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While I wouldn't want to work for someone with his style, the investigation sounds like the result of "morale" excuses on the part of those resistant to change. CBS News rank and file are deeply set in their ways and tend to be on the more hostile side to management.

Here's another rarely used NS2000 promo cut for an open

KRON NewsCenter 4 UPDATE preshow and open early 1986

Yes, the non Group W CBS O&Os have been a basket case since the mid 80s or longer. Since then, the only time they came close to being competitive was when Dennis Swanson showed up in the early 2000s. He applied the moves he used for turnarounds at KABC, WLS, and WNBC. Emphasis on high recognition talent, poaching when needed Straightforward, timeless sets and graphics with decisive and authoritative music vs the consultant fad / fashion of the day Community event celebration, get the syndication lead-ins right.

What % of streaming news viewing time is on small devices vs a normal TV screen? I get the sense people equate streaming with mobile device. But at least in my habits, most of my 'streaming' is on a full sized TV as we don't use traditional cable, but one of the streaming packages like Hulu Live or YouTube TV, or Pluto. And these graphics designed for mobile come off flat and sterile on TV screens. Was relieved to read they are going market by market with local-specific research, rather than a completely top down approach. We'll see if the ABC O&Os extend their leads sticking with a more traditional format, but am surprised CBS was able to get Wendy from the ABC stations. Odd she'd take this job as a co-head at CBS when she was the single head for the ABC group - which is bigger at least in leadership of the markets they play.

KNBC Channel 4 News Nightside January 1986 Cued it up at the outro to the Tonight Show with the jazzy music and motion shots of the set. Looks so expansive yet warm and not overwhelming...a lot of that is thoughtful shot placement and framing built into the lines of the set , rather than just the studio size. Every shot of the set has an element that continues up or to the side uninterrupted, giving the illusion of height and depth.

Speaking of the 96 theme…Gardner was quoted in this detailed article looking back on the incident https://billypenn.com/2015/08/12/phillys-action-news-theme-song-has-survived-10-presidential-elections-and-20-olympic-games-and-isnt-going-anywhere/

WLS clips from Alan Krashesky's retirement. Nice they have good archive footage not just Youtube clips, and the editor thought to play a quick cut of the '82 era On Your Side bumper to start the retrospective. https://abc7chicago.com/video/embed/?pid=12481179

Good find those sound like Spirit of Tampa Bay cuts

Ironically the CBS Evening News is going back to a more traditional and familiar broadcast presentation for older (core) viewers. These changes at the local level scream bland rerun local cable news like Spectrum or CLTV. Disconnected from the more familiar personality driven, urgency filled traditional affiliate news of yore. And “community journalism” sounds like marketing to what other journalists want as opposed to what viewers care about. If they want to shake things up and be different take a look at KUSI. Manages to bring out the personalities of the talent, leverages Zoom/Skype heavily to expand the guest / story profile, adds a healthy dose of positive local events, interviews lots of politicians on things neighbors are talking about, is willing to prosecute a local issue for weeks or months. Difference is it understands its viewers and what they see / live with day to day vs what a journalist thinks they should see. Sure the national political slant is off putting and some “experts” are borderline. But it’s a genuinely different approach to news vs the old days (despite the old set) that works on a shoestring and you don’t see it much elsewhere. I was at first turned off by it but the upbeat personalities and stories really drew us in. Maybe you need Steve Cohen himself to pull it off and the San Diego sun attracts personable talent but it’s a genuinely differentiated product.

There's a negative halo from network newscasts for some portion of the audience (this goes back decades...the whole 'network news doesn't represent my views' thing isn't new among some portion of the audience, just magnified these days). Beyond that the channel number / call letters are a bit of a firewall that also makes it feel more authentically local. Eliminating the local station number / call letters, and using the exact network news name (CBS News) makes it all feel even less local, trusted for that segment of viewers. See in Pittsburgh how KDKA lags WTAE at 6pm but has a massive lead at 11. Some of the core KDKA viewers don't care much for the national CBS News outlet, preferring World News Tonight. I doubt this change would have passed the common sense test of Les Moonves. The press release for KCNC isn't even consistent. It calls it 'CBS News Colorado' upfront, then all the newscast titles are 'CBS Colorado News at XXX.' The former is much more network newscast tied with 'CBS News' as the exact phrase, the latter maintains some more local identity (keeping the 'CBS News' phrase out of the mix).

That KSDK theme sounds like an affiliate news version of the '83-'84 'Be There' campaign

KTVU 10 O'Clock News 1978

RE: that 2016 open in there that is inspired by the spinning world 80s and statue of liberty mid 80s opens - happened to run into Lester and his wife on the street and told him kudos to whomever did that work - it was really classy, approachable, identifiable work. He was appreciative and liked it too. Wish the open lasted longer.

KPIX Nightcast promo 1983 - action packed cut of 'signature'

This youtube creator parody of an 80s ABC O&O newscast deserves to be in the classic video - such attention to detail right down to the tone and facial expression for the opening story

Personally really liked the WLS graphics of the last several years, really easy to read from couch distance, nice dimension to them. 'Instant classic.' I know others prefer the flat mobile / tablet screen look but it's not my thing. The blurred skyline background is pretty though. Reminds me of the KTVU late 90s look.

Nice clean cut of the strings only mixdown of the main News Series 2000 bumper around 16:23 of that early 91 broadcast - have only heard it on WLS clips. Thought they had switched to the modern version of the package by then but guess it was later in the year.

Didn't realize WBBM did a copycat of the KTRK talent open with accents of the city names background from some other ABC O&Os (KGO, and one or two others I think).

I'm just amused Warner licensed the package in the same market KFSN used it for 20 years. I guess exclusivity formally ends when the license isn't renewed. Clever choice - it's familiar music to a lot of Fresno residents.

KBTV summer 1982 open, clips - gotta love the 'computer search' segment

WNBC Pyburn in 2003 was a milestone package and set

Thanks for stopping by Dan - really enjoyed your early KOMO work just from coming across it here and I didn't even live in Seattle to hear it as broadcast. Nice funk to it, a little playfulness, and urgent without being in your face. Still holds up well today. I'd be curious about what the station feedback was, how they decided on changing things up, and what input / inspiration went into the work.

Wow WPXI got a lot of mileage out of that set - looks like it was basically untouched through 2001/2, got a facelift by 2003, and lasted until they moved to a new building in the late 2000s.

1986 Today show documentary - lots of behind the scenes shots and clips