Watch Making News: Savannah Style

Making News: Savannah Style is a unique, real-life reality TV program that pulls back the curtain on local news production, revealing the chaos, comedy, and camaraderie that come together behind the scenes to create daily newscasts. This engaging series, aired in 2008, is set against the backdrop of Savannah, Georgia, renowned for its charming ambiance, historical architecture, and rich Southern culture.

The show follows the activities at Savannah's CBS affiliate "WJCL-TV and Fox affiliate WTGS", where viewers gain insider access to the high-stakes world of news production. The ensemble cast comprises news anchors, reporters, photographers, and producers, revealing a diverse and colorful blend of personalities that often result in rivalries, tension, and humorous instances. However, they all share a common goal: delivering the most precise, timely, and compelling news stories to the neighborhoods of Savannah.

Making News: Savannah Style presents a vibrant display of the mundane and dramatic aspects of a newsroom. From brainstorming in morning meetings, racing against time to make deadlines, deciding on lead stories, to last-minute adjustments on live telecasts, the series captures the intense environment and constant pressure news teams face in their daily operations. The show does an excellent job of humanizing the oft-unseen faces of news production and sheds light on their professional and personal struggles.

Anchoring the series are figures like charismatic and passionate news director Michael Sullivan, who fights to keep the station competitive and is recognized for his hard-nosed branding of “No Excuses” journalism. Then, there are local anchor veterans like Mike Cihla known for his professionalism and commitment. Adding to the mix is a rollercoaster of personalities, including ambitious reporters like Jonathan Radford and the relentless Tina Tyus-Shaw who is dedicated to community journalism. These individuals pour their hearts into providing comprehensive coverage, navigating the complexities of city hall politics, community events, crime, weather, and more.

What makes Making News: Savannah Style enthralling is its commitment to showing the challenges and triumphs of working in a smaller market station. Rather than focusing on high-profile media outlets that regular reality programs might opt for, the show presents a gritty, real-life perspective of journalism active in Southern small-town sensibilities. Hence, the series highlights the unique situations this environment brings; whether it’s struggling with limited resources, handling thorny local issues, or balancing community relationships, the team faces constant challenges that test their mental and emotional strength.

However, it's not all stress and pressure. The series aptly balances the drama with lighter moments, capturing the camaraderie amidst disagreements, stress-relieving pranks, shared laughs during bloopers, and the team's occasional after-hour bonding. The heart of Making News: Savannah Style lays in its heartwarming depiction of a group of passionate individuals who, despite the stress and struggles, truly love their jobs and respect their city and each other. It's these human moments interspersed between the high-octane bustle of news storytelling that gives the show its charm.

Making News: Savannah Style is not just about the news; it's about the individuals who create the news. It explores their journeys, with all the humor, stress, adrenaline, and fleeting instances of triumph and satisfaction that comes with it. The series does an excellent job of capturing the magic and madness of a local newsroom and offers an enlightening insight into the intricate art of news making. Even for viewers who don’t necessarily follow the news religiously, it’s an inviting glance into what it takes to prepare what they watch on screen.

Expect a fresh, engaging, and somewhat addictive series that probes into what local newsroom drama looks like. Making News: Savannah Style serves as an insightful homage to the unsung heroes behind a news screen. It's a must-watch for fans of reality television shows and for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the less-glamorized aspects of television journalism.