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CBS News on Logo Signs Off: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with ITAY HOD |
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Written by Jim Ver Steeg |
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
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| Tags: gay news, logo network, Itay Hod, CBS, Viacom, gay media |
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When it first came on the scene four years ago, CBS News on Logo was the first of its kind. A new idea in programming for the nation’s only LGBT channel, the unique newscast was the result of a happy union between MTV Networks and television news giant, CBS.
But a damaging recession, a changing media market, and perhaps shifting programming priorities have brought an end to the groundbreaking weekly news program. In fact, the last show will air this Thursday—tomorrow, Aug. 13—and many fear the silence that will be left in its place.
I first found out about the show’s cancellation from something Itay Hod wrote on Facebook. Within minutes we were on the phone, picking up from where we left off from the last time we spoke and talking about what it meant for the nation’s premier LGBT news program to go off the air.
From the very beginning, Itay was the show’s standout correspondent and covered some of the most interesting, touching, hilarious and informative stories in gay news. In an exclusive interview for Instinct online, we chat about the end of the line for CBS News on Logo and the man who brought us the stories opens up about what it all meant to him.
Instinct: So first, let me ask the obvious. What happened?
Itay: Logo cancelled the news. It wasn’t about ratings and they loved the show. CBS was basically a client of Logo. In the beginning, when Logo decided they wanted to do news, instead of hiring an entire newsroom and figuring everything out from scratch, they went to CBS, which was at that time part of the same Viacom family. It was a very smart thing to do. Basically CBS then went on and hired me and Jason [Bellini] and Chagmion [Antoine] to do the news for Logo. Logo contracted and paid CBS to do the news every year. This year they [Logo] decided they couldn’t renew it because of the economy and recession.
Instinct: So it really comes down to money. What does it mean to not have an LGBT news show on TV anymore?
Itay: I think it’s a sad day. It really is. I think it’s terrible that there’s not going to be a newscast. But I’m not the one paying for it. I’m sure whoever made the decision had their reasons. They are not reasons I agree with, but it was a certain amount of money that they realized they couldn’t spend. Logo will continue to do a lot of news on 365gay.com, so they’re not completely letting go of news. They’re continuing to do it; they just won’t have a show on television.
Instinct: Will you be involved with the online news?
Itay: Yeah. They’ve reached out to me to contribute to their website on a freelance basis. I’m really grateful that they want me to keep working with them. The news show was sort of the thing Logo had that no one else had.
Instinct: Logo has some competition with Bravo these days. Do you think Bravo is ready to identify as a gay network?
Itay: Do you know what Bravo is like? Bravo is like the gay cousin that hasn’t quite come out yet. Everybody knows they’re gay, they go to all the family reunions with their “special friend” but they never really talk about it. And I actually love that about them. I think there’s a place for them. And they’re smart because they do have an audience that goes beyond the gay audience. But when it comes to Logo, they did something no one else has done. Logo came out. They immediately said, “we are run by gay people for gay people and we are going to have gay news.” I think that was very admirable.
Instinct: What do you think the show’s absence will mean for LGBT news?
Itay: I think people will have to get their news from other sources. I don’t think you’ll find another channel that will have a gay newscast. Everything right now is going to the Internet. It’s going to be interesting to see where thing go in the next few years. I personally think this will be the last gay television newscast. That’s a sad thing. We’re at a point now that if there is going to be anything, it’s going to be web-based. It’s sad because there’s something to be said for turning on a TV and seeing a half hour show about gay news. Call me sappy or sentimental, but it really does hit you when watch. You find yourself thinking, “Wow. We really have come a long way.”
Instinct: Do you think all media is headed to the Internet?
Itay: There’s a theory out there that says soon there won’t be any television. I’m not part of that camp. I believe that TV is a very powerful, powerful place. With all due respect to the Web, I know that’s a powerful place to be and I hope someday to be on it, I still think TV is an incredible medium and I don’t see it going anywhere.
Instinct: Looking back over the four years, what stories stick out as your favorites?
Itay: Oh wow. When we went on the air, we really didn’t know what we were doing. This is first time this was ever done – and I’m extremely proud of that. Not only of being on the first newscast Logo ever had, but also being part of it for the entire run. But I can think of so many amazing stories that I covered. Not the least was going to Mardi Gras, especially doing the piece about dressing up for Mardi Gras – which you never get to do. How many reporters get to go to fetish stores to see what people are wearing? You never see that on a regular newscast. But there were some really serious stories too. I got to cover demonstrations in Texas where on one side there were gay marriage supporters and on the other there were literally neo-Nazis. It was really exciting as a reporter, I’ll tell you that.
Instinct: So what’s next for you?
Itay: I’m looking at everything right now. There have been some great meetings and some promising possibilities at this point. If nothing else happens, I’m sure I can continue freelancing with CBS, which I’m already doing. I’m not worried. I’ll be fine. It was time for me to move on to the next level, whether the show was going off the air or not. I’m just happy to have been here for four years of really happy, great, fun times.
Instinct: It must have put you in contact with so many cool people.
Itay: Interviewing Madonna, and Annie Lennox, George Clooney and Meryl Streep – and getting to ask all of them gay questions. Hell yeah!
Instinct: You’ve developed quite a fan base too. Anything you’d like to say to them?
Itay: Oh, I hate to use the word “fans.” I find it to be obnoxious. Quite frankly I’m not sure there are any fans of me specifically – maybe just viewers who enjoyed the show. I’m sad I’m not going to have that relationship with the viewers who liked watching us. It’s been really nice.
Instinct: Any memories of your viewers that stand out?
Itay:I got so many messages on MySpace and Facebook telling me how wonderful it was to have a gay newscast. One of the greatest moments came from receiving a message from a kid that basically said, “I came out to my parents and they sent me to a shrink to fix me. But I watch your show every week and it’s the only thing that’s holding me up right now.” The kid was from Orlando. Of course I called the Trevor Project and everyone I knew because I was so worried. I just made sure he kept emailing me. My God, what an incredible thing. I wish I had a newscast when I was younger and struggling with it. It would have been so much easier for me. I’m not saying I did anything, but it’s nice to know our show reached a few people who got something out of it.
It truly is a sad day to see the end of news on Logo. If you would like to send a message to Itay, or let others know what the show meant to you, be sure to leave a comment.
Afraid you won’t get your regular Itay fix? Be sure to follow him on Twitter for all his latest updates.
And stick with InstinctMagazine.com —we’re breaking more news daily right here.
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