You guys weigh in as we open The Inbox…..

We got a number of emails about Caroline Collins the KSEE anchor that posts dancing videos all over her social media. Let’s share a few.

Email:

In many ways, Caroline Collins is the poster child for Magid’s influence on TV news.  For decades, news people have been inundated with gimmicks from consultants to manipulate ratings—which are all that matters.  Collins has combined  her overblown ego and desperate need for attention and approval with the Magid philosophy of ratings manipulation to become a circus clown.  She doesn’t realize it, but even if she did, she wouldn’t change.  She grew up on a country club.  Her folks have money.  She only needs the job to satisfy her social media ego.  If Lisa Berger shut her down, she’d probably just leave and find another ND who would appreciate the thousands of followers she’d bring with her.   You can’t stop Caroline Collins.  She’s the poster child for TV news in the 2020’s. 

 Email:

Scott,

Thanks for pointing out the absurdity of the dancing anchors on social media. As a News Director, I make sure to write their names down on my “Do Not Hire” list.

Keep fighting the good fight.

Collins c0-anchor emailed FTVLive coming to her defense. I will share a portion of that email, along with a portion of my response back.

Email:

If you've watched Caroline's tik toks as much as it seems from your site, then you probably know me. I'm the guy in the background refusing to take part in her shenanigans, which I do because every duo needs a straight man. Not that I would ever dance on social media or that anyone would ever want to see me do so. But they do want to see her! I get that. At first I was the surly sulking guy in the background out of genuine disdain, but now I get it.

I've had people stop me at the grocery store, the line at Costco gas, restaurants to say "hey, are you..." I stop them "yes, yes, I'm the morning anchor at KSEE2..." they interrupt. "No, you're the guy from tik tok!" I don't have a tik tok account. I sigh and kindly say "yes I'm the guy from tik tok." Then remind them we have a show they can watch every morning.

The crazy thing is, it's working. It's promotion for our show and the station. As much as it seems like "all about me TV" she's not doing it on TV she's doing it on social media which is designed to be "all about me" (it's not called "UsTube"). How is dancing on Tik Tok any more ridiculous than some of the stuff promotions departments have talent so all the time? There's a station here that has a main anchor in a sasquatch suit on promos for a 5k event, how is dancing any worse than that?

Here is a portion of FTVLive response back:

As for watching "Caroline's TikToks" I don't really do that until someone emails me a link. I'm not on TikTok or any social media very often besides Twitter.

Other Journalists get appalled by what they see and they send me a link. Sometimes I do a story on it and sometimes I don't. There are many Journalists that feel she is making a mockery of the profession. You can say that "they'rere just jealous" but do you think maybe, just maybe, they have a point?

As for your argument about how TikTok is "working," you write..... "I've had people stop me at the grocery store, the line at Costco gas, restaurants to say "hey, are you..." I stop them "yes, yes, I'm the morning anchor at KSEE2..." they interrupt. "No, you're the guy from tik tok!""

So, in other words, they don't know you from working at KSEE and they don't watch you on the news. But, they know you as the guy that stands around while Caroline dances. Don't you, sort of, kill your own argument in this single line?

They know you as the guy on TikTok. How does that help the station? How does that bring in more viewers? How does that help your credibility? Does someone see Caroline do a goofy dance and say, "that dance was funny, quick turn the TV to KSEE?"

I hope you have seen the latest Gallup Poll that shows that trust in local TV news is at an all-time low at just 11%.

Ask yourself why that is? Could it be the fact that Journalists are busy posting selfies and dance videos and only care about promoting themselves?

It's great that you are recognized for your TikTok appearances and maybe that will help you if you ever want to become an influencer.

I'm not sure how it helps you as a Journalist?

Years ago, there were organ grinders that walked the streets with dancing monkeys. The monkey would dance and people would smile and laugh.

But not a single person asked the monkey to give them the news.

You see, the monkey was a good dancer, but the monkey was not a journalist.

Think about it......11%.