Leaderboard

Not a moment too soon, because I think they ran out of breaking news in the 8am hour this morning.

If you're of a certain age, you can remember the glut of first-run syndicated dramas, sitcoms, and musical/talent shows that were around during the 1980s and '90s...a lot of that had to do with more TV stations signing on the air during that aforementioned time (thus needing the programming, besides old off-network reruns and whatever live sports they could cobble up), and already-established stations having more control over their programming inventory. Over time, with the launch of Fox, and later The WB and UPN, plus the growth of cable TV (both in terms of subscribers and the number of networks), a lot of these same kind of shows that would be meant for first-run syndication eventually migrated to those outlets, and now 25-30 years later, much of that same type of content has migrated to streaming. The more I think about it, these local stations (including the likes of WPLG) may have to try "re-invent the wheel" in order for them to survive in the long-term...going wall-to-wall news (like a certain CW station in my home city) may not cut it everywhere.

I grew up during that era, so I watched a number of syndicated shows (mostly sci-fi and fantasy), though little of it regularly as there usually wasn't a TV available in the house when I wanted one. The thing that always annoyed about syndicated programming was that it'd end up in weird time slots such as late at night or weekend afternoons. Even the most of indie stations would do that, saving the 8-11pm hours for movies. I remember being down in Florida one summer and discovering that one station was showing either Hercules or Xena during primetime hours on a Tuesday night.

Good Morning America is planning to depart its iconic Times Square Studio this summer https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/good-morning-america-times-square-move/

Here's some more highlights to add to what @ekt8750 has: Video Tour via NBC 10 YouTube Page

GE ultimately sold NBC and WTVJ to Comcast plus lots of investment made WTVJ a player in the market again

CW and NASCAR are debuting a new set.

Can't speak for the other affiliates, but I've noticed that KMSP and KVRR have begun treating the Friday night news like the weekend- with weeknight anchors/mets working Sunday-Thurs and the Weekend crew on Friday/Saturday. Is it reactionary to the network? Fox does have a decently strong Sunday with the Animation Domination block as lead-ins compared to the Friday/Pre-emption situations.

The nice thing about syndication is that it's scheduled and it doesn't preempt news programming. However, with all the crap sports that Fox (and CW) are introducing to their lineups, It's pre-empting newscasts that are pretty much exclusive to their time slots. It's expected on the weekends with the network affiliates but with these it's becoming commonplace on Friday nights.

how do the news heavy indies do in prime time?

Oh great. The Scrippscast method that Sinclair adopted has since spread to KTXS/KTXE.

You beat me to it. Syndicated options aren't much better. Cheap Byron Allen Court shows like The Verdict with Judge Hatchett, countless Family Feud reruns, Pictionary? Some stations have stooped as low as having paid programming blocks on weekdays. I totally agree that all the good stuff is on streaming while broadcast primetime goes for the generic procedural types. When I overcome my cynicism and actually watch some broadcast primetime shows they're not half bad. ABC's Doctor Odyssey for example. The problem is, shows like that don't encourage me to give them a chance to begin with, because they look like recycled crap.

The issue that I don't understand is with the sports programming. What will happen with the sports programming that appear on USA, CNBC, & E networks once they officially separate from NBCU? Will NBC move the sports to bravo and / or Peacock? When Comcast made the deal with NBA to show games, they included wnba games to be shown on USA. What was the point of doing that when they were considering spinning off USA with the other networks?

I haven't been on here in some time! Latest clips

Bingo. Correct. I believe WSVN started their morning news in 1983 as Today in Florida at 6:30 a.m., six years before they would later lose NBC.

Yeah, this feels like a stopgap measure. A bandage, even.

Exactly. I really don't understand what the point was. It must be really annoying to work at CBS News with all the cost cutting and then see them spend money on stuff like moving "CBS Mornings" (what a dumb name) to Time Square with a set that looks like it could be a green screen. Honestly, all the networks have gotten really lazy with set design. The new trend seems to be make a fake digital set and then display it on a huge screen as a background.

Good for him getting out there like that then.

Too bad they clip sports out of their on demand recordings. Is third fiddle at WLS a step up from Sports Director at WBBM?

They could go back to Studio 57. CBS News 24/7 has been embracing VR/AR studios anyway..

Not surprising. A rapidly changing reality at the macro and micro levels sometimes necessitates substantial changes. By no means unique to any company or industry, just the way life goes.

What a big way to venture into WSVN's 70th year. I truly didn't see this on my bingo card for 2025 or for 2026.

Along those lines, I wonder if ABC did pursue WSFL for an affiliation given the relationship between the Alphabet and Scripps. That said, good for WSVN if they can handle it, but we'll wonder long they'll keep ABC and Fox on their signal.

I think it’s gonna be almost all simulcasts

Sherri's gonna give you more in season 4.

With NHL preseason getting underway, let’s get this thread underway. Victory+ is broadcasting its first-ever Dallas Stars game tonight.

Trying to push viewers to switch their sports rage opinion source of questions nobody asks from ESPN to FS1 by using the Super Bowl's momentum; all of these networks have lost the point of how to push viewers to other networks, including the Puppy Bowl now getting a Discovery and TNT simulcast while cannibalizing Animal Planet's own audience. Even last night the NFL Honors was simulcast on Fox and NFL Network, and for no real reason, it aired at 9pm ET to take out the 10pm news rather than the usual 8pm (ETA - Didn't know it was the season finale for Hell's Kitchen so it makes sense). I'm sure the viewer feedback and tip lines at Fox affiliates have a few unhappy viewers this afternoon, along with Harvey Levin, who gets TMZ Live pre-empted.

Further discussion of the likely new Fox NFL package here.

I'll have to wait until I see it in hi-res, but from this initial look, I don't like it.

Sandra Smith is co-hosting Weather Command with Stephen Morgan today covering the CA Wildfires

Spring Weather, I saw that FOX Weather was kind of on this strange loop yesterday. The Weather Channel & Weather Nation TV were both on top of the multiple alerts as they were going out. FOX Weather finally started to show alerts 20-30mins after TWC & WN, SAD situation for FOX Weather.

Way back prior to being fully bought by NBCUniversal, the company that included USA and SciFi was called USA Networks. The down side is if SpinCo goes international, the name may not work.

I liked Tom Niziol he was pretty good for the winter forecasts. All the best to Tom wherever he goes.

When Comcast sells off it's cable networks, including USA & cnbc, will they just move whatever sports programming that currently airs on those networks over to peacock?

Or HDNet's obscure NHL package from the early 2000s

Thin vertical score bug on the left side of the screen? Reminds me of the shape of the early 2000s WGN scorebug, but of course, a lot more modern. The huge GOAL graphic that takes up the left side of the screen looks ripe for social media thumbnails.

Panthers unsurprisingly have the Scripps graphics from Golden Knights games, which are serviceable Meanwhile, the Utah HC games are still using the NHL/MLB Network graphics but with SEG Media branding, implicating that these are remaining team productions rather than Scripps Sports productions from the top down (as the Utah Jazz games also have that branding and a league-provided graphics package -- which is used primarily by some WNBA games)

Racist how? They dropped a Univision affiliation in Seattle for The CW.

For the third straight season, KTLA will carry a limited number of Clippers games--four preseason, and eleven regular-season contests.

The Portland Trail Blazers now have a new broadcast partner: KATU and Sinclair https://www.nba.com/blazers/news/portland-trail-blazers-announce-future-of-trail-blazers-broadcasting A multi-year deal that includes distribution on Sinclair stations throughout Oregon and Washington, mainly on subchannels including in Portland on KATU 2.2 (Charge!) until January 1, 2025, when Blazers telecasts move to KUNP Channel 16 (currently Univision); in Seattle, the games will air on KUNS 51.2 (TBD Network). Also as part of the agreement, the Blazers are creating a paid direct-to-consumer streaming service (BlazerVision) that will have live and classic games, pre and postgame content, and other team-oriented programming.

I'm sure it happens more and more every election by every party, but WDAY-AM (Fargo) is accusing the Harris Campaign of using the station's URL and fabricating headlines (per The Forum) in Google Ads. What's interesting to me is all of this clears Google's ad policies. Not uncommon for campaigns to use media clips, but is something like this becoming common across the board? WDAY Radio Statement Headline 1 In Question Headline 2 In Question Disclosure- WDAY-AM and The Forum are co-owned by Forum Communications, although WDAY-AM is operated by Flag Family Media.

No changes preseason graphics-wise for the Bills, Bears, Bucs, Chiefs, Chargers, 49ers, Jaguars, Seahawks, & Titans. Raiders using MLBN/NHLN type graphics, while the Vikings & Saints use the current FOX scorebar, & the Cardinals, having moved from KPNX (NBC) to KPHO (CBS) went with a new custom scorebar.

A little bit far off, but it's been confirmed it'll be CBS Sports producing the Christmas games for Netflix. Likely we'll get both games locally in-market on the CBS-owned stations (including WJZ and KDKA). CBS talent is yet to be confirmed to be used. And no changes to the Packers package this year; still in house with the same look and CBS production.

Houston Texans making a slight tweak with the color of the scorebar from last season, Pittsburgh Steelers no change, Atlanta Falcons follows suit with the Lions & Giants with the current NFL on FOX bug, while the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, & Baltimore Ravens remain unchanged from last season.

Since I haven't seen anyone start it up yet, I will, here's the 2024 LocalNewsTalk preseason NFL graphics roundup starting with Carolina & New England (no changes it appears) & Detroit & N.Y. Giants both using the current 2023 FOX graphics set, the Lions going from Bally Sports Detroit while the Giants have switched broadcast rights from WNBC to WNYW. Have a feeling we'll see this change implemented on the Atlanta Falcons & Minnesota Vikings broadcasts with both being on FOX O&O's (WAGA & KMSP) & using their NFL grahpics in the past.

That won't happen though. In the CNBC article that I shared, it said, In that case, Sony would have kept Paramount and the studios, while Apollo would have taken CBS - and likely would have started to sell it for parts like they have done with Cox stations, maybe even reorganizing Cox stations around CBS.

Raycom Sports is actually handling production; they just happen to use ESPN’s graphics. I believe they also produce a number of ESPN games as well (though I could be wrong). EDIT: The games they produce are sublicensed from ESPN, and they use the ESPN look, but Raycom is ultimately running production. https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/38007548/acc-cw-strike-broadcast-deal-air-50-football-basketball-games

Jeff Glor is staying with the eyeball network and headed to SATMO. https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-news/shows/cbs-this-morning-saturday/releases/view?id=52806

He said on Twitter he will be on that show for a few more weeks.

In two to three years I predict the show will be a husband and wife hosted show with Tony and Katy.