Leo 's Big Mistake

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Leo's Big Mistake

 

Cutting Tom out of Tech News Today is a huge mistake, the first major blunder by Leo Laporte on TWIT. That type of daily show needs a true broadcasting professional and Tom Merritt was that. The others [edit: including replacement Mike Elgin] simply can't fill those shoes. Look what happened to Buzz Out Loud when Tom left, and that show still had Molly Wood to carry on with. TNT won't even have that. The bottom line is that Tom was the biggest talent and most valuable asset TWIT had. I am sure the network can survive a TNT that slowly fizzles out, but this is definitely not a beneficial move in either the short or long run. As a daily listener from the beginning, I can state honestly that the show didn't miss a beat when Tom moved to LA. If I had not heard of the transition, I honestly would never have known he was not in studio. Horrible move. ?

[G+_Jason Bunselmeyer]

You did see they hired Mike Elgan right?

[G+_Greg M]

So you are saying Mike Elgan is not capable of hosting TNT?

[G+_Drew Snyder]

Elgan to me doesn't have tom's charisma. At all. I didn't watch Tech New Today for straight journalism, I have a million sites to read for that. I watched for their TAKE on the news. Maybe this is good for twit but... I personally am not a fan.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Greg M While +Mike Elgan is a fine analyst and writer, what a daily news broadcast needs is a professional broadcaster like Tom Merritt . Very simply, the show will be significantly diminished without Tom at the helm. And I say this as someone who likes Elgin a lot. ?

[G+_Mike Wills]

I would say give him a fair chance before you go berserk. Otherwise all I hear is "OMG CHANGE!!! I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!!!"

[G+_Greg M]

Vance McAlister When Tom moved to LA Leo said that they would give it a chance to see if it worked out. Apparently it did not. Whether it was ad revenue was down or that other things played into the decision is not known. 

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Mike Wills I am speaking as one who has heard Mike numerous times on TWIT shows and who reads his stuff regularly. This is a daily news broadcast, and Tom was simply better suited to that role than Mike is. He will do an acceptable job by usual tech podcast standards, but not the stellar job that Tom has done. I just never think it is a good idea to get rid of your most talented on air personality. Sort of like firing Tom Brady. ?

[G+_Joe Phelps]

Vance McAlister Unless Tom Brady only wanted to play via Skype instead of showing up on the home field.

[G+_Mikhail Garber]

Surely not the first blunder

[G+_Jason Bunselmeyer]

I think most of the TWiT personalities hold their own to be honest. Tom Merritt was a bit of the Tom Brokaw of TWiT I admit because he was level headed, fair, etc. But I enjoy Brian Brushwood and JRY on NSFW Show just as much as I enjoy Leo Laporte Gina Trapani and Jeff Jarvis on TWiG for example. Different shows, different subjects, but all enjoyable in their own right.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Joe Phelps ah, but the difference is that Brady couldn't complete passes via Skype but Tom was able to do an awesome job that way. Only a tiny percentage of the audience watches the video, and on audio you seriously can't tell the difference.

[G+_Jason Bunselmeyer]

I think you're going to find a heavier news focus for TWiT as has been alluded to and in most cases for news your most well known talents aren't out in the field doing stuff, they are in the anchor chair at home base. I would have to imagine coordinating expanding news coverage will be much easier with the major players in studio and face to face.?

[G+_Rob Verlander]

Vance, I'm a huge Tom Merritt fan and agree that without someone of his caliber, TNT is toast.  Mike Elgan, from everything I've read and heard from him, is Tom's equal.  I will miss Tom, but I think that TNT will thrive with Mike's perspective on the daily tech news.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Greg M my theory is that Leo has been clinging to this idea that the video audience will be the future, and believed Tom on Skype undermines that. The reality is that the vast majority of the audience only listens to the podcast (and always will) and Tom's being on Skype was no hindrance.

[G+_Joe Phelps]

Vance McAlister From the announcement, Leo wants an in-house news director and Tom lives in LA. The on-air time is only part of the equation.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Rob Verlander I like Mike a lot, but just disagree that he has the broadcasting chops of someone with a radio background like Tom or Leo. Interesting perspectives, but handling the heavy lifting of a daily tech news show? I honestly think it will be a step down in quality.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Here is an excellent comment from Mike Meraz on another thread: "I'll certainly give any changes a fair shot but I have to admit, my gut tells me this is a big mistake. I've always viewed Tom as the anchor for TWiT that would actually allow Leo to pull back without a loss in momentum or audience. As much as I love the other staff and personalities, none have the weight that Tom brings to the studio. The thing that makes Tom such a strong presence and influence is his fair and skeptical eye on tech. His connections with a broad base of people. His ability to integrate multiple and critical perspectives on a story in order to remain objective. Tom embodies so many aspects of critical thought and objective journalism that I truly admire. His loss will be felt more deeply than you may realize.

 

Again, my objection and concern over this decision does not imply a loss of love for TWiT. I will remain a loyal fan. But I fear TWiT has just jettisoned something precious. And TWiT's gravitational pull has been severely lessened.?"

[G+_Marc Telesha]

My horrible gut feeling. Twit isn't the best place to work.

 

Molly Wood doesn't even come up as a possible hire for twit.

 

I also think that we will not see the old Buzz Out Loud crew on twit with any regularity. Sad to see it this way BUT something is rotten in Denmark.

 

Also Sarah Lane was not a great fit for Tom.

 

Love twit and Tom Meritt but this isn't good.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Marc Telesha exactly. My guess is that they offered the job to Molly and she turned them down.

[G+_Joe Phelps]

Vance McAlister That statement doesn't make sense to me. Tom chose to move to LA and was obviously not the strong presence in the studio as the commenter stated. Wasn't Tom missing from the Christmas pics? He really didn't seem to be part of the family after he moved.

[G+_Vance McAlister]

Joe Phelps yes, all that may be true, but he was still their strongest and most professional talent by a wide margin and that means the quality of the product will almost assuredly decrease. After This Week in Tech, TNT is their most important show and has been a success, Leo has acknowledged as much. And, from the listener's perspective, the quality of the show remained undiminished when Tom moved. Leo is risking one of his two "bread and butter" shows with this move.

[G+_Happy Fuzzy]

Wait, WHAT?!?!?!

[G+_Vance McAlister]

My question would be why, given that the idea was to get a news guy full time in-studio, they didn't go out and get an actual news guy? Mike is an opinion and commentary guy, not a broadcaster or news man. If he really didn't want to deal with Tom all the way down in LA, then they should have paid Molly whatever she needed to take this job.

[G+_Happy Fuzzy]

But doesn't Mike travel all over the place? This was a matter of him not being "In House? Ah well. As long as it wasn't any "hard feelings" things, than hey. It's all good. The #TWiT  team is all good people.