Book lets audience get behing the camera

His book, "Larry Kane's Philadelphia," published last November, is the largest selling book ever published by Temple University Press. If you ever wanted to get a look at what goes on in the career of a television news anchor -- and how the anchor sees the people and places he covers -- this is the book.

In his 35-year TV career, Mr. Kane, 58, has seen television news move from covering stories on film, to instantaneous live coverage anywhere by satellite.

"The technology has changed the scope of it, and with those changes is the simple fact that it poses new risks and new challenges," Mr. Kane said in a phone interview. "For example, with live television, you don't have the same amount of time to sit there and prepare. You have to have reporters who are quick on their feet and very responsible in tough situations." But Mr. Kane worries about what he calls "a fine line (that) has been drawn between truth and tabloid." All too often, news directors confront the ratings monster and the immense pressure to push your audience totals up. (A news director is usually the first to feel the ax of slumping ratings. It is easier to fire one person than an entire news team.) At times, TV news managers have crossed the line by distorting stories, or prematurely releasing names of victims before family has been notified. The battle to be first is fierce.

"Some people would rather be first and wrong than second and right. Personally, I would rather be second and right," he said. "There is a lot of hysteria going on in television newsrooms right now and viewers are having a hard time differentiating between what is right and what is tabloid." This week's snowstorm is an example. At rival WCAU-TV, meteorologist John Bolaris went over the top and began using words like "storm of the century" to describe the impending snow.

Mr. Kane believes it is a mistake for news anchors not to go out periodically and cover stories. He said it shows in their work and viewers can spot it, especially during unscripted breaking news.

"We have a lot of people who need to be better informed. If they want to become better broadcasters, they become better broadcasters by becoming better reporters," he added.

He's not alone. MSNBC anchor Lester Holt said virtually the same thing in a recent interview.

One of the great problems in TV these days is a shortage of behind-the-scenes personnel, especially producers. This has short-circuited the old system where producers had considerable experience by the time they reached markets like Philadelphia.

"It would be nice if they read a newspaper once in a while," Mr. Kane said. "As you saw in the book, someone once asked me if Tom Ridge was a Democrat. At least they asked." He believes political news is seriously underreported and said this is the worst failing in television news. He called the lack of coverage of political news outrageous.

Mr. Kane has a great interest in politics, and writes extensively about politics and politicians, including the 1986 governor's race between the late Robert P. Casey and William W. Scranton III.

"I always felt that Scranton was a very attractive candidate -- very sharp -- but he didn't have the kind of passion that was necessary in that election. He just didn't have that drive that I see in a lot of politicians," Mr. Kane said.

"Casey, as you know, is one of my favorites, although I did not agree with him on many issues. I felt that Bob Casey is truly a man of his word." He said Mr. Casey was probably "the most effective activist governor" in state history, but his record has been overshadowed by his vocal, public opposition to abortion.

Too often television resorts to reporting crime news, because it is easy to do and cheap. He said television needs to develop more people news, including consumer reporting.

"There is no excuse for not doing basic good, hard news about a town and its life and the communities we live in," Mr. Kane said, "and I think you'll find that smaller-market stations are more local. We have to be that way all the time." Philadelphia's news ratings underwent a huge change when WPVI-TV's 11 p.m. news was fractionally knocked into second place by WCAU-TV in February. Mr. Kane said the change in news leadership is good.

He predicted an all-out news ratings war will erupt, just like we have been seeing here.

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