Network nightly newscasts lack the following they had decades ago before the advent of the Internet and cable TV. But they are still the flagship news broadcasts of the Big Three networks.

Mervin Block is recognized as one of television’s great newswriters. His resume could be a piece of the Paley Center. Block was a staff writer for the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite and the ABC Evening News with Frank Reynolds. He also was a freelance writer at NBC News during the Tom Brokaw era.

So when Block decides to write a book critical of writing and copyediting on those broadcasts, still watched by millions each night, the industry takes notice.

Block published his sixth book on the topic, Weighing Anchors, with the subtitle, When Anchors Don’t Know Write from Wrong. He says the research was “on and off for 10 years.” His reason for keeping tabs is simple.

“I was hearing so many scripts that were flawed, or worse,” Block tells FishbowlNY.

Read more

Now that Brian Williams is done getting to second base with the TSA, it’s time to get down to business: naming the newsroom’s fish. The show is currently asking for suggestions on its Facebook page, and it looks like the winner will be announced tonight. We’re FishbowlNY, so we feel it’s our duty to inform the public about this.

If naming fish is your thing 1) head over to Facebook and submit your ideas and 2) call up TLC, because the chances of you getting a reality show deal from them is very high.