It's In The (Seattle) Times

Kay McFadden's column for today shows that overexaggeration in local TV news isn't just an Orlando phenomenon.

The 'Big Duh' front

Last Friday, this column inaugurated its Friday "Big Duh" feature to note the week's most overblown non-news news stories, as nominated by readers.

Turns out we got a blizzard of complaints focusing on a certain meteorological phenomenon found on local TV. Call it the "Big Duhmp."

Among your contributions, one stood out for offering guidelines that should be posted on the wall of every local newsroom. Plus, the author threatened to blow herself up.

Here is Seattle resident Lorraine Thomas' impassioned critique, "What Makes Snow News":

"It is not news that it snows in the mountains in the winter. It is not news when it snows in towns near the mountains. It would be news if it did NOT snow in the mountains, in the winter.

"I believe I'm educated enough to know what constitutes news. My husband, my 8-year-old daughter and I discussed it this morning and came up with examples of what we believe makes snow news:

"If it falls in the lowlands any time other than late November to early March;

"If it falls in the lowlands so heavily that regular commerce and travel are affected; if schools close; if essential services like fire, police and hospitals are affected;

"If it falls so heavily that power lines go down;

"If it falls so heavily and stays around so long the National Guard must deliver rations door-to-door;

"If it is burning (my husband has a flair for the dramatic).

"In all my years in Seattle, I do not ever remember a winter when all the news stations made so much about so little.

"I feel if I hear one more local anchor say, 'Snow in the forecast, how will it affect your commute?' I will explode. 'Seward Park woman explodes while watching TV.'

"Now see, THAT would be news."