24994J

Kind of an interesting format change on Eyewitness News tonight, a change likely influenced sweeps. For a million years, the 4pm news has always concluded with an anchor toss and a commercial break, with the 5pm news starting thereafter. For the last 8.5 years, the 5 o'clock team would be standing by at the stand-up area to the right of the desk. Today, though, Linda Yu closed the 4pm show from the stand-up area, tossing to Ron and Cheryl at the desk. After the normal tease, the 5pm open ran, leading into a nearly 13 minute block of news (compared to the usual 9 or 10). It was different, and I really liked it. It was a nice switch of the same song and dance, and I hope they keep this toss routine beyond the end of sweeps. I have also noticed lately that the 4pm A-block has expanded by about 3 minutes, as well, but this predated the beginning of November sweeps.

But, to say it's too soon isn't totally correct, either. There's precedent. Oh, and their last major graphics change was another 3 years back in '05-ish.

WABC's 2011 graphics are as old now as the 2008s were when they were replaced.

Man, I misjudged that lower third BIG TIME. It's really just a cheap ESPN knock-off...

Was this from during the marathon coverage, or was it a news segment? Either way, the font choice (and general style, to a lesser extent) looks a lot like WTVD's lower thirds.

It's only been like that for a few weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if it's part of the more straightforward, "toned down" broadcast Muir's been doing to this point.

It's on his online bio/stories filed, the occasional lower third, but not in the talent opens.

All I've heard is that ABC News is taking over production of the show. From where (source) did you get that idea?

So, ABC 7's 3pm restoration is complete. They just reinstated the 4pm preview that runs through the Jeopardy! credit roll. Yeah, it's not the same with the current theme, but it's one of those nice little hallmarks to have back. Also, Jerry, Mike & company are starting to play around with the 7-day for the season like they did last year just before the new graphics debuted. Somebody should tell Skilling to do something like this, instead of crowding his 7-day with moving pictures, symbols and word art... Here's the comparison... WLS' flags feature an ABC logo that is slightly raised and domed, letting light and reflections dictate it's shine effect. WABC's flags (this one, admittedly, being a poor example due to the partially detached disc) uses a printed image of ABC's 2007 logo. Personally, I think the WLS model looks better.

I posted a side-by-side like umpteen pages ago. I'll look for it. It was from when WLS debuted the new ones.

Not at all. Heck, the clip compililations they've put together over the years for 9/11 and other big events have been second to none in the medium.

Not to burst any bubbles, but WABC actually put that video together last year for the 1st anniversary.

Now? You mean like the last 15-18 years? I can't name any of the major market ABC7s that has blown up the size of the ABC disc since their introductions in the late 90s. Textures, effects, and styles have changed, but the proportions are no different. Hell, these stations pretty much didn't have bugs before the ABC# era.

Yes, there are national consequences, but not until election night, and on a broad scale. Every little race is irrelevant and needs no real mention until some nutjob candidate goes off his rocker. And, let's be honest, this has been a fairly uneventful election, despite the potentially important outcome.

Psst...'EVENING News' has had the 14 reports. But still, that fact about ABC doesn't bother me in the least. The LOCAL stations are doing a fine enough job letting me know that the LOCAL races exist. Some people don't want to hear about national news on local newscasts, but I don't care to hear about local news on the national newscasts. Save it for election night.

Diane Sawyer's mother has passed away at 94. There were several rumors going around saying that Jean Sawyer Hayes' recent health woes factored into Diane's decision to step down from the ABC flagship. At any rate, condolences to Diane and Sawyer Hayes' family and friends. She was 94. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/diane-sawyers-mother-passes-away_b243247

That's lame (on their part, of course). I know the original air date is prominent on my television's guide, and I bet it's on yours, too. Besides, someone at the station must be able to see the production card at the beginning of the taping, right?

Day two for Dionne Miller, and she's doing well. Granted, she's only been on the air in live shots, but work environment must be making a difference. I thought she was just okay at Fox, but I see a lot of promise in her delivery now she's at ABC, so far so good.

WARNING: There are a lot of hypotheticals here, many of which are off the top of my head and potentially incoherent. Please be patient. So, I've been scouring over the Feder article, analyzing the wording and phrasing, because I've known Rob's work to be very concise. He will spell things out as they are. And, I keep going back to one excerpt... "Sources said ABC 7 has offered Scott a three-year contract that eventually would elevate her to the station’s top-rated 10 p.m. Monday-through-Friday newscast." Now, please correct me if I'm wrong, but this line really screams to me of this being a short-term option on the intent of both parties. I said it before, and I'll repeat, I'm not going to doubt that Scott is trying to keep a seat warm in her current residing market, and is in a holding pattern until that big Ginger Zee network role opens up on either coast. WLS knows that they're facing a potentially difficult transition (with or without Cheryl in the picture), and are preparing to beef up the team once a vacancy presents itself. What if WLS does let Jerry hang around as long as he wants, on the condition that he retires within three years? In the meantime, Scott finds her way onto the team (don't ask me how, I wouldn't know where to start), and holds tight until the succession is ready. In that time, maybe she finds that big gig, maybe the station changes their mind, maybe one of Schwapler (that's what Phil, Mike & Tracy are going to be called) decides to call it quits. After the three years/end of Jerry's tenure, the station reevaluates their options, and makes an ultimate decision for the future. It's entirely possible that ABC is willing to eat some dough while the non-sinking deck chairs get re-arranged, effectively making Scott a pawn for the future (or more sinister, keeping her locked up so no one else can have her). Through all of this, maybe that eventual 10pm position doesn't open up fast enough (note: she's not necessarily being hired to immediately take the 10), and she wants out. Well, then WLS might be willing to release her, and all sides call no harm/no foul and move on. Now, while I've been writing this, another idea has crossed my mind...Did we EVER learn the terms of Terrell Brown and Tanja Babich's contracts? Didn't think so, but hear me out. What if those two also have a clause stating that they will EVENTUALLY (there's that word again) find a spot on the desk, without any current vacancy? (Heck, those were the rumors, for sure, but they've been around for a combined year and a half and nothing's happened. The morning show has rebounded away from the abyss, and all seems healthy.) You know, with Ron Magers and Linda Yu approaching retirement, maybe the station wants a male and female groomed, familiar and ready to become permanent anchors when the need calls. I highly doubt they'd be installed on the marquee broadcasts, but I could (for example) totally see Judy or Hosea moving up to the evenings and those two assuming the morning show chairs. Or maybe one or both ends up on the weekends...whatever. It almost seems like WLS is building up, for a lack of news terms, but an abundance of sports references, a farm team...a crop of minor-leaguers. I understand that the alleged terms of the Scott deal are more explicit, but what if she were (on the short term), used as a almost-primary fill-in across ALL newscasts, specifically weekdays, allowing viewers to get acquainted with her, developing chemistry with the whole team, and setting the table for when Taft does make his exit? I guess my main point is that a lot can happen in three years, and nowhere does it say that she's going to be top dog next month. So much of this seems short-sighted, and goes against so many recent decisions by the station, that this could wind up being a strategic move with an ulterior motive. What's that motive? Well, that's a discussion for another day. Good night, all.

Two thoughts: With a potential contract being only 3 years, is management covering its ass if Scott's a bust? (Also might she only be here to beef up her resume until bigger things come along?) With his protege gone (remember, on his own terms), and Jerry not far behind, does an increasingly-bored/disinterested Mark Giangeco hang it up?

When Tracy's off (at a conference in Utah), Mike does the early shift on Monday, since Phil was on last night. Occasionally Phil will then do the 4, but Jerry and Mike fill in for each other in most cases. If Tracy's off tomorrow, too, then Phil will be on and Mike back at 4. It's all standard procedure.

Yeah, I've been meaning to mention it, but if anyone doubting the potential evolution of the program under Muir should check the broadcast out sometime. Not only has the fluff been pulled back a little, it almost seems like the quality fluff has been tightened up.

I'd also be inclined to think that other chopping would be done, but I'd bet that they could pay Cheryl handsomely, give the other three a raise to make up for the shafting, and still be spending less than with the current arrangement. That is, of course, if the others stick around. I think management might actually let that sort itself out versus being clouded with a firing. And, I think this is a guarantee, Jerry has probably given some sort of timetable, letting the bosses know that he's hanging it up. Jerry just might be the only winner in this, because if he has stated his intent, then he's definitely going to be leaving on his own terms, whenever he wants, especially if it's within a year.

That's the more ideal set-up that I was thinking of upon hearing this news. Heck, they could even give her the 5 and 6, too, but to install her on the premier broadcast AND give her the 'chief' moniker at only like thirty friggin' years old is a huge slap in the face to Phil, Tracy, AND ESPECIALLY Mike. I'd even be satisfied if she did the 10 (and likely an earlier slot), but give Mike the top position a la WCAU with Schwartz and Parveen. This sounds too much to me like the station is relying too much on viewers habits. She didn't do anything for the numbers at NBC 5, to the point where they didn't fight to stop her leaving, but because Eyewitness News is at the top, the assumption is being made that anyone could go on the air and they'd succeed. Now, of course, one could say that 7 has been relying on those same viewers' habits, for too long, but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) at least you could argue that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Keep this in mind, Cheryl was in elementary school when Caplan, Butler, and Schwarz joined the station, and she was still in utero when Jerry hopped on with ABC 7. Oh, and I'll be frank. Part of my disappointment in this stems from my dislike of Ms. Scott. It's nothing personal, I just have ALWAYS seen her as a cheap knock-off of Ginger Zee. Now, if WLS has somehow got Ginger, this would still leave a very bad taste in my mouth, but at least she'd come aboard with... A lot more experience in Chicago than Scott More years in the industry Network experience and prestige