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Did she make a mess or did she do precisely what she was hired to do? Perhaps she should have spiked the story earlier but regardless, she wasn’t hired for her skill set in shepherding the legacy of CBS News into the future. She was hired to be a hatchet person to that legacy. The degree to which we (the collective societal “we”) simply disregard and outright ignore what is happening around us as society falls is staggering to me. Perhaps it shouldn’t be. What has come out in the Epstein files alone would have brought down any other president. Now, it’s not even a blip. Setting aside the veracity of each individual claim, that preponderance of association and cloud of suspicion being utterly ignored by mainstream media is terrifying. Joe Biden slurred some words and the coverage was incessant. The current office holder rants incoherently, makes thinly veiled death threats against perceived enemies, wants to pull non-existent licenses from networks (and the president should actually know how thIs works, but I digress), is linked time and time again to perhaps the worst sexual predators in our lifetime — and the news outlets bring us the latest viral video, cute squirrel story, Taylor Swift gossip or what have you. Not a single one of the big three broadcast news operations is doing real journalism on a regular basis, and now the correspondent who did so has her story killed. Oh wait, I’m sorry, “postponed.” My time on this earth may not be all that much longer in the grand scheme of things. I look at the next generation in my extended family and fear for the world we’re leaving them.

Approximately 3 weeks ago, WOOD-TV started the transition from Gotham font to Roboto, per meteorologist Blake Harms. Right now, the opens, news L3 & U3, bug and other graphics have switched over. The weather graphics should reflect over the next little bit. He didn't "hint" to a whole new package -- WOOD is one of the rare few Nexstar stations that stray away from corporate graphics packages, as they have their own in-house team.

For the first time in its history, AMC, known as American Movie Classics until 2002, which gave us Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, is venturing into sports. Get ready for TNA Thursday Night Impact! on Thursday nights on AMC starting January 15th, 2026. https://awfulannouncing.com/tna-wrestling/tna-wrestling-announces-new-media-rights-deal-with-amc.html

This is a bit of a rant. You've been warned. True journalism was adversarial by nature. It made enemies. It embarrassed people with power. It survived complaints, lawsuits, and angry phone calls because that’s the cost of doing the job. When journalism started optimizing for comfort—of executives, donors, politicians, or audiences—it stopped being journalism and became content moderation for adults. And yes, we the public helped kill it too. As we trained newsrooms to fear us. We punished nuance, rewarded outrage, and confused “this makes me uncomfortable” with “this must be false.” We demanded instant takes, moral certainty, and tribal loyalty. Then we act shocked when reporters stopped taking risks. So now we have journalism that is: Carefully balanced to the point of meaninglessness Bravely critical only of people already out of favor Fearless about history, timid about the present “Investigative” as long as it doesn’t threaten access The most damning part isn’t that a story like the CECOT piece can be pulled. It’s that almost no one (aka the higher ups) inside these organizations are surprised anymore. They sigh, shrug, and move on to the next safe segment. The newsroom rebels were replaced by compliance officers with journalism degrees. We didn’t lose true journalism because the government banned it. We lost it because everyone involved decided it was too inconvenient to keep. And that, depressingly, is the most human outcome of all. End of rant.

CBS Media Ventures is launching a new court show starring Judge Judy’s son next fall, as well as the third syndicated run of America’s Funniest Home Videos https://deadline.com/2025/12/judge-judy-son-adam-levy-courtroom-show-1236651614/

Thank ya, Marvin.

What a loss this is, he’s a titan in Texas broadcasting. Generations of Texas families, mine included, have heard the news from Dave Ward over his 50 year broadcasting history at channel 13. The station has been a shell of its former self since he stepped down. RIP Dave Ward. “Good evening, friends.”

If there's any consolation, hopefully he's living it up with Marvin Zindler right now... RIP to a legend.

it's a shame that someone of her talent caliber and personality just disappeared from the airwaves. She and Sue Simmons should've been hitting their retirements right about now, if not still on the air like Kaity Tong.

Josh is joining MSNOW as senior transportation and aviation reporter: https://deadline.com/2025/12/ms-now-new-hires-ines-de-la-cuetara-1236645731/

A general history overview of news music that most people on this board probably already know about.

I saw this. I'm glad, though a bit disappointed that he didn't cover the Seven Network, considering their use of The Mission and several variations of it since then.

As of today, WISH is now on YTTV. Hulu is up next. 2/10/2025 update: WISH is now on Hulu.

I just read the conversation and holy damn, you're getting too much into her personal life by talking about where she could be from and what her intentions are. This is a TV news forum, not a drama & gossip about news people forum. Can we stop talking so much about the private lives of those in the broadcasting industry and get back to talking about broadcasting?

This has gotten so uncomfortable. May Payton never find this chat.

With CBS being a total dumpster fire now (their O&O's have had problems for decades), sadly this could be a future reality. Ever since the O&O's became "localized", they've been a shell of their former selves. In most of the markets where they overlap, Fox is the dominant station operator. And for those of us old enough to remember, this wouldn't be the first time the two companies shacked up...

In an environment like this, it is possible. I could imagine there'd be absolute chaos when it comes to the markets that CBS is in, specifically Los Angeles where there would be two ancillary stations (KCAL and KCOP) under FOX operation competing with each other, FOX has been making KCOP more news intensive so I don't know what's going to happen when FOX takes over KCBS and KCAL through an LMA if they do so...

She grew up in the Chicago suburbs, which includes Northwest Indiana.

This is just another news share agreement I’ll be okay. I remember when Fox 5 in New York had a news share agreement with NBC4 New York they would refer them as there sister station. I don’t see anything bad coming from this. Chicago also…

The vast majority of Philly folks do not move to New York. A couple of people who made that move among the countless more who did not does not make Philadelphia a breeding ground. And moreover, some people do want to “go home.” You somehow know how Payton will feel in the future, based on what, a few travel posts on Instagram? Seriously?

WJCL and WAPT switched to D25 this afternoon, which means all of Hearst's stations are now current.

One of those rare occasions when a station flipping to shopping is an improvement.

Obsessed? Because someone from the Midwest who is now in easy proximity takes some trips there in her free time? That’s a huge stretch.

Copy/paste the link into Google Gemini... This is great, really well done. And yeah, Joel Cheatwood is kind of a slimeball. Glad to see that get some attention too.

This has some vibes of the Gannett 2008 look

Just looking at that studio and I'm amazed that NewsNet/MI News lasted as long as it did, now it's just another generic station broadcasting some digital netlets. Perhaps the hobbyist should of never sold to the snake energy drink salesman.

Another update: following the auction, it appears they have placed the old Cadillac studio up for sale. Listing photos show the inside mostly emptied out. The only stuff remaining is part of the old weather set, the old MI News 26 set, and a reception desk based on the style of the MI News 26 set.

They would probably like to keep their options open for potential buyers themselves.

Honestly, I'm surprised smaller broadcasters such as Graham, Hearst, Morgan Murphy, and others haven't spoken out in opposition to this deal.

Sounds like they plan on being the last station standing. More power to 'em.

The cap decision still has to come through Congress, not the FCC. It will be hard-pressed to get past a Democratic filibuster, and even some GOP members may be hesitant if Newsmax and OAN are against it. If Carr unilaterally does it, this ends up in court.

7News was on ABC18, but not on WSVN proper Andrew Ansin was on Biz Journal's podcast recently. He shares how the WSVN/ABC deal came about. ABC approached them in August 2024, Sunbeam agreed but asked to simulcast 7News. From WPLG we know around that time ABC went silent and stopped negotiating but extended the contract. Ansin seems to suggest WSVN wasn't doing well financially before the ABC tieup, "and this way by simulcasting [...] a television business that was not doing very well, all of a sudden became significantly more profitable." Nothing specific but if WSVN, the top earning station in Miami for at least 2 decades isn't doing well financially, that means the other stations could be in a much worse financial situation! Later on mentions that now WSVN/ABC18 at 10PM often capture 60% of the people who watch the late news in the market. He doesn't clarify English or English and Spanish, if both then the rest of the 40% is split between 5 stations Work has started on the new WSVN building. The precast walls will go up around early December 2025. He emphasied that the family is committed to WSVN, they see it as a service to the community, and suggests they will keep going even if it's little or not profitable at all. Ansin points to his mother who created the Miami City Ballet not to make money but to provide high art to the community. Sounds like they view WSVN in the same manner. He emphasises "the community" and non-profits. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-business-breakdown-with-b-273274022/episode/business-insights-from-the-america-forum-305962841/?position=687

I'd hardly say KDVR/KWGN has been "torched" when some of their shows pull in more impressions on A25-54 than KCNC and KMGH do total. There's a long over-held notion (in my opinion before people get salty) that Denver is KUSA followed by everyone else, when it's really KUSA and KDVR followed by everyone else.

My AG has filed a suit for Colorado. I know he and his Political Director. So I can just comment directly. KUSA is still Denver's juggernaut. So Nexstar would just torch the place as they have with KDVR|KWGN.

Byron Allen saw the reaction to the 20 ads on-screen for the "NBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV" and decided he could be even more obnoxious today as the sponsor/broadcaster for the CIAA football championship.

Retransmission Consent most likely. Satellite coverage, less OTA coverage in the digital era and zip code accuracy for digital delivery of OTT contents make for hard lines that differentiate between DMAs and viewing areas.

Yea, but I think it could be good 'cause of the fact that St. Joesph, MO only (for a long time) have one TV station airing local newscasts which is KQTV. (Personally, KTAJ-TV is a lot more of a Kansas City station.)

I always figured this stupid model (signing on six-seven LPTVs to take on the big station in town and grab all the RTC while pissing off viewers used to big city stations) would bomb, and I've sadly been proven right. It can only work in markets like Victoria and Lima because there's nothing real to replace. Once you mess with an actual adjacent market (here, and Lafayette, Indiana), it never goes well at all.

St. Joseph doesn't have enough economic potential for two TV newsrooms. KQTV stood alone in the market for decades before NPG's TV venture.

So Joel "If it bleeds it leads" Cheatwood is part of this mess? Must have been after he was brainwashed by Fox News and Glenn Beck.

TWC is like the Allen local stations, no money for anything, mismanaged, low morale. Doesn't sound like they could compete effectively. They are probably paying $15-$30 mil of their yearly budget money to Francisco partners (used to be IBM) for the rights to use 'The Weather Channel' name, weather data, forecast engine, radar mosaic, etc since TWC is a shell, it doesn't own anything, including weather.com. And the way these agreements are set up, the cost probably goes up ~3% per year

Regardless of the free reign that the broadcasters think they'll have, I think as toothless as the FCC and DOJ seem to be, they'll still prevail. We're really living in a f-around and find out time...

Third-Rate newscasts, crap-tastic syndication packages (as @Megatron81 noted Allen foregoing Wheel, J!, TMZ, ET, etc. for lower-tier shows), and if your network can't deliver in primetime... You could very well get there at this point.

You have to wonder if companies like Allen have been making these moves on purpose simply so the stations can be so far gone, that the acquirer can legally acquire them with a failed station waiver. It seems the only innovation left in broadcasting is the boardroom manipulation to squeeze out any penny on the working level before cashing out and letting someone else deal with the carcass...

Actually, I don't care for either network, so let the popcorn fireworks fly! I'm curious to see how long this tit-for-tat battle lasts, knowing viewership for both networks is still pretty crap.

That looks awful.