Networks such as NBC, CBS FOX and ESPN keep on making their Sunday NFL pre-game productions bigger and bigger. More people on camera, more special effects, more hours of meaningless speculation and often incorrect predictions.
I always imagine what it would be like if networks put as much production effort behind, say, a conversation on starvation or genocide in Africa. I can imagine James Brown kicking each Sunday off, “We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to talk about world events. Today’s topic is Rwanda. To break down the problems facing Rwanda, analyze them and provide solutions going forward, I’d like to welcome our lineup of all-star policy analysts. Please join me in welcoming Jimmy Johnson, Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, Coach Mike Ditka and Shannon Sharpe.”
CNN seems to have bought into the more is better concept. Last night, while watching the Obama announcement from West Point to authorize more troops in Afghanistan, I counted 15 people on set in the the CNN studio, all ready to dissect the president’s speech. Jesus. Do we really need a 10 second sound byte from every single talking head on the CNN roster?
I even froze my TV so I could count to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me.
I would have been satisfied with 2-3 intelligent commentators. But why stop at two when you can throw 15 people on camera. CNN, home of more political analysts than any other network on television.
