Analysis:

The story is placed in what we call the Self-Promotion section of news dissection. WOOD TV 8 spent a great deal of time telling viewers that their news reader and station manager were at an awards ceremony, with virtually no information on any of the award recipients besides their names. The only description of any of the awards went to the former GVSU President, but channel 8 fails to tell people he is the former President. Even while the news reader is briefly talking about the awards ceremony the video footage is focused on both their news reader and the station manager. Viewers should ask themselves if other awards ceremonies get the same type of coverage or coverage at all, and if journalists should ever put themselves in a position to be in a news story?

Story:

WOOD TV 8 News reader – Big honors tonight for this years inductees to the Junior Achievement West Michigan Business Hall of Fame. The awards were handed out at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. And my side-kick Susanne Geha, wearing the same thing right now as she had on then, MC’d the event. And she was there with TV 8’s General Manager, Diane Kinowski, who is the Junior Achievement board Chair this year. Grand Valley State President Lubbers was the years recipient of the 2005 Edward Fry Senior Distinguished Achievement Award. That award recognizes those who serve communities and make positive contributions with the quality of life and the business climate in West Michigan. Other Hall of Fame inductees included William Bebe, Eleen DeVries, Doyle Hayes, Miguel & Isabel Navarro and H. Monroe Talaber. Congratulations to all.

Total Time: 46 seconds