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Newscasters Agree: A Christmas Present Or Two Or Ten Edition | CONAN on TBS

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1 HN user recommended this comedy video1 month2014–2020 score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Used as the go-to illustration of corporate-owned local newscasts reading identical scripts.

A Conan segment compiling local news anchors who all read the same scripted copy during the holiday season. It highlights how homogenized local broadcast news has become.

“100s of local newscasts are all using the exact same script, even on trivial human interest stories” (HN, 2014)

1 recommendations · 4 citations · Comedy

5 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@narrator Mar 2020 Recommends
on HN thread Italy is extending its coronavirus quarantine measures to the entire country
The MSM means the stuff every local tv news outlet repeats word for word verbatim: Conan O'Brien has some great segments on this: [this video] They also do this for serious political stuff, repeating the same phrases over and over again, but posting those video compilations would just invite downvotes.
Conan segments showing local news outlets repeating scripts verbatim

Citations, criticism and jokes

@narrator Sep 2014 Cites it
on HN thread The invasion of corporate news
Reminds me of this Conan O'Brein piece. [this video] Basically, 100s of local newscasts are all using the exact same script, even on trivial human interest stories where they could improvise.
Conan montage of local newscasters reading identical scripts
@Chardok Oct 2017 Cites it
on HN thread FCC eliminates rule requiring a local presence for AM/FM/TV broadcasters
Anyone who has been actively listening to the radio or watching local TV broadcasts for the past 10-20 years can probably already attest to the bland homogenization and conspicuous corporate take overs (I immediately think of this video [this video] it seems like this is the next logical direction for them. Personally I detest this and miss the flavor each city brought to its local media, instead of the same stations playing the same 30 songs repeatedly, but with phone music streaming becoming so popular I cannot see a lot of people being outraged by this.
Conan montage showing homogenized corporate local news
@Digory Oct 2017 Cites it
on HN thread FCC Moves to End TV-Newspaper Ownership Ban
CNN is in the business of orchestrating local news, though the local station is arguably 'subscribing' to those stories/policies. One of Conan's recurring bits is anchors reading prepackaged scripts.[0]. They're all packages by CNN for local affiliates,[1] one of several similar services (including Fox). [0] [this video] [1] [link]
Conan bit of anchors reading prepackaged scripts
@hidenotslide Apr 2018 Cites it
on HN thread Sinclair's script for stations [video]
Read more
Reminds me of the old Conan segment that highlighted this behavior. Here are some clips from 2012-2014. Twinkie Trouble [link] Could this be the end of email overload? [link] I scream, you scream, you know the rest. [link] Enjoyed from a desk or the couch. [link] You don't need us to tell you that gas prices are back on the rise. [link] Economic factors may take some spring out of the Easter Bunny's step this year. [link] A child's happiness is priceless, especially on a birthday. [link] Mike Myers says "Yeah, Baby." [link] It's okay, you can admit it if you've bought an item, or two, or ten for yourself. [this video] Don't worry, be happy. [link] Those with a special someone may look to their mobile device to help them say "I love you." [link] Frank Ocean tells a major fast food chain to buzz off, and which celeb peed in a glass jar? [link] Is it time for dogs to have a social network of their own? [link] The final days of the campaign can get a little salty. [link]
One clip from Conan's segments on scripted local newscasts

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