I watch the news. Television news broadcasts have been part of my life since I was a young kid when I used to skip it all together in favor of watching Transformers or the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoons. As I grew up, I started to come to the realization that the real world was even more interesting and so I started to follow the news casts. First it was the networks, ABC, CBS and NBC. Then on to the cable networks, like CNN and Headline news.

I was a news junky as I grew up and moved on to College and so on with my career. Now I like the news, I've graduated to getting most of my news from the Internet. The times when I do watch news on television, its primarily local news and its mainly as background noise unless its one of those live on the spot broadcasts. I start to pay attention because it's mainly a car chase, a murder, or something really horrible that's happening now.

Then my blood starts to boil. Not because of the subject of the news cast. My problem is with the reporter and how they lengthen their onscreen time. OK.

Let me describe what I've noticed about field reporters.

They start describing the scene, talk to some random person on the street and get some kind of general answer like, "that's a shame, and I thought they were a good family" or "I was over there, and I heard a noise, but I feel sorry for that person". Then they start to repeat what was said originally and have a brief conversation with the anchors, something about how terrible things are. Then when all that is done, the reporter starts to sign-off.

Now this is the part where I get pissed off. When a normal person says goodbye, its a quick, "hey man, I'll see you" or "laters dude", something quick. A field reporter on the other hand lengthens there sign-offs to something that's longer than the incidence report!

For example... "This is Dick Reporter"... then he pauses so people get a chance to remember his name... "On the scene".... another pause so people know he's... on the scene..."on the 405, bringing you scenes of the two car crash"... another dramatic pause...."where 2 people have died"....he stares at the camera..."Back to you...."...... and he pauses a few beets more... " Bob"... and he finally gives the name of the anchor and... he looks at the camera with a grave face, like the world is hanging on his every word.

What the hell was that?! Most of that long winding closing report were pauses! Don't believe me? Watch the news when there's a reporter in the field! Looks like the reporter doesn't want to let go of the limelight.

That's my pet peeve. What's yours?