Top 5: Current TV openers

Television shows have long changed their stance on theme songs. Instead of a full minute of a catchy song, networks now prefer two-second title cards, in order to squeeze in another commercial. Now, unlike some TV romantics, I am okay with the title card. Many times having a song can be, in my mind, in the way of the rest of the show. But there are still some openers from shows on today that I enjoy quite a bit. Here they are, in no particular order:

ABC Family's The Middleman
A mix between something modern and a Bond throwback = genuis.

USA's Psych
The only actual song on my list. It's short, it's catchy and it is fun.

NBC's 30 Rock
Smart, unique and entertaining, just like the show itself.

NBC's Chuck
The stylish graphics blend perfectly with the light-hearted music.

ABC's The Mole
The narration kills it a little bit, but the music is still terrific

What I learned about journalism from "NewsRadio"

Following up on this post, I thought I would spend some time to write about what could be gleamed about the journalism profession from the television show NewsRadio:

1. Anchors are mostly idiots (still): Television is not kind to our nation's broadcasters. Phil Hartman's portrayal of the vain Bill McNeal showed us a man who knew he was good, really good, but had no clue how uncool he looked to others. McNeal's replacement, Max Lewis, was always unprofessional and spent his time flirting with the secretary. However, the show had one sane anchor: Catherine Duke, whose energy was spent on biting one-liners rather than elaborate plots.
2. News directors are nice: If there was ever the anti-thesis of Lou Grant, it would be Dave Nelson. His Midwestern mannerisms stayed with him and he tried to be nice to the staff throughout the shows run. He may not have had complete control of his staff, in any way shape or form, but he would be the nicest boss you could ask for.
3. You will work with odd people: The self-confident and duct-tape wielding electrician, the lazy redhead secretary, the childish news writer and the academically-minded news producer. It sounds like the set-up to a joke, and for this sitcom, it kind of was. But in real life, you never know what assortment of people you will work with. And in a profession that attracts may big egos, that saying has more weight than before.
4. There's always time to do something: Whether it's covering the big story, sneaking in a make-out session or playing a prank on a co-worker, if you can manage your time efficiently, there's no end to what you can do during your office day.
5. You may wind up working in the background: Every now and then, NewsRadio would make some reference to the background actors and people who supposedly also ran the fictional radio station, but were never part of the cast. The journalism career involves thousands upon thousands of people who will extraordinary jobs who never ever get public credit or glory. People who go into any form of journalism or media need to go in expecting to do it for the love of the job, not to get famous. There are a handful of popular journalist, thousands more of terrific workers.

What I learned about journalism from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"

I have been watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show on Hulu and have figured out the following about working in a television newsroom:

• Anchors are idiots: Ted Baxter thinks he is all that and a bag of chips, but he's just a few fries short of a full order. His truly unoriginal ideas, terrible dictation and inability to read complicated names are no match for his inflated ego. There's always been the stereotype that television news anchors are egotistical. Ted Baxter does not prove that wrong.
• Assistant producers have time to shop: I'm not exactly sure what Mary Richards does. From the episodes I've seen, the most work she's done is carry a clipboard and try to run election night coverage. In the meantime, she can take terribly long lunch breaks for all her dates, leave whenever Rhoda needs her and talk about the latest happenings in her life to Lou Grant. All while getting paid enough to keep her apartment.
• News directors are reclusive, angry bosses: Lou Grant is temperamental, tired of working with incompetent people and rarely gives an encouraging word to the staff. He has a soft spot for Mary, but that is hidden behind a alcohol-stained heart.
  
• Writers are under appreciated: Remember Murray, WJM's long suffering news writer and Mary's best co-worker? Took a minute, didn't it? While he may have had some of the best lines each episode, and his sparring with Ted Baxter was endlessly entertaining, news writing just is not that photogenic of a career. And that makes it forgettable and easily under appreciated.
• News networks keep their numbers down: There's a news director, associate producer, news writer, cameraman, set manager, weatherman, sports guy and anchorman. And then about two extras. There are rarely any reporters seen or heard from; the newsrooms guts consist of a few key people. And lest this half-joking post betray you, this point is very true. It takes a lot to make it in "the business," especially in today's new media age. There are only a few, good people who make a newsroom happen.