newsguy22

I was wondering if one of the stations would choose the gray look over the blue look. We may/should see more of the gray in November as that look is supposed to be for election coverage (or the main color stations that don't want blue as their primary color).

That was at my urging. If you can't read the bug, whats the point of having one, right?

Launched new graphics, music, newsroom and production software today. Lots of hard work behind the scenes to make it happen. Let's hope I don't mess it up tomorrow morning!

GM didn't want to rock the boat. Station looked good, ratings are good (aside from COVID induced fluctuations) and didn't want to change the whole look of the newscasts. He's a fan of stability. ND wasn't a fan of the current look, and likes the fact that we would be able to share content with sister stations and not have to remake GFX to fit our look. I see both sides.

Update from Norfolk: WTKR/WGNT will launch the new look, after all, Will happen in September. I assume WTVR/Richmond will, too. From what I understand, some in management (including the GM, who runs all three stations) wanted to keep the old Tribune package, which launched June 2016. Others wanted the new look. The others eventually won, probably with some help/prodding from corporate.

I believe this is the package NMSA calls "WWL-TV News" by Jim Kirk that debuted on WWL in 1984 and KATC in 1985. Heavily based on the Tuesday package. Though, I haven't had coffee yet today, and my ears could be wrong.

Considering the money has already been spent to convert the current graphics to Chryon, I'd be stunned if you are correct. The station employees were told in a recent meeting, by corporate and local bosses, that TKR/TVR will stay with the current look "at least until the corporate graphics get a refresh in 2-3 years." In addition, the contract with WCPM to retain the current music packages was just re-signed this month.

It's because the GM (he oversees both WTVR and WTKR) does not like the new look. So, much like the GM of WPIX, He petitioned to keep the current look on the stations. Corporate said yes. It helps that, especially in the case of WTKR, the graphics aren't that old. This look debuted in Summer 2016. TKR/TVR are, in fact, switching to Viz in the spring or summer. The graphics are being rebuilt (and maybe slightly updated) for Viz. The money has already been allocated in the budget for this project.

Doubtful. Scripps is sinking a ton of cash into integrating these stations into the company in every other way. Computer systems, newscast expansion, training. And in the case of TKR, a backup master control/production hub for Newsy. This is simply a case of two GMs (TKR AND TVR share a GM) feeling like the new look/sound would be a poor fit for the stations, and they lobbied hard enough to get their way. It also probably doesn’t hurt that, at least in the case of the Virginia stations, the current look has not been around for eight or nine years, like the current look on some of the legacy Scripps stations has.

I’m told some of the former Tribune stations will not be getting the new Scripps graphics and music. WPIX, WTKR/WGNT and WTVR have all been approved to keep their current graphics and music packages.

Norfolk used the copyright animation with the Inergy signature for the last few months of 2019, and now the new 2020 animation with the new SAM package, despite using 615's Impact v.6 as the actual news music package. Sounds strange having the Impact close lead into the SAM signature. I guess that'll be a moot point once the new stuff debuts here in a few months.

And the new music package. Sounds like they only used one cut for the whole show. It was pretty laid-back. But definitely had that Stephen Arnold sound. Almost weather channel esque.

Agreed. Just found it interesting. Have a nice day.

In New Orleans for a few days, watching WWL. Not sure when they did this, but they have slightly amended the name of the newscasts. It’s now “The Eyewitness News at (time).” It was Channel 4 Eyewitness News for decades. The just Eyewitness News for the past few years. They added a “THE”. Also, they’ve brought back an announcer for the actual newscast intros. I don’t believe they’ve had one since they switched to the new TEGNA look. It makes a big difference. I like it.

I thought Norah's debut was excellent. As an employee of various CBS affiliates since 1996, I think this is the best Evening News has looked and felt in quite a while.