What makes TV news special?

Excuse me, but what is the big deal about the Doyle campaign using some short clips from two Madison newscasts in its latest commercial? (See it here.)

The stations are unhappy, although they have no legal recourse, and the media are covering it like it's news.

How many political spots do you see every day that feature newspaper clippings or headlines as part of the visuals?

They are there for a reason; it's called independent or third party verification that the claims made in the spot are true.

The newspapers are used to it. Using them as sources is perfectly legitimate.

What is it about a TV newscast that makes it so special or different? What better verification than to have it come right from the mouth of a news anchor?

One news director says it makes it look like the news anchors are endorsing Doyle. That's just nonsense. When the spots use a newspaper, do people think the paper is endorsing the candidate? Of course not.

Do people prefer it when spots feature a phony news format, to make it look like a newscast, as a recent negative spot by Watergate thug Steve King's Coalition for America's Families did?

Give me a break. Get over it. And stop the whining. Unless the argument is that TV news is not really news.