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CBS is going the way of CTV when it comes to O&O branding. Someone was going to try this sooner or later. It is looking very likely at this point that KCBS/KCAL is going to be the first to debut the new graphics and rebrand when they launch the new morning show on Monday.

He needs to go far, far away.

I agree. It's good to see CBS O&Os streamline its stations with the national CBS News instead of having cluttered brands scattered across the country. And it kinda reminds me of the BBC. They have regional stations tied together as one with their branding, like BBC East, BBC London, etc. So to have streamline branding with the local-to-national target, it's a good thing, IMO. It's also good to see station call letters in the brand as well to still give stations credit and recognition for content they're producing as part of the approach. As for numbers on the old logos, I could be wrong, but some cable companies may not have CBS3, for example, on the actual Channel 3, so it's good to get rid of it as CBS O&O news outlets are not only on cab/sat, but streaming as well. The only complaint is that it's taking forever for the new graphics to come about. We should be seeing them by now.

Another interview as the farewell tour in underway. This one seems to confirm Gardner’s last day at the station is 12/31; perhaps his actual last airdate is going to be Friday 12/30? Great interview to read overall: Jim Gardner Prepares for Retirement After 45 Iconic Years at 6abc On the eve of his retirement, local media icon Jim Gardner looks back on his career and his 45 years at 6abc. mainlinetoday.com

Sounds nasty, but I'm sure there's a topical ointment for that.

I watch every morning and this morning was pretty different. It wasn’t addressed per se, Susan Hendricks filled in for Robin, but towards the end of the 6am hour they all sat together on the set which almost never happens, and ended the hour talking about Dolly Parton’s Christmas Special. Susan goes “and talking about special” and it cut back to them on the set holding hands and hugging each other as Dolly was singing a song from her special about being together in dark times and making it through, and the camera panned around to show all the staff behind the cameras in the studio. It was a very tongue-in-cheek moment where they were basically like F- you to Licht and CNN. You could tell Bob was starting to get emotional and trying to hold it back, before it cut to commercial he got up and started walking around trying to play it off and hold back his tears. What also made this morning different than the others was that only the 6am hour was live. Usually they go two full hours live and run the first two hours again pre-recorded before going into an entirely different hour hosted by Shyann Malone. Other times the third or fourth hour will also be live in the instance of developing stories or breaking news. Today they re-ran the 6am hour for four hours, and then at 10am when Shyann is supposed to come on (and the guide even said it was supposed to come on) they ran Forensic Files reruns. My guess is that some people didn’t show up for work today or they figured since they were being laid off anyway to give it the bare minimum today. From what I understand, the reason that Monday will be the last day of Morning Express is to allow Robin to get back from vacation and properly send the show off. She was off all week with regular fill-in Elizabeth Prann filling in Monday and Tuesday and Susan filling in Wednesday-Friday. Of course nobody expected this week to be the last week, so Prann won’t get a chance to properly say goodbye unless she’s somehow included on Monday. I also agree that NN should be doing whatever they can to scoop up all the talent from HLN and keep Morning Express on the air in some form. Heck maybe they could even work out a leasing deal with CNN to rent the old HLN space for a NN Atlanta bureau. Wishful thinking, and definitely speculatron, but this show shouldn’t end even if it has been on borrowed time for more than a decade.

When you think about it, KCAL is the stronger brand between both stations. It kinda makes sense, in a way.

They were in such a rush to get rid of CNN+, but don't seem to mind the zombie channels. WBD is becoming a bigger joke every day.

KPIX dropped the CBS 5 logo on the anchor desk in their main studio in place of its call letters instead. It doesn’t look good I’m surprised they didn’t go with the CBS NEWS Bay Area logo instead. The newsroom desk has the updated logo.

My opinion of Meade is that there wouldn't be a place for her on the main CNN. She's not a hard journalist compared to Wolf Blitzer, she's more of a fun personality. I don't know if CNN would even have another spot for her. Very sad over the past month with these layoffs around multiple networks, including Meade and Shep.

Sinclair at least tried to give an effort, even if it was disingenuous and back-handed (and in the case of WGN-TV, terminally fucking stupid). All Soo Kim has done is whine and cry and play the victim and make ridiculous and baseless accusations of racism among opponents of the deal. He's so brittle, it makes you wonder how in the wide wide world of sports he literally destroyed Media General and LIN and offloaded that unholy mess to Nexstar for a king's ransom.

They have also done nothing to solve any of the issues, particularly how it will essentially be one company. The clock is likely to run out on this one.

That's not what irony is, and Stelter is a student of cable news so he was a perfect person to write about this. And he mentioned that he previously worked at CNN.

It misses the point. Apollo Global Management (which is the real name for "Cox Media Group") is a private equity firm that is allegedly not supposed to be exerting any control in the business dealings of Tegna or Standard General; they are only supposed to be providing financing and nothing more. It's what Soo and Deb have been repeatedly bleating about for months and months to their apologists (or is that Apollogists?). Shit like this makes it obvious in the court of public opinion that Apollo merely wants to run "Standard General" or "Community News" (or whatever in the hell Soo wanted to call the byproduct of this failed transaction) as a puppet company, owning three stations in Atlanta and four in Jacksonville. It's unethical, grimy as fuck, and lends credibility to Graham's already legitimate protest of the deal. There's a reason why the FCC and DOJ are literally sitting on the deal at this point and letting the clock run out.

It's likely but let us not get our hopes up, this has happened two times before remember!

Good lord. Apollo, Standard, if y'all are having second thoughts about going through with this, all yall have to do is call it off. Y'all are basically on your knees begging and pleading for this to go to an ALJ.

CNN+ never should have been launched in the first place. It was doomed when the architect and highest-profile backer (Zucker) was forced out, and felt like it was given the green light in spite of the incoming Discovery team. It didn’t really have much to distinguish itself from CNN, it wasn’t a redo of Headline News… just a bunch of wayward niche fare. Given the crippling debt load that AT&T inflicted on WBD, the shutdown of CNN+ in retrospect should have been a warning sign for us all.

If you want to remake and streamline the O&Os to be synonymous and harmonious with the network, it’s the way to go. As it stands, the CBS O&Os are a weird mix of totally different logos and branding conventions, with some legacy brands and call letters shared by unrelated radio stations. Only WCCO-TV at this point holds any promotional or marketing connection to it’s former sibling at AM 830. WBZ-TV has minimal to no relationship with AM 1030, an iHeart station. KYW-AM has an extensive news and weather partnership with WCAU, not KYW-TV.

I declared this transaction completely and utterly doomed months ago in TNC and even then, I didn't expect for Apollo and Standard General to take their goddam masks off while the deal is (deservedly) languishing in the FCC and DOJ. https://www.nexttv.com/news/dish-says-cox-wants-deal-to-include-standard-media-tegna-stations-in-blackout-talks If you wanted a company - make it two companies! - that makes Sinclair look normal and ethical, may I present to you Apollo-Cox and Standard General. I call it... Apollostandarditis.

Another option for Robin and Company is how about Scripps? They've made good money with Newsy by building it up over the past few years. With them rebranding it the first of the year, this might be their best shot with a big name. Plus, Newsy is easily available OTA, on Streaming devices, on FAST services, on Smart TV software and audio devices, so pretty much anywhere. Scripps has handled the transition to Streaming really well, whereas NexStar is still very much standoffish regarding it. I'd also love to See Shep on there as well. I see Scripps has a building in Atlanta too.

I know Meade is popular around here (and I quite like her myself), but I can’t say I’m surprised that she’s leaving. Her program always had a bit of a niche audience, and since it was the only news program on what’s become a true crime channel, it’s always been out of place. While I personally think it’s better than New Day, its lighter tone means that it wouldn’t fit in with the rest of CNN’s programming. Hopefully she finds work elsewhere (she’s too good not to). Still, I really don’t like this whole “cut to success” mentality that Discovery is implementing across CNN (and across the entire company, for that matter). Yes, CNN desperately needed to change, but making the network irrelevant is not the answer. You kind of answered your own question there. Still, the amount of zombie networks they have is astounding.

And the last of the holdouts, KCBS/KCAL, getting ready to debut Next Weather.

WWJ got rid of the CBS62 branding three months ago, in favor of ‘CBS Detroit.’ i think the CBS ‘name city’ branding is going to be across the board.

That's the logo they're going with, but this would be so much better:

This is the most convincing evidence I've seen yet that the "CBS X" branding is out the door (I may or may not have been in denial). A shame, as we were in San Fran for thanksgiving and I was admiring the fact that the Group W "5" is still in use there.

Entertainment Tonight is reporting the same thing Was thinking the same. Honestly, both of them came out pretty well and the show is going on with an extra hour added at that. The ET report made the comparison as well. Agreed. You often see coworkers more hours a day than family, so it's natural that as human beings feelings develop. Extra marital affairs are wrong, but it's not the public's business. Audiences should be focused on TJ and Amy's work as journalists, not seeking personal narratives. (TO BE FAIR one could argue that journalists hunt personal narratives in other peoples lives, but want to privacy when it comes to their own). Morality clauses can be an overarch. Cheating on your spouse shouldn't affect your job unless you're in a position like a religious institution or something of that nature. Where does the line begin and end for how much work can dictate your personal life? It can be tricky.

I was wondering when Licht was going to start making changes to HLN. Not sure what the point of simulcasting CNN This Morning is, though, especially since I suspect the two channels are side-by-side on most cable systems.

TV is going to have a real problem because of momentum depending on where you get most of your programming. I mostly stream these days, so that's what the TV stays on. I don't go to over the air TV a lot because that's a few extra buttons you have to push. They need to figure out a way to make this all seamless so that it flows together. Likewise with cable. I should be allowed to purchase a package without all the local TV channels to save from paying all those other stupid fees, but have a seamless way to go back and forth between cable and over the air.

If NewsNation blows this chance to get her on Morning in America they're completely lost. This is one case where you go for it, current talent be damned. And why Discovery is still not considering winding down networks continues to be beyond me; I know the RTC is why, but there is no reason for Destination America and Discovery Family to be on the air. Now with HLN there are 5-6 channels that should be gone.

I hope they don’t dignify it with a response. Ultimately, this is another example of our society’s obsession with learning intimate details about strangers. Plus, if the viewers want romance drama, they can keep the TV on until General Hospital

Likely because all of the local talent they hired has zero name recognition in the market?

That is literally hot trash.

I don't like the changes on KCBS & KCAL not one bit. The expansion, I'm alright with it (if the ratings are good). But KCAL CBS News Los Angeles... NO WAY! I wish the CBS (Television) News & Stations leaves the names as it is like CBS 2 News and KCAL 9 News. I would be alright for CBS 2 Morning News and KCAL 9 Morning News as well.

And I’m not really a fan of JC's anchoring either. It Just doesn’t click with me….

Hell, I had pegged Evrod for the weekday slot. I'm sure J.C. is a swell fella, but screams small market. He came from El Paso, and was only anchoring Sunday mornings. Evrod comes with a solid reputation, with major market anchoring experience. Doesn't quite add up, to me.

For a time, WUSA-TV used the First Alert Weather brand when they launched their USA Today graphics in 2013.

Ever since this news came out last week, I've thought about whether Forum would acquire KDLT's former building for its future news op. Well just this week, KELO reported that there was a fire that hit parts of that building.

With laid off and budget cuts at CNN, I wonder if any of those big salary’s from Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett are getting cut

NN would be foolish not to make an offer, but they’re not the brightest bunch. I think winding down networks is a real possibility in the very near future. With the stock price taking some major hits this year, they likely don’t want to have to deal with the upheaval winding down networks would bring. This is a long shot for sure… but I wouldn’t be surprised if they consolidated their sports programming and create a sports network(s) again.

My interpretation of the announcement is that the crime shows are being added to Investigation Discovery, likely allowing WBD to either flip HLN into something different or vacate the channel space altogether. (If it's the latter, I hope AMC Networks tries to get BBC World News in there.)

I also wouldn't be surprised if the CNN Intl schedule gets increasingly cut and/or separated (as if it hasn't already been) Since Bianca Nobilo was moved to the 4AM ET hour to join Max on his Newsroom beat, her old program at the 5PM ET timeslot, The Global Brief, has now been made redundant (only Lynda Kinkade seemed to have been subbing in and it aired inconsistently). It wasn't that long ago (14 months) when CNN announced the launch of the latest edition of the program with Bianca.

I wonder why Robin never went to the big ship is she didn’t want to live from Atlanta and go to NYC. I have a feeling she might just focus on her music career for while. I’m Surprised it took this long for HLN to leave the CNN Group and go to another segment. it shouldn’t have been under the news networks if all they have had is a morning show. I bet the CNN this morning will run for 6 months and then go away and just air crime and a name change to follow

I assume it’s to keep its programming requirements with cable providers re: the amount of news on the channel. There have been rumors/outright indications (the West Wing marathon over Thanksgiving) about HLN becoming an entertainment channel; maybe this is the way to pivot to that without spending too much money or unnerving its providers.

Martin Savidge and Robin Meade both should have stayed. CNN/HLN is foolish for letting them go. Meanwhile, some of those who have made CNN a laughing stock are sticking around. That doesn't bode well. "This Morning" simulcast is a mistake.