. You think a 14 or more million dollar building destroyed by fire is funny? Strange.

10. Not "hysterics." Important news that can impact a lot of people (thousands). You can only write or speak for yourself.:fighting2:poke:

My two cents: Our local broadcast media went to the dogs a long time ago. I exclude The Oklahoman for the sheer fact they were screwed out of a Pulitzer for their coverage of the bombing in 95 and don't deserve half the crap thrown at them. KOCO and KFOR lost any shred of journalistic integrity when they lost Brad Edwards and Terri Watkins. They will continue to interrupt programming as long as they can benefit from it. The situation is worsened by the station's justification that it is just as easy to watch your programming online. Just wait, sweeps start next week!

1. I never said the BUILDING. I said THE AREA. Number... Several hundred, if not more in danger.


Danger that was so obvious that the only way they would have known about it is by watching Critical Hysterical Updates? You can't have it both ways, smooth. Either the danger was so imminent they couldn't have avoided knowing about it, or the danger was so distant that it really wasn't danger to them at all.

So your "several hundred...if not more...? is a self-calculated meaningless number that, in realty, serves as an epic FAIL.



2. It makes no sense. The friends and families of those people are the ones who were concerned about them.


You were making reference to all the traffic that was congested. I was pointing out that no one in cars was watching Jive Five Critical Hysterical Updates.



3. How do you know this? They may have been watching from the day room.


But I thought HUNDREDS were in danger!! What were those lazy bums doing watching in the day room? Why weren't they out there fighting that Extremely Dangerous Empty Building Fire? Oh, yeah, THEY WEREN'T NEEDED!!



4. Thousands.


Strawman number you cannot possibly justify except in your own Critical Hysterical News Receptor channel in your head.



5. First, I do not "talk" on a computer. Second, You can not pass judgement.


You cannot spell judgment.

It is a matter of fact that the local stations can run whatever content they choose on their alternate channels, as has been substantiated by others in this thread.



6. Over 15 million in damage? Not a major news evernt? Maybe not to you, but the rest of the world it is.


Yeah, I just heard Putin in Russia is abandoning his political career for his grief over the Extremely Dangerous Empty Building Fire in an Oklahoma City Suburb. Get real.

Do you really believe what you're typing, smooth?? A $15 million building fire is newsworthy - but that's why they have things called newscasts. Not for Critical Hysterical Updates plastered all over prime-time.



7. I said KOCO and KFOR had two. I said KWTV had one.


Fair enough. It does not negate the fact that they can deliver whatever content they deem fit on those channels.



8. You are only one person.


WHEW! Can check THAT off my list of things to worry about.



9. So. You think a 14 or more million dollar building destroyed by fire is funny? Strange.


No, I think it is pathetic that you, cloying desperately to a prove a point impossible to justify, actually tried to compare this Extremely Dangerous Empty Building Fire to three or four of the epic events of the last fifty years - Murrah Bombing, presidential death, etc. That you tried to do so with a straight face almost makes me laugh out loud. That you apparently really believe the events to be on a par with each other is, well, incomprehensible.



10. Not "hysterics." Important news that can impact a lot of people (thousands). You can only write or speak for yourself.:fighting2:poke:

And you're still trying to convince yourself that thousands of people were at risk from this fire. Why not say tens of thousands, or even millions? The number is just as ridiculous. As I said before, though, the gadflies at KOCO depend on people like you to rationalize the death of actual news reporting in favor of Critical Hysterical Updates over Things That Seem Urgently Newsworthy But Really Aren't from their Super News Choppers in Extra High Definition. They rely on the generation of faux hysteria because it is so much easier and cheaper to produce than actual, investigative news, so good folks like you will watch, and, guess what, you did. And you're defending them stridenty for their efforts. Congratulations.

Extremely Dangerous Empty Building Fires merit a nice taped shot at 10 pm, maybe a crawl for current info, and heck, just to be charitable, I might even give you a five-minute live shot. But there's no earthly way you'll convince me it justifies nearly an hour of Critical Hysterical Updates. And why?

Because it was a fire of an empty building. Period.

i would rather watch 40 minutes of bonfires anywhere than 40 seconds of "Dancing with the Stars"

Okay...this made me laugh. I feel the same way. Thanks, stratosphere!

I'm starting to think that this thread is suffering from a Critical Hysterical Update....

I'm starting to think that this thread is suffering from a Critical Hysterical Update....

LOL...too funny and too apropos, Pollo.. :)

And, just for the record, I want to state that I'm not defending "Dancing with the Stars" :sofa:

Extremely Dangerous Empty Building Fires merit a nice taped shot at 10 pm, maybe a crawl for current info, and heck, just to be charitable, I might even give you a five-minute live shot. But there's no earthly way you'll convince me it justifies nearly an hour of Critical Hysterical Updates. And why?

Because it was a fire of an empty building. Period.

Agree with most of this... but there was a danger to surrounding area. I live up there and had crap from the building landing in my yard almost a 1/2 mile away. There were many smaller fires started north of the main fire. You obviously don't live up there.

Did the tv stations hype it up? Of course. But don't say there wasn't any danger to surrounding area. It could have turned into MWC part 2 with the right conditions.

Agree with most of this... but there was a danger to surrounding area. I live up there and had crap from the building landing in my yard almost a 1/2 mile away. There were many smaller fires started north of the main fire. You obviously don't live up there.

Did the tv stations hype it up? Of course. But don't say there wasn't any danger to surrounding area. It could have turned into MWC part 2 with the right conditions.

Good points. As I continue to ponder this topic days later, none of this would be an issue if KOCO had put the network feed onto 5.2, and I am almost positive they've done that before when there was a big sporting event on ABC.

Just remember, no one would tolerate this kind of garbage during an OU game if they didn't put the game on a sub-channel. Can you imagine all the half-drunken OU fans sitting in sports bars across the city being forced to watch a fire in the fourth quarter of a tight game with no option to view the game?

You can bet they'd be climbing into their cars in a rage and driving to Britton Road, storming the lobby, and THEN we've have some breaking news worth watching.

I remember when all the media outlets had the "OJ Chase" on live and NBC even preempted the NBA Finals game that was on at the time. So it has been done and the "chase" was much less of an event than a fire.

I think the major point everyone is trying to make is that this was an empty apartment building. Not homes. It didn't warrant the continuous coverage it got in any way.

The wildfires several months ago, now that warranted like weather because people could track where the fires were going and get advanced notice to get out of the way.

Yes, just with any fire, the surrounding area could have ignited as well. But those people are going to get better notice from the local fire/police. Those people rubbernecking on the road were IN THE WAY!!!!!!!!!! PERIOD!!!!! The interviews said it best " we just wanted to come out and see the big fire ", that's the kinda of crap that the news gets people in to. Yeah lets all go see the fire so we can block the road and keep the firefighters from getting in to do their job. Oh yeah and lets also almost get our children killed as they play right next to the road (which happened).

Point is, it's typical sensationalism of the media. They over play anything for ratings. They aren't journalists, they're tabloid writers. They create the story rather than report it.

Smooth - you've lost the battle...and no, we don't give a crap, so there.

I remember watching TV, and they broke in with Barry Switzter was going out for dinner?!! I am pretty sure it was AFTER he got busted for carry a gun on a airplane.
I knew then, if I get him in my target windshield, i will hit the gas!

I remember watching TV, and they broke in with Barry Switzter was going out for dinner?!! I am pretty sure it was AFTER he got busted for carry a gun on a airplane.
I knew then, if I get him in my target windshield, i will hit the gas!


I remember that. If you want to discuss something that is not news, let alone bulletin worthy, then Barry Switzer eating dinner is right up your alley.