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It wasn’t a gesture. It was a Nazi salute. Let’s call it what it was.

WLFI set is from when they went HD under LIN, WTHI set when they built their new building in 2012 under LIN, and WFFT set from their HD days under Nexstar. Under Heartland, I think both THI and LFI did add some more people back and improved their reporting. I think if Heartland hadn’t sold, they would have gotten new sets or updated sets.

Snippets of the new set as the new duo was interviewed by Maurice's WCBS colleague Mary Calvi. I'm not seeing Deborah Norville on there as often these days. I'm really hoping the set lighting will look as dim on CBS's cameras because this looks great. I love the diverse landscapes in the background. It makes the broadcast seem more nationally oriented, and not just New York City/East Coast centric. It reminds me of Good Morning America's intro from the early Gibson/Sawyer era. In this era of washed out HD, dark lighting and warm colors look good.

Remember CNN+? They're gonna try it again. https://deadline.com/2025/01/cnn-layoffs-streaming-service-1236264641/ https://www.thewrap.com/cnn-layoffs-200-job-cuts-new-streaming-service/ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cnn-layoffs-cuts-hundreds-jobs-major-restructuring-1236068690/ - - - Major schedule shake up confirmed: The Situation Room moves to 10am with Pamela Brown joining Wolf Blitzer (yes, already announced, I know) Jake Tapper's The Lead moves to 5-7pm Kasie Hunt jumps to afternoons with her new show The Arena at 4pm Hunt is succeeded as CNN This Morning host by Audie Cornish at its new time of 6am 5 Things moves from CNN Max to the network at 5am (of course) with Rahel Solomon taking over from Kate Bolduan nothing yet on Jim Acosta's move no confirmed start date for all moves https://deadline.com/2025/01/cnn-lineup-changes-1236265012/ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/new-cnn-lineup-jake-tapper-wolf-blitzer-audie-cornish-1236116122/

CBS Mornings aired a tribute package for Nora, as today's her last day, (and coincidentally Nora's birthday according to Gayle). It seems like CBS is trying to be gracious as they ease her out. **Actual video now uploaded https://youtu.be/dFc9TUxZQPE?si=tpaqmHYTfgu5agHR Edit: Oprah also paid tribute to Nora on her last broadcast..

Please let it be true and they reverse it for all stations.

It absolutely was; the air quotes was me being facetious/poking fun of how the media isn’t really calling it what it is

CNN has picked up on the Allen story. It's nice to see the comments and reactions are extremely negative.

Griffin will shut down the tv stations before they ever sell.

Ratings-wise, WFLD is still in 4th or 5th, depending on the time of day, but their product is absolutely fine. There's not one bad station or tough watch in town. They've been more ambitious in terms of creating other sports & documentary content. WBBM has a strong evening team, even if the morning news feels like a steady stream of temporary patches. WGN is obviously strongest in the mornings, with solid teams at all slots. WMAQ is always solid enough, if not too memorable. Again, a strong evening team, but not a lot of quality depth on their weather, sports, and female anchor benches. As for Chicago's #1 News, a non-sweeps period has made Goudie's absence less noticeable, so far, while their only other obvious talent hole is Cheryl Burton, but that's nothing new.

Agreed on WMAQ, and while I think WBBM would be a good fit, they can't afford him. NewsNation is an interesting proposition, because I don't see Nexstar spending the money just for WGN. WFLD is my betting favorite, right now.

Sadly we have too many defending what he did, calling it what it wasn't including Elise Stefanik. The press needs to find its morals and call it out.

LIN hasn't even existed in a fucking decade! Heartland must've been cheapasses too.

Byron Allen's media empire could be subject FCC and congressional investigations and paying hefty fines to the FCC over this apparent violation of not serving the best interests local TV viewing audiences. At this point, Allen would probably be smart to sell his local TV stations off to companies that can operate stations that would adhere to serving public interests in good faith, and building up new groups of up-and-coming content creators.

Honestly, that's probably the direction things are heading.

It goes back to the 80s-90s....if you think it's bad now... Now their WLBT simulcasts will blend right in....

Please don't speak this into existence.

They probably see it as going away, or perhaps it was #5 last year?

Perhaps if something dramatic happens? KFVS might try for it too, but it has poor coverage in the eastern part of the market. Still, for one of the few independents left in the business (I wonder if someone like Nexstar has tried to buy WPSD but either was rejected or seen as unable to complete a deal??), that would be a huge coup de grace.

I know of at least one station that used the 5pm anchors for the noon newscast back in the day… that may be 6 of one and a half dozen of the other to do it that way. It saved killing the morning folks in terms of a grueling day.

The Fox affiliate in Rochester, MN is valued at $495,000. I know the market is small, but that's not much money. I presume a good chunk of that is tied up in being the local home of the Vikings.

Recall that Ken Rosato and Lori Stokes anchored the 4:30 am, 5:00 am, 6:00am, mid-morning news updates, and noon broadcasts until Lisa Colagrossi died from a brain aneurysm that her family attributed to her grueling hours, and Ken and Lori in turn demanded (appropriately) a reduction in work.

Went back to check it looks like that started today, last week they were using the EN desk. Maybe they are preparing the set for life after the EN, and that involves the new desk? Also just thought this could just be for the coverage of the Inauguration.

It is absolutely not federal law to break into programming for severe weather. What about stations without newsrooms? Come on. Stations have an obligation to work in the best interests of the public, but honestly an automated severe weather crawl is probably enough to honor the bare minimum. I am not saying it’s right.

My question though: isn't it federal law to break into programming for life-threatening severe weather? So isn't Allen "technically" breaking the law because they aren't providing life-saving information?? I just can't see TWC providing live coverage, especially if they struggle bad enough with who they have for national coverage?? I'm just curious if there are lawsuits just waiting to happen??

You keep saying this same thing. Let me ask you: TO WHOM? You're looking for a white knight that may not exist. And forcing a sale doesn't necessarily help matters, because you may go from one bad operator to another. Be careful of what you wish for. A better case scenario would be for viewers in the affected areas to file a formal complaint at the FCC, saying that AMG isn't operating in the public interest. If enough force is behind that, then something might happen.

Something Nexstar would probably consider doing as a workaround to having actual duopolies in some markets.

Did TEGNA drop the design hub too? Also, do you have an example of the ads? I think this will bite them in the ass, honestly.

Could Allen become the first company to ever have its stations seized or shut down involuntarily by creditors? That's what it seems like where things are heading... I think it's happened in select cases but never on a grand scale like this.

Obviously broadcasting is not his thing, either he doesn’t wanna go big budget or he’s a shoestring media owner. Instead of getting investors to buy big networks how about you reinvest in what you currently have. If he wanted to go into broadcasting maybe buy a few tv stations, every broadcast group started small he grew really fast and obviously wasn’t ready for it. Some will say we’re being hard on him because he’s black, when the truth is he’s just not a good broadcaster and that’s okay. I tell ya this I do not want to be a television station owner it seems stressful. If I did own a television station maybe a few stations I wouldn’t want to be a major owner. Because there be more shoestring budgets and it would be less stressful and profitable they’re are many station owners who own only a few stations and there profitable and they can do virtually whatever they want. I’d have general manager at all stations, and probably no news programming at all unless the network demanded it. My dream would be to own a Telemundo station, maybe give that a news department.

Kinda figured that Imagicomm would ultimately decide to cash out after a few years. Outside of INSP and a production company that makes direct-to-video films, them owning TV stations didn't really make much sense other than just holding assets for a company in Cox/Apollo that was looking to dump stuff in order to make its own portfolio more attractive to potential would-be suitors. With ownership rules expected to be loosened (if not outright repealed), nothing should be considered off the table as to who buys who. There may be a trade or two along the way (I'll discuss the rest over in the Speculatron).

I always believed it was like the 'minority owner' racket in the 2010s where a distant woman or other racial group were suddenly 'running' stations stripped to do-nothing subchannel farms in the middle of the Great Plains until Gray and Nexstar could buy them back under a GOP FCC. INSP was so hands-off I was shocked and pretty much ran the stations status quo, so it feels like Imagicomm was actually Legacy 2.0.

Yes, they were friends with Trump. I noted in the LA fires thread that former GDNY anchor Jen Lahmers what's doing the same with her co-host on GDLA. The vitriol against bass seems to be coming from all angles.

I don't see the GOP controlled FCC will go through that Nexstar has to sell WPIX or they buy it outright maybe since the rules will be relaxed maybe Nexstar will own WPIX outright. Yup, The CW app is free. Altice is different name but can't get rid of the Cablevision smell out of it LOL. I feel that Nexstar & Altice will come to an agreement in the next few months in my opinion than they will with MSG RSN.

That's one way to sit out a non-compete while still working and not having to move, considering the WBNS/WKYC common ownership.

So Rosanna isn't even trying to hold up the guise of an objective journalist....not that she's good at hiding her opinions anyway. But from her days with Greg Kelly it was very obvious -- even though not explicitly stated -- that they were Trump supporters. Thats fine for FNC but not for the local broadcasts which already live in the shadow of the "Mother Ship's" bias.

So basically, she was perfect for that show.

It doesn't help the head of the MTA doesn't seem to live in reality. But that goes beyond discussion on this board and its primary focus.

WAGA's Alex Whittler announced on IG that she was promoted to host of Good Day ATL replacing Sharon Lawson who left last year "for her own well being". Im never up that early so not sure if GD ATL has a separate team for 4:30-7AM. But quite the load as she will also continue anchoring the hour long noon newscast. Originally she anchored just the noon.

They occasionally produce specials on key topics a handful of times a year and they always air as a special edition of the 5:30pm broadcast.

They teased the 6 o'clock news coming up, at the end.

The only thing that video created was fear, uncertainty and doubt and it felt oddly personal to the GM as he probably has the same spiel for WYOU but they can just sub CBS/P+ in there. You don't tell an audience you could lose your affiliation without warning. They're lucky this was on a New Year's Eve broadcast barely anybody watched and that WNEP eats their lunch and dinner. If this was 16 the Talkback line would no longer know peace.

It seemed rogue... I don't believe any other of Nexstar's NBC affiliates produced anything like that. From a negotiations standpoint, nothing productive could come from airing that. Right up there with the affiliates saying that DirecTv/Dish/Comcast et al. are taking their quality local programming away when there's a retransmission dispute.

The fact this video just vanished is... something. I have no idea what that something is. But most likely, Nexstar legal didn't want that dirty laundry to be aired publicly.

Imagine 9/11 being your first day at your new newsroom as a journalist!!!! What a story to tell. RIP Mr. Brown

All the petty arguments on the forum need to be let behind in 2024 and start fresh in 2025 by focusing only on WABC in this thread and respecting decisions to air less news on certain holidays. Have a nice New Year everyone.

Can you guys take this conversation or whatever it is offline? Thanks. It is way off topic.

Congratulations to him! I knew he would be ending up at WPVI eventually, especially after seeing that he had left WTVD recently.

Thank god nobody put you in charge of say product safety or getting potholes fixed.

September 12th, 1994 is also the same day that its former sister station in Kansas City (WDAF-TV) switched to Fox.