By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts
Lured back at WBBM-TV from retirement to do a couple of commentaries each week, Chicago media icon Walter Jacobson candidly spoke to the crowd at the June Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC) luncheon. Jacobson is best known as the other half of the highly rated and popular on-air news team with Bill Kurtis during the 1970s and 1980s on CBS. Jacobson is a member of the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame and holds numerous prestigious journalism awards.
Chicago broadcast journalist and communications trainer Bill Moller served as moderator as Jacobson waxed nostalgic.
Bill Moller
bmoller@rocketmail.com
A multiple-award winning broadcast journalist, Bill Moller was on WLS-AM and WGN-AM radio and an anchor and business show host at Chicagoland’s cable news station CLTV from its launch in 1993 to 2006.
He is the recipient of three Emmys, two Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists, as well as Associated Press and other awards. He also served as Business Development Director for TC Public Relations. Currently, he helps companies train new employees who lack professional, polished communications skills under the banner of Biller Moller Communications LLC.
Moller sees a problem in people “self-medicating” in front of their television screens. “It is hard to raise people to be intelligent. The new generation is all about multitasking rather than digging deep for information.”
Walter Jacobson
Jacobson began his journalism career at the famed City News Bureau, followed by United Press International and the Chicago American newspaper. His migration to broadcast journalism began at WBBM-TV (Channel 2) in the early 1960s. By 1970, he was covering politics and became famous for his no-holds-barred “Perspective” pieces during the top-rated newscast between 1973 and 1989.
He later anchored at WFLD/Channel 32 from 1993 to 2004, where he continued his commentaries and also hosted a Sunday morning public affairs show. “Walter’s Perspectives,” his memoir, is scheduled for publication this year.
“WBBM heard of this quirky Bill and Walter thing,” said Jacobson about the start of his stint, “and thought they could try one night of the two of us together. Neither of us now has been on TV for at least three years.”
When approached to do a guest commentary, he did not know how to use the teleprompter. However, the night of his first broadcast, WBBM showed a strong second place. The demographics were extraordinary, even surpassing WLS-TV (Channel 7) in the 18 to 49 demographic. This created more interest in making him a regular.
Today, he is enjoying his new-found visibility. “They (WBBM) contacted me to do occasional perspectives segment. It started in February 2010 and was supposed to be a one-month trial – and I’m still doing it. I’ve had a good time popping off.”
He explained that this is a far cry from the days during his 45-year career when he would take time to do extensive research, then go out with a camera crew or two. He acknowledged that those days are gone.
“The drawback is that I cannot do enough research or have enough time to convince viewers to my point of view. Now I have (a little more than) a minute, with no time for visuals. But I’ll continue as long as both (WBBM and Jacobson) both agree with it.”
Jacobson said that those 18 to 49 have no brand loyalty. “I don’t understand who or what is causing management to believe that 18 to 49 year olds count. It is those 49 and older who are watching local news. Come on! We are the ones who spend money.
“Those buying time are aiming at recent graduates. They don’t know from age and experience. Young people know what they like and think they know what others like, too. Young people generally are not interested in news.”
Jacobson weighed in on the Blagojevich trial: “There is no question the media will play up the salacious gossip rather than the intricacies of state government and corruption. We tend to see Blagojevich more from an entertainment perspective.”
He recognizes that, over the last generation, reporters have spent less time on the air and in print than earlier in history and bemoans the fact that “entertainment dominates the news media.”
Jacobson appreciates the contributions made by his WBBM colleagues Jay Levine and Pam Zeckman, but wish they had more air time than the three to six minutes allotted to them at the top of the broadcast.
“At most stations, it’s become superficial in the first 10 minutes of the news broadcast, but attention spans are so short. However, as a result of this format, Channel 2 is making progress in the ratings.”
He added, “Channel 2 is not going back to the way things were. We cannot beat Channel 7 by being better at what they do well. My information and commentary is part of that.”
In general, Jacobson observed that what television is offering is a lack of substance with ease and speed.
He observed, “Cable news has no audience and the New York Times circulation is not like the circulation of the National Enquirer. People are too busy trying to find jobs to (focus on) television. FOX is doing better than some of the others, but I see a terrible trend.”
He finds FOX, CNN, and MSNBC “disgusting — with Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, and Chris Matthews unfairly and blindly to the left, and with Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Bill O’Reilly to the right of right. They no longer define what they provide us as news.”
Sadly, “most of the information from television cannot fully inform us how things work. We need to read and chew over our thoughts. Even weekly news magazines are now light,” Jacobson said.
He added, “Many people still must hold a paper. What they miss most is substance – the casual, informed conversation. A good scoop is good for journalists.”
After 50 years as a reporter, his new gig doing commentaries surprised even Jacobson himself. He reflected on how he became interested in being a newsman, attributing his start to the late Jack Mabley.
“Jack was a sports writer for the (now defunct) Daily News when, in 1952, I was a Chicago Cubs’ bat boy. That was the beginning. From the sixth grade on, I wanted to be a reporter,” said Jacobson. He did investigations for Mabley as his “leg man.” As part of an assignment, Jacobson was sent by Mabley to a nudist colony in Indiana.
“I arrived and was told I must undress in order to stay there. I wrote up my experiences and Mabley printed the whole report – with my byline! What a thrill.”
Proclaiming himself nosy, curious and one who has disdained authority from an early age, he admitted to being fired as a reporter by Channel 2 (WBBM-TV) during the ‘60s for doing too much commentary. He went on to replace TV news legend Len O’Connor at Channel 5 (WMAQ-TV).
During those two years, CBS was at the bottom of the ratings. When the new group came to WBBM, they brought Jacobson in to anchor with Kurtis but under the stipulation that he not only do commentaries – but also had to wear suspenders and glasses to make him look older. They were props. At 73, despite the fact his appearance has changed little, he now legitimately needs the glasses when he wears them.
As for modern reporting techniques, he admitted that he is “ignorant in the area of technology,” but, over the past few years, has learned to trade in his typewriter and has learned to write on a computer. He uses the computer mostly to email his kids and uses Google, but finds the machinery unreliable.
Jacobson said he and Kurtis both are enjoying life. He added, “I’m reluctant to anchor again but like to challenge young people in the ratings. A challenge of age, experience, and talent . . . I might consider trying it.”
Sue Masaracchia-Roberts is a PCC member and media relations manager for the College of American Pathologists.