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OK, I know the "let's make the secondary station more prominent than the primary station where newscasts are based at" thing has been done before elsewhere (remember FOX45 News on ABC22 in Dayton?). But it doesn't make any sense here. KCBS is the West Coast flagship of CBS with the combined 2/9 news operation that will be named CBS News Los Angeles, except now it will originate from KCAL, the independent station, while KCBS, the West Coast flagship of CBS, will be relegated to secondary status. If this isn't the definition of @$$-backwards management, I don't know what is.

He can hang out with Kanye, Alex Jones, and a certain former president.

I don’t know if I’d call it “ass-backwards management” (not yet, anyway); it’s more like throwing in the towel on channel 2 in the morning. I can’t blame them. Keep in mind that their current arrangement has KCBS airing a newscast that draws a big fat zero in the ratings, while KCAL airs infomercials. As unconventional as this new arrangement is, it’s better than what they have now (although they might want to consider promoting the damn thing). That’s not saying much, of course. The spiel about “making KCAL a major player” is BS, and I imagine that management is smart enough to realize that they won’t be a major threat to KTLA or KTTV. The broader point is that KCAL can air its own programming (via CBS LA’s news dept), and the extra airing of CBS Mornings can give the show a ratings boost (albeit, a very small one). Sure, KCBS loses morning news, but when no one’s watching it, it’s not like anyone living in LA is going to give a damn.

The HBO and Cinemax suite is understandable; you're paying for that on your own (though those multiplex nets will die the same way PPV will, slowly as every movie is accessible on-demand). And they do have a perfectly broad Spanish-language portfolio that shouldn't be touched. Some networks (especially sports) are regional-only, and don't forget that it's WBD that also manages NBA League Pass, so TEN more channels there. But the only time anyone thinks about TruTV is at tournament time and it's basically a 90/10 ownership split between the Practical Jokers and WBD . There is so much bulk you'd think could be cut as a section on HBOMax like Motor Trend (itself just a rebranding of an HD demo channel), the Travel Channel (a misnomer for over a decade), the Science Channel (which has really suffered under Zazlav's departure from educational programming), Destination America (a hurried rebranding that might as well be Things that Occur In America rather than actually focused on American stuff), and American Heroes (which mostly highlights criminals and is the actual subject of Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero", girl just wants to watch stuff about Patton, Teddy Roosevelt and Patrick Henry ). And there are entire papers written about how TLC's shows have damaged the kids who have been forced onto it and those who want to be the next big numbered heavy person to get a show on it, while Animal Planet seems to think just having an animal is excuse enough for human-focused junk to be on that network. Discovery Life and Family just seem to have no purpose any longer outside the Hasbro contract and as a burn-off network for old producers they don't want to work with any longer. The true untouchable of course is TCM and the others on top like HGTV, Food, ID, CN, Discovery, and you keep OWN because you aren't dumping Oprah. They should just fold TNT into TBS if they don't intend to keep their former drama/comedy split and just want a sports/big show cable network.

Hot take- In the era of Google Maps and Waze, having traffic reports in newscasts at all makes no sense. As for the what already happened part, that's just news.

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 too much of a mouthful. CBS News New York NOW on WLNY etc.. CBS News comes off as clueless at this point. They don't seem to get that their news product is generic, and that streamlining everything into that same generic format just adds to the problem. CBS O&O's local newscasts have no personality or originality. They reek of corporate blandness. Channel numbers are becoming less relevant, but I wouldn't say they should be dropped from branding all together. This! New talent has to get a chance, but just reporting the news isn't enough. There has to be some personality and flair to it , which a lot of the newer talent lacks. People can get their news from anywhere. You as a station have to give them a reason to come to you (within the boundaries of good journalism of course).

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

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

Yep. Quite surprising. I don’t think they are going to launch this thing on Monday, unless they make a soft launch, maybe debuting the new KCAL set and going on with the new hirings, which is the most likely thing. No new graphics or “CBS News Los Angeles” until after the holidays or when CBS News Detroit launches (or maybe yes), which could be the moment to promote the new product and finally get KCAL to produce the other hours. Unless, as you say, it is postponed at the last minute and/or withholding it for the New Year.

ABC O&Os are the perfect example of streamlined with a touch of individuality. There are umpteen ABC 7s with roughly the same logo, branding themselves as Eyewitness News. The vast majority of them are the number one station in their markets, and despite there duplicated formats, the stations have seeds of uniqness that make them authentic to the cities they broadcast to. Pardon the ancient example but, Van Amborg was uniquely San Francisco as Grimsby & Beutel felt very New York.

Sinclair gave an effort. Standard General and Apollo not only haven't, they've repeatedly insisted that they don't have to do a thing. If it was Sinclair buying Tegna, they'd pull the shell game, divest a minimum of stations, and it would have been approved by September. Because unlike Soo Kim, David Smith actually knows how to close a deal.

If they really are launching on KCAL tomorrow, you’d think they’d do a better job promoting it. I haven’t seen anything on their website that promotes a Dec. 5 launch (other than program guides), and I assume they aren’t airing promos on KCBS/KCAL. AFAIK, nothing promoting a specific launch date on social media or YouTube either. Maybe it’s me, but I don’t know if you have any hope of getting viewers for this thing if you aren’t even telling people when/where to watch it. Unless, of course, they aren’t launching tomorrow.

Speaking in generalities... IMO: A consensual relationship with your co-worker (given that both of you are single) is messy but not morally wrong. The problem becomes an awkward work environment if the relationship ends. This might be unpopular but dare I say it: A boss and their subordinate having a consensual relationship is also messy --and should be avoided -- but isn't morally wrong either, given that the subordinate is not being granted unearned work privileges and that the boss doesn't try to retaliate if the relationship ends badly. It's best to avoid s$&/$ing where you eat as the saying goes, but life happens. As someone pointed out earlier, this will be buried in the news cycle in the next 2 to 3 weeks, and ABC should probably weather through the storm rather than overreact. Let's hope nothing nefarious on either Holmes or Robach's parts comes out in the next few weeks.

You guys really need to get off this whole Sinclair thing like it was some kind of biblical sin. What they did was good lawyering--nothing more, nothing less. They tried to stretch the boundaries of the law which happens all the time. (That's why people hire lawyers.) That time they went too far and it failed. There's nothing wrong with what they tried to do. This one is a little more clear-cut because of foreign ownership and just the convoluted mess of ownership in general. We already have enough problems with globalism, I don't want foreigners owning our media and deciding what set of propaganda we get to hear. As bad as you guys say Tegna is, they're still better than Nexstar and Sinclair. This happens to be a market where Sinclair is very good, but I understand why they have a bad reputation. I remember WTTE from its early days when it was a real low budget affair. I don't care about their politics. Conservatives also deserve to have a voice where in a marketplace that's 95% leftist / establishment.

There’s a promo that says CBS News Detroit is coming in January. So there’s confirmation!!

Some people have more money than sense

Isn't KCAL already a major player in local news since they started a 3-hour primetime news block in 1990?

I know there's been some sort of rumor of turning TNT or TBS into something sports-oriented. At least NBC Universal knows how to fold channels. For example, they knew that NBCSN wouldn't have much of a point without the NHL.

FIFY

They may as well be a cable TV company. All they need is a 24-hour weather channel. "Yo, I heard you like cable systems, so I got you a cable system for your cable system."

Every illness that wasn't COVID or the flu kicked my ass, this last week, so I'm finally getting around to posting Alan's final 10pm highlights.

Today Show blooper clip from the 60s or 70s in color.

Not uncommon for the bench reporters to be called up around Christmas, but this is earlier than usual and she is brand new. Good for her.

I agree 100%

He needs to go far, far away.

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.

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.

ABC rightfully said screw tabloids and have Amy, TJ and Dr Jen Ashton on GMA3 as usual. Good for them but cannot say I expected that.

I would argue that there is no reason to delay their return to working together. Yes, the optics aren’t ideal, but trying to ‘wait things out’ until the dust settles only provides people with the opportunity to continue to dig up more dirt, etc… It is what it is. As long as their relationship doesn’t effect their work and/or create an environment were others are effect by their actions, then there shouldn’t be a problem.

Don't dip your pen in the company ink, kids. A company like Disney probably has a relationships policy among co-workers, but most likely just for a superior-subordinate relationship. Personally, I don't care. I don't think it will affect anything on air until they begin hating each other (and it will happen). It'll be expensive divorces for both of them, though! The lawyer for one of the estranged spouses probably hired the P.I..

Disney/ABC will probably not even give a fat Mickey rat's behind about this and it will definitely blow over in a few days. Management will probably meet with Holmes & Robach and tell them to keep it professional in office and on air & that's it. (I actually think GMA3 should be renamed "GMA3: Holmes & Robach" now that I type that out... it has a nice ring to it. lol) The Mouse won't make a public statement because they won't want to draw more attention to it. People will forget about it within a week; the everyday news cycle will bury it.

Very unlikely this would be addressed on air. If anything, through a statement or messages on their social media accounts. Importantly, this was (is) a relationship between two consenting adults who are not professionally subordinate to one another or in a position to influence the other's employment. Whether or not their relationship constituted an extramarital affair is unclear, but even if it did, it's not a situation for which a morality clause is typically invoked and is unlikely to affect either's employment with the company.

It's as if someone hired a p.i to follow them rather than a random paparazzi stumbling onto the two at a bar or something.

Why is this even a thing? And why is anyone even questioning their “future” on GMA or how ABC will handle it? Two married adults fell for each other, separated from their respective spouses and have begun a new relationship together. It is sad that two marriages are ending but that is a normal part of life. Maybe they’ll address it on air or issue a statement when they’re ready… but who cares?

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

All I have to say is that you are definitely in the minority. You're talking about viewers who will call these stations by old, no-longer used brands (I used to have a co-worker that still called KSAT 12's newscasts "NewsWatch" in the 2010s), their network, or their cable channels. The average viewer does not admire station branding to the extent you or this community in general does.

To be fair, we have only been asking for CNN to cut back on “Breaking News” since this

Well, this quote from a July writeup from RBR is giving us a little more clarity on the KCAL brand being used for KCBS' newscasts. And, in a major move, local newscasts will no longer originate from KCBS-2. Instead, that station will simulcast KCAL-9 newscasts as part of a bigger plan to make KCAL, once the home of the legendary Jerry Dunphy and Pat Harvey, a player in the L.A. news race for the first time in more than two decades.

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