Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Today
Hi: 82
Lo: 63
Wed
Hi: 73
Lo: 59
Thu
Hi: 76
Lo: 66
Section Sponsor
Article Tools
Print this Article
Make text larger
In Milwaukee Buzz Blogs
Gousha's return to TV is revealing
 
By Dave Begel RSS Feed
Special to OnMilwaukee.com

E-mail author | Author bio
More articles by Dave Begel

What is a blog?  For us it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Published Dec. 5, 2007 at 12:26 p.m.
Tags: mike gousha, channel 12, channel 4, wisn, wtmj, john mercure

Now that Mike Gousha has come back to television at Channel 12, we can put to rest any doubts about why he left Channel 4.

He wanted out before the fire sale took place at what once was a national beacon in the world of television journalism. Everybody wondered if he was tired of television. No. He was tired of television at Channel 4.

Gousha is going to do all kinds of stuff at Channel 12, including a Sunday morning show, anchoring, reporting, analysis and maybe a pre-game Brewers show as well.

It's very welcome news to have his voice back in the public debate. One thing about Gousha is that this city has never seen an interviewer like him who could get people to actually talk honestly.

His return is almost like the last nail in the coffin that Channel 4 has been building as it continues to turn its news into some kind of "Saturday Night Live"-like joke.

It's December now, which reminds me of the much ballyhooed story Channel 4 ran last Christmas about how your "Christmas Tree Lights Can Kill You." Turned out it was because there was some lead in the wires to make them flexible. Also turned out that in order to get sick (not die, just get sick) you'd probably have to eat about a mile of the wires. But, the station never told us that.

Television news used to be a license to print money. But, it's a much tougher game now.

In 10 years, the size of the audience that watches the 10 p.m. news has dropped by about 20 percent in Milwaukee. That's a lot of people getting their news from someplace else.

The consultants have told the TV stations that their target audience wants short news, happy news, tabloid news, scandalous news -- anything but serious news.

I think they are wrong. Really wrong. I think the target audience, which is also the target audience for OnMilwaukee.com, wants news of substance. It doesn't have to be serious all the time, but it does have to be substantive. What viewers don't want is to be taken for fools.

And that's what Channel 4 does. With designated hit man John Mercure leading the way, they create something that doesn't bear a close resemblance to the news. They find some tiny beat-up segment of the population and then beat them up some more. Deadbeat dads. Sexual predators. Restaurants with a mouse in the kitchen. And yes, those Christmas tree lights can kill you.

I know Mike Gousha. I've worked with him and against him. He's got a great sense of humor, but he's also a very serious guy. He knows that things like government and politics are really important to our lives. They may not be sexy. They may not bleed. They may not kill us if we eat them.

But they matter. And so does Mike Gousha.

4 comments about this article.
Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by Preview
Z_boy Is it just me, or does Dave Begel's photo strike a remarkable resemblance to ...
B. Tee Yes, it used to be a license to print money, now it's a license to print fear-mongering ...
brunocarlson Very true! That was hitting that nail's head right into the Channel 4 coffin. ...
TosaJimBob You're right...I know I'm sick of the "sensationalism" that spews from not only ...

Recent blogs/briefs by Dave Begel
What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. I'm talking back to Wilde's Talkback blog
May 20, 2008
Sportswriters operate out of conviction. They work to find the information they need and ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. The awaited "Talley's Folley" opens Thursday
April 15, 2008
Milwaukee has amazing theater for a city this size. We support more professional companies ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Gousha's new show a hit
March 16, 2008
It's Sunday morning and I just finished watching Mike Gousha's new show on Channel 12, ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Favre: there's been nobody like him
March 04, 2008
It's a sad day with the announcement that Brett Favre is going to retire. But before we ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Gousha's return to TV is revealing
Dec. 05, 2007
When Mike Gousha left Channel 4, everybody wondered if he was tired of TV. Turns out he ...