If there was any news value to the fact Donald Driver was the champion of “Dancing With the Stars” if surely was lost after the first two minutes of the local report on the late news.
Problem was the ‘news’ about Driver lasted so it was not until 14 minutes into the late broadcast on WKOW-TV that any other news story was reported. While it is apparent Amber Noggle was utterly fascinated with the story, the fact remains it all revolved around reality television.
Repeatedly, Noggle has proven that local news can be even further dumbed-down. From the start of her time in Madison I have not been pleased with the ‘style’ of news broadcasting she has brought to this city. One can only hope FAUX News is looking for another blond anchor.
There is a time and space for such stories as Driver’s in both newspapers and television news. But to claim the first half of a local news broadcast for a football player who found his feet can move to music is really absurd. Donald Driver did not find a cure for cancer, or locate a new planet, or track down a missing child. He danced on national television and had enough PR acumen to assist in his winning a reality TV show.
But that is enough to make news—and many mintues of it—for WKOW.
The fact that anyone could have watched the reality show on ABC, and had their fix of Driver for the night should have been enough for WKOW. To then pretend that nothing else happened in local news other than Driver’s performance was a joke. It was not a night of credibility for a station that likes to demonstrate its journalistic standards.
I’m getting to understand what people mean when they say they do not even turn on local news anymore.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
ok this is one time i think you should just shut up. we don’t have very much to be happy about here in the state of wisconsin. so let us enjoy something for a change. the bigger question should be what kind of a bomb will walker drop to take this enjoyment away just like he did when the packers won the super bowl.
My exact same thoughts as my step-daughters watched the seemless segue from DTWS to the 10 pm news on WAOW (WKOW’s sister station in Wausau).
Everyone had the chance to watch Driver rolling on the stage during the show. I would think Windy might want the news to report on the latest recall news, and Walker’s actions rather then spend the first 14 minutes on a reality show.
windy you make no sense – you proclaim author should “shut up” (tsk tsk, very rude) and then go on to wine about “…what kind of bomb will walker drop to take this enjoyment away”…
And when a thoughtful, articulate writer wants to share their perception of the current environment that makes walker’s “bombs” possible, you squawk.
Shame on you for proclaiming triviality is so much more important to news and then deriding someone for posting some facts that you were free to ignore if you would prefer to bury your head in the sand and be an ignorant sheeple.
But that crowd is how we got into the mess you decry in the first place.
The Fox News outlet in Chicago usually dedicates the first part of their News broadcast when someone wins on “American Idol” that night.
A couple of years ago I was reading the Chicago Tribune online and they flashed in big red letters that blah-blah-blah whomever just won on American Idol.
Sad and Pathetic.