Is Public Affairs Programming a 3 minute game?
By Nelson Davis

When I began in Los Angeles television in 1977, TV stations begrudgingly but proudly produced hours of Public Affairs programming each week. KNBC, KTLA, KCOP and KHJ (now KCAL) all had staffs and resources dedicated to several programs that brought community interests and the stations closer together. No one does that anymore. Stations now tell the Federal Communications Commission that newscasts cover the needs of Public Affairs programming.

What happened?

Like major change in any business, turning Public Affairs into short packages and sound bites occurred gradually and for several reasons. The programs themselves were most often relegated to early morning time slots, and given minimal production values. Frequently dismissed as 'talking heads' shows, very few gained any commercial support. Of course, two of the longest running and most successful TV programs ever, "Sixty Minutes" and "Meet the Press" are talking heads shows. As local stations increased the length of newscasts, lifestyle pieces became necessary to fill out the hours that went onto program logs as news.

There was a time when an expert on some subject would be invited to talk in depth about buying your first house or choosing a college. Soon these subjects were becoming 3-minute packages in newscasts, given a 'fear' spin. They came with promos and teases such as "Avoid Buying a Moneypit" and "What You Must Do to Get Junior Into College."

There were lots of people who knew how to do that and too few who could produce interesting half-hour shows. Then, along came Infomercials bringing lots of something all station managers understood… cash! Direct sales merchants were willing to pay five to fifteen thousand dollars for half-hours that previously cost stations money to program. Finally, the FCC began to pay less attention during the era of deregulation.

They stopped reminding station owners that they'd been given the use of public airwaves. I feel that cash, little conscience and relaxed regulation were the cocktail that made Public Affairs programming on local TV a 3 minute game.

About the Author

Prior to starting his Los Angeles based television production company, Nelson Davis held several jobs, including TV news anchor and reporter for KCOP in Los Angeles and was a radio personality for over 12 years. Nelson is committed to combining his knowledge of television production and marketing to use TV as a medium to communicate positive messages and enable economic empowerment.