Classic Dave Barry column from '98 revives 'boob tube' during sweeps weeks

Humor columnist Dave Barry is on an extended leave of absence, but newspapers are reprinting some of his classic pieces, and in the last couple of weeks, papers from New York to Peoria reprinted Barry's hilarious take on local TV "investigative reports."

It's not long before "Sweeps" -- when stations contrive all kinds of multi-part series, sensational topics and special promotions to attract bigger audiences for the time viewer numbers are measured by Nielsen. So be warned.

And amused.

"My point is that, pound for pound, the most dramatic and entertaining programming on television is your local TV news shows," Barry writes.