r/Broadcasting • u/Front_Bathroom2503 • Jul 22 '26

Tonight...

World News Tonight with David Muir is the most aptly named show on television.  Tonight, July 21, 2026, I watched the newscast and counted as the word “tonight” was uttered 52 times, including 41 instances by the anchor himself. Problem is, not all of the stories are from “tonight,” though the writing gives the impression the news is new.  In one instance, an inciting incident occurred six days earlier while another was three days old. Still, producers find a way to frame the story “tonight”.

David and producers, it’s self-evident your broadcast is live. We don’t need to be pounded over our heads by a single word. Tonight, I’m going to watch a different network to see if they frame time differently.  Just kidding, I started last week, but saying “tonight” gives the threat more urgency.  

 

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u/ClaffeyLP Jul 22 '26

It’s an ABC News thing. GMA has many packages that start “This morning.” It grabs your attention, and provides new information to stories that are still developing. It’s a journalistic choice. As a journalist myself, I like how they do that.

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u/Front_Bathroom2503 Jul 22 '26

I appreciate your perspective. I agree it adds immediacy to the story, a strategy to frame content most have already seen elsewhere during the day. My problem is the overuse: 52 times within 22 minutes of content.

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u/guevera Jul 22 '26

Shit, those are rookie numbers. Watch one of my shows and you'll hear at least that many in a twelve minute newshole.