Frank Shakespeare, who was a station manager and CBS executive before holding an influential position in the Richard Nixon administration and working in global politics, died Dec. 14 at age 97. In 1957 he became GM of WCBS New York and presented what was considered the first television editorial on local affairs, a critique of off-track betting.
WFLD Editorial Reaches 1 Million On Facebook
WGCL Editorial Ponders Real Vs. Fake News
TV Needs More Station Editorials, Not Fewer
Bill Lamb, GM of WDRB Louisville, Ky.: “Some general managers don’t like to do editorials because they feel it could cost them viewers or advertisers. My experience has been that both objections are myths. Editorials have given viewers a unique reason to get their news from us rather than another station, so it is a value-add.”
Exclusives
What Happens Next For Tegna?
Premium
Stations Should Editorialize, Not Just Inform
Hearst Television’s Jordan Wertlieb: “Now, more than ever, stations should editorialize and put an added focus and spotlight on the issues that touch their local communities. Editorials highlight community leaders and heroes; hold elected officials accountable; seek to underscore important investigations and truths; and call for legislative changes that better the lives of the viewers they serve.
WFLD GM Dennis Walsh Offers Editorial On Mayor
Once, Stations Took A Stand During The News
Not long ago, before Fox News Channel and MSNBC wore partisanship on their sleeves, editorial commentary staking out positions on issues of the day regularly aired during local television newscasts around the country.
Where Have All The Editorials Gone?
Once a fairly common feature at TV stations, on-air editorial opinions are now very much an endangered species. However, there are still a number of local news operations that recognize the value — and power — of them to be a positive force in their communities.
