Mrtraveler01

 

Here's an update on Joe Swift, the sportscaster fired for saying farewell to two co-workers. According to him, he was fired over Skype.

http://www.nptelegraph.com/news/local_news/former-sports-director-keeps-options-open/article_a6a0c595-b3bf-569b-8e5d-a4375ba114ea.html

 

That's a pretty tacky way of handling it from 10/11's part. It looks like they were looking for an excuse to fire him.

 

It's the latter. The font WVIR used completely ruined the VDO package altogether.

 

WVIR and WBBH have the same owners (Waterman Broadcasting), you would've thought that WVIR could've just copied the exact package that WBBH had without any modifications.

WPSD uses this same package and seems to do a better job of it even though they aren't owned by Waterman.

 

This sportscaster was fired for saying farewell to two co-workers who were leaving the station. Station is KNOP which has seen changes lately now that they are owned by Gray.

 

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Here's an article to give you more context: http://www.northplattebulletin.com/index.asp?show=news&action=readStory&storyID=28780&pageID=3

 

The people running the station are idiots. Here was their response to this whole thing:

 

 

A few days later, Swift was fired. He said management called him in Wednesday and said they didn’t want the viewing audience to get the impression that the two employees were forced out, and Swift might have left that impression.

I didn't get the impression of that initially watching that video, but the fact they said that when no one else brought that up really does make me wonder. Quite a stupid overreaction, these kind of goodbye's happen all the time in the business.

 

And CBS4 Local reminds me too much of Nexstar.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that. I do like them using Brian Lee as their VO though.

 

here it is

 

Wow...that managed to make those graphics even more generic than they already looked. I know Wheeling and Steubenville don't have much of a skyline but they could've at least added those in to make the transition graphics look less bland.

But the graphics are the least of my worries when it comes to the corporate mandates.

 

Seems like WTOV will flip or has already flipped to new Sinclair graphics.

 

Must've just happened tonight. Found this on their Facebook page.

"Hey Sinclair 9 ! Your new 9 look, graphics and bumper music is all UNAPPEALING. Love how corporate dictated these changes that viewers clearly did not want just because you added the one change that runs all of Sinclair Broadcasting itself (Fox Network). Also, moving the time clock and temperature bar over to the left side of the screen is also a bad idea as well. It will take quite sometime to adjust to all of these changes."

 

Speaking of Nexstar, I have no idea how we missed this. MyNetworkTV programming in Springfield, MO, which was originally a secondary affiliation on KRBK, has moved to KOZL. In addition, KRBK is now "Fox 5".

 

Now if only KRBK will beef up their newscasts. Right now they only have a 10-minute long one at 9PM.

 

Sinclair probably used strong-arm tactics in their negotiations: "we won't re-up our other stations if you don't re-up St. Louis."

 

I don't know why Sinclair would be so hellbent on keeping the ABC affiliation on KDNL. Do you really think it makes that much money on reruns of Modern Family and Family Feud?

Probably won't shock anyone but Sinclair renewed their affiliation contracts with ABC until 2020:

http://rbr.com/sinclair-re-ups-with-abc/

Looks like ABC is stuck with KDNL for 5 more years.

 

I'm cross posting this video seeing as I have not seen anyone post caps/videos of the morning news ticker for the Sinclair graphics package.

 

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(As of this post the video is still cooking).

 

WBFF is still working out the kinks. They need to add the sponsor image which appears in the white space underneath the logo on the right hand side. They also need to add additional current weather locations - only one is listed and that is Baltimore leaving two empty boxes, I would suggest Washington DC and maybe the Eastern Shore or Annapolis. Apparently their traffic system did not switch over yet as it still uses the old graphics package.

 

During the evening news underneath the standard ticker there are three weather boxes showing the weather forecast for today and the following two days. They say log on to their website for more weather information. They apparently chose to leave the three day forecast on screen for the rest of the show. It looks very weird considering the image is essentially static. I think they should either go the hyper local weather route or add in sports scores underneath their ticker during evening newscasts.

 

Over all it appears that this launch was rushed.

 

That bottom ticker seems to be a bit buggy as well, it keeps going up and down as it fiips between the different stuff.

That looks more like the new Sinclair stuff.

Parts of the Sinclair package look like a cheap knockoff of the Gannett package (especially the title card parts). So I can understandwhy you may think that.

 

And while we're discussing KC, KDAF has hired Molly Balkenbush as a reporter.

 

I think you mean WDAF. KDAF is down in Dallas.

Can't believe we missed this.

Apparently KRXI has started an in-house newscast in the morning (produced at KRNV?) back in August after they dropped the KTVU simulcast. The name of the newscast is "Mornings on Fox 11" (KTVU fans know what that's a nod to.).

And you guessed it, they're using the new Sinclair package.

http://foxreno.com//news/features/mornings-on-fox-11/stories/boatmans-bargains-92314-302.shtml#.VCJYRPldUYg

Part of me wonders if KRNV will eventually go to the Sinclair package too or if they'll just stay with their Look F package.

 

KUTV seems to be phasing in the new graphics on weather segments, but everything else is still using the blue/red package from before.

 

 

Also I must agree; those weather icons need to be re-done. Personally I'd make the suns match the orange-yellow on the subheading. They also got the Sinclair "responsive" template on their site now too.

 

I do like the city backdrop for the 7-day forecast. It's a decent package, but they went the cheap route when it comes to animation.

We'll have to see if they introduce it tonight or tomorrow.

As far as the Sinclair template...they really should outsource that.

CBS renewed its affiliation agreement with Media General:

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/79258/media-general-renews-its-cbs-affiliations

I know I mentioned this on another thread but it looks like WBBH's new graphics are a knockoff of Look F.

http://www.nbc-2.com/clip/10576705/community-counts-booze-for-a-good-cause-this-weekend

This is very odd because competitor station WINK has a much authentic version of Look F (even though it's a CBS affiliate).

http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2014-09-13/Possible-name-change-for-Ft-Myers-bridge-causes-controversy

WACH in Columbia, SC seems to be incorporating an odd mix of Sinclair's new package as well as their old one.

Couldn't Sinclair just give them the new package since they own WACH now?

 

WVEC is spending bundles of cash from Daddy Gannett -- today on their new 4pm newscast, they will debut their new "Mobile Weather Lab". They've been running promos for it all summer, albeit behind a pixelated image of the truck saying "stay tuned"...

 

Hmm...I wonder if we'll see this spread to other Gannett stations. I think this is the first in the group to have something like that.

I just noticed this but KSDK has a new voiceover. I can't figure out who it is though but I've heard him on other stations.

Edit: It's John Beach.

 

USA Today is partnering with Gannett's TV stations to start an SEC website. I wonder if this will continue when the split goes into effect.

http://jmanmediazone.blogspot.com/2014/08/usa-today-launches-sec-hub-spanning-sec.html

 

Watch stations like WWL and WXIA promote this website quite a bit especially with football season about to kick off.

 

WDIV has debuted their new logo... And to be honest, they should've stuck with their old logo..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE0DUkZeCDE

 

Oh c'mon how bad could it be.

*clicks link*

...It's like Post-Newsweek/Graham isn't even trying anymore.

The funny thing is that WJXT just changed their logo to look more like the (now old) WDIV logo.

 

Pretty pathetic that Sinclair can't even cover a story in the market it's happening in because their station has been an also-ran that refuses to compete.

 

How difficult is it to pre-empt some Family Feud reruns to carry a town hall (or even acknowledge it in ANY form) by THEIR station in the market it's happening in?

 

:bang: :bang: :bang:

 

On the other hand, it's like they're trying to exploit a national issue because it's a national issue thanks to the media. Double fail.

End rant.

 

You hit the nail on the head.

Which is why I had to laugh when Mark Hyman was commenting on how this is on stations across the country. You're right, KDNL could've preempted Modern Family reruns for this. But as I mentioned, this whole thing seems forced just with the promotions and the questions, the people they had on their panel, etc.

Either way, you can catch the stream of it on the Newschannel 8 DC website since they use Livestream: http://www.wjla.com/news/newschannel-8/

(Rewind to 18:58:40)

I'm sure it'll show up on the Fox Baltimore website shortly as well.

 

Mark Hyman is not that good with them. It ticked me off when he called Michael Garofalo a "reporter" for WOAI when he's really the morning anchor (he never reports).

 

I agree. It just seems forced when he's the moderator. And he always gives me a sleezy used car salesman vibe when I see him. They should've had Jeff Barnd moderating.

 

Did it already air in St. Louis? I wonder if it's meant to be broadcast on all stations. The only reason why I could think it would occur from Baltimore is because they could be cheap and didn't want to fly representatives from the NAACP HQ, if they were involved at all. But they still could of used an insert studio.

 

They did it from WBFF's studios in Baltimore. Newly-acquired Newschannel 8 aired it in the DC area, not sure if any other station is airing it. (EDIT: I see that WSYX and WKRC aired it as well.)

As far as St. Louis is concerned, KMOV aired a very similar Town Hall debate a few days after the actual shooting and riots happened. KDNL hasn't done squat. I live in St. Louis so I'm used to KDNL being a joke when it comes to being a part of the community.

And why oh why must Mark Hyman be the moderator for these?

"I'm Mark Hyman from Behind the Headlines..."

First, how many people would actually know him from that segment? Secondly, why not have the local anchors do it so it looks more like a local debate instead of some corporate mandated program?

Speaking of Town Halls, I saw something on WJLA where they'll have a Town Hall on race relations on Newschannel 8 this coming Tuesday.

They're really quick to get these Sinclair segments to WJLA/NC8 aren't they?