CircleSeven

This is getting silly. WADL is launching a new half-hour 10pm news program entitled News Now with Kevin Dietz, hosted by former WDIV reporter Kevin Dietz. But this will not be your typical news program. As explained by station owner Kevin Adell: The program premieres tonight, one day before WKBD's new 10pm show (produced out of Fort Worth, TX) premieres.

The B&C article states that KTVT will only produce the Detroit show (WKBD). The other two, WCBS will produce the Atlanta show (WUPA); and WFOR is going to produce the Tampa show (WTOG).

Also from Feder, the station's PM executive producer Dominick Stasi will replace Lyons as ND for the Channel 9 broadcasts.

This is really interesting. Remember Rockford, IL CBS station WIFR gave up its full-power signal during the spectrum auction? Its now on a LP signal. Back in November, it moved from its out-of-core RF 41 signal for RF 28. And after that move, viewers in the northeastern portion of the area complained that it can't get the new signal. RF 28 is also used in adjacent markets (WISN Milwaukee & WEDE Chicago). So after a few days, it temporary went back to RF 41. Starting Wednesday (1/15), the station is going back to RF 28 signal. But it has also announced that Weigel Broadcasting's WFBN-LD (RF 23) will simulcast WIFR's main signal on virtual channel 23.11. If this sounds familiar, that's because Weigel has also simulcasted Chicago's CBS-owned outlet WBBM for about a few years on WMEU-CD 48.3. This is due to some viewers who aren't able to receive WBBM's main VHF signal.

New M&A. Weigel continues its buying spree. They're acquiring Hartford's WHCT-LD from Venture Technologies for $1.5M. Shockingly enough, Hartford is currently one of the very few markets that don't carry MeTV. But WZME in Bridgeport did carry the network to portions of the market prior to 2015.

I'm fully aware of what the press release says, as I first posted it last night. I was just mentioning what the guide said, and only questioned if that was the proposed name of the show before the release. We'll I'm glad they didn't. In my view, having a weekend midday show is kind of silly, given the lack of viewership in that time of day (I don't see how WSB, WSOC or WPVI (Sundays) can do it). And I don't think the weekend morning crew would want to stay on a couple of hours just to do another broadcast very few people are going to watch.

I looked further into their guide, and looked at Saturday the 18th, and it list WGN Weekend Evening News an hour. I'm hoping that's an error on their part on the 11th, because they're showing that same Living Healthy New Year episode at 4:30pm. Why reair it at 5:30pm? I also see on the guide a show Sunday at 9am called "Chicago Pulse". Was that the original proposed name of new political show? IMO, that would be a better name than the generic "Political Report".

Channel 9 is adding local news & programming beginning 1/11. The station will debut a new half-hour 10pm on weekends. The Saturday morning news will be extended one hour, going from 7-10am. A new half-hour political show "WGN-TV Political Report" will air Sunday mornings at 9am. Because of the new 10pm, Backstory with Larry Potash & Chicago's Best will be moved to 10:30pm, on Saturdays & Sundays respectively.

Don't worry about it. I was confused myself between the two names before. WarnerMedia (CNN) is in Hudson Yards.

4 Hudson Square (Hudson Yards is in a different area). They're going to break ground in that area sometime this year, and it'll take about four years to complete.

Since Jeff Smith filled in for Lee all week, he's off tonight. Filling in for him at 11, WTVD meteorologist Brittany Bell.

KLJB in Davenport, IA is another one I can think of. After being produced by INN before INN original owner's bankruptcy in 2010, it was then produced by WQAD. KWQC took over on New Year's Eve 2012. And finally, WHBF took over NYE 2015, after KLJB's ownership change & SSA with WHBF. With that being said, WIth KAKE now producing Fox 9pm show, they should've gotten new on-air graphics. This looks like the same package Gray gotten them before they switched stations nearly four years ago.

The affiliation agreement for the two ends in June of this year, based on this biennial.

He didn't even last...... Like what, 15 months?...... Damn. Keep the revolving door flowing, WJLA. Never change.

We do have the first blackout in 2020. Stations owned by the new Cox Media Group (acquired by Apollo Global Management) are blacked out from Verizon Fios systems. The stations affected are WFXT Boston, WPXI Pittsburgh (plus cable channel PCNC) and WSYT Syracuse.

Janet Davies.

11am weather anchor. Also, early morning traffic. No weekends. Actually, I remember Ono & Leyva (currently @ 4 & 6pm) anchored the early mornings together, while Phillip & Leslie anchored weekend evenings until about 2002, when Phillip moved to mornings with Ellen. You know I just thought of something. Reading Phillip's mention of a "new initiative", I strongly thought of the sister station to the north's "Building A Better Bay Area" series, which talks about an array of issues (homelessness, housing, public safety, transportation, etc.) I wouldn't be surprised if see a "Building a Better SoCal" or something along the lines.

Looks like Phillip Palmer is becoming the new Gene Gleeson. He's moving away from early mornings and returning the midday show with Jovana. No word on who will replace him in the early mornings.

So follow-up regarding a possible radio sale. It's happening. Paperwork posted tonight shows that the two radio stations (KFMB-AM & FM) will be sold to a licensee Local Media San Diego Acquisition, LLC for $5M. The licensee will be ran by a consortium of owners (including Mel Wheeler Inc., Trivest Investment Partners & Tantara Capital Partners).

Small follow-up. Looks like some of the other stations that haven't carried the second hour, will carry it beginning January 4th. KABC will air the second hour at 9am (the first hour is aired twice at 4am (LIVE) & 7am/PT). KGO will carry the full two hours straight through from 7-9am (they're bumping the 8am local news to 9am/PT). WSB will carry the two hours from 9-11am (right after their 6-9am/ET local news). WFAA will carry the two hours from 6-8am (LIVE) (bumping the local news by one hour from 8-10am). WISN will carry the second hour at 9am (they already carry the first hour at 6am/CT (LIVE)).

In the meantime, the station commemorated its 65th anniversary on Christmas Day yesterday.

This was also the reason why George anchored the Impeachment coverage from the GMA set at TSS (instead of TV3) last week too.

WWNY, WECT, WTVM, WBRC, WSFA, WAFF, KSLA, KPLC, WVUE, WFIE, KFVS, KAIT, KEYC, KCBD, KSWO, KAUZ, KOLD, KGMB/KHNL. I'm probably missing a couple. WSFA will most likely get new gfx once they move to downtown Montgomery sometime in the new year.

Another out of market O&O weather anchor is filling in tonight. WTVD weekend meteorologist Steve Stewart is filling in for Jeff Smith.

I see Weekend GMA is at the Times Square Studios this morning. I wonder if its because of the continued maintenance work at TV3.