As anyone who travels can tell you, watching television in other parts of the country can be an education (depending on where you're watching) in the best and worst that media has to offer. It gives you the opportunity to judge and/or compare local newscasters, commercials and programming, to what you have back home.

It isn't hard to render a verdict about many aspects of local television in Helena, Montana, where my sister Carolyn lives. It is unequivocally awful!

I realize all news people must cut their teeth and begin their careers somewhere. That place must be Helena. The absolute worst are the morning show people, without exception across all channels that broadcast into Helen (including the ones in Great Falls). Their newscasters are just horrid!

You also get the chance to see national commercial campaigns for companies which don't do business in your area. For example Charter Communications, a huge media conglomerate (they recently merged with Times-Warner Cable and Brighthouse Networks) which doesn't exist in Sioux Falls - yet. By all accounts, it is the company to go with in Helena for all your cable, phone, voice, etc., needs.

This is not the company my sister currently has and she plans on rectifying the situation at the end of the year when her contract runs out! However, Charter's latest commercial was personally seen by me at least 30 times in the week I was in Helena and each time I saw it, the urge to shoot the television was strong, but I resisted.

Yes, I realize one of the stars of this ad is an internet sensation who goes by the name of 80Fitz, who also appeared in one of the Pitch Perfect movies, but honestly I don't care. He looks like an idiot doing his beatbox routine for a media company commercial. The lyrics for the commercial are moronic, the repetitive nature of it is maddening and overall it is simply atrocious! But that is my opinion. You decide for yourself.

More From KIKN-FM / Kickin' Country 99.1/100.5