compubit

One month in to the new season, and WRC 4 Washington DC is already futzing with its schedule:

Dateline and NBC News Daily have switched places (Dateline now at noon and NBC News Daily now at 3pm).  Access and Kelly kept their 2022-23 season timeslots (1pm and 2pm, respectively), so far...

Jim

IIRC, when they started up CBSN Baltimore, The anchors would say something like “You’re watching Eyewitness News on WJZ TV and streaming on CBSN Baltimore online”.  
 

Of course it could all have been in a dream…

Jim

18 hours ago, Nick said:

It seems to me that one thing that needs work is on the streaming newscasts, where there is a way-too-long  ad-less lag during commercial  breaks,   the "You're Watching CBS News (region) /   We'll Be Right Back" deal...

This varies depending on the platform, the market and where you’re watching it from. I can run CBS News app on Apple TV, Pluto TV, and my laptop (web) from the same house and get different commercials of different lengths.  I have noticed if I watch CBS DFW from Dallas (parents house), I get more ads (and local ones at that), vs. watching it in DC (fewer 

and more national, but sometimes a random DC Local), specially since CBS doesn’t have an O&O in DC…

I have no problem with calling the service  “CBS News Los Angeles” (look back to the 60s at WMAQ’s news was produced by NBC News Chicago), but I would treat it with a  “You’re watching CBS News Los Angeles on CBS 2 and online.” - and only include the “location” (OTA, Streaming, App-specific) as appropriate.

Jim

I’m in the “Scripps News” camp…

To me, Newsy sounds a bit hokey for what it is. I’m definitely not complaining about the content, but not a fan of the name.

Jim

On 9/16/2022 at 4:06 PM, SoFloTVClassics said:

 

KCBS channel 2 Action News 1991

 

Here’s the link to the original KCBS full newscast- and the date is July 8, 1991, not April 4 (the Christopher Commission started in April 1991, and there’s no way they’d have everything wrapped up in a couple of days…)

https://archive.org/details/kcbs-070891-11pm

On 9/13/2022 at 10:40 AM, MD TV said:

I noticed that starting next week WDCA's 9PM newscast is moving to 8:30. So between Fox and DC News Now there's news on anytime between 4PM and Midnight.

Just catching up, but if you include Newschannel 8, I mean WJLA 24/7 (which is broadcast OTA on WIAV 58.3 - albeit ATSC 3.0), there’s constant local news from 11am until Midnight, and if you throw in Good Day DC, it’s straight through from 4am until Midnight… (all without cable TV!). (I’m not sure if LA has that full coverage, but they’re close…)

I’m not sure, though of WJLA 24/7’s current live vs. taped in the afternoon, though they were replaying the WJLA 12pm newshour at 1, live from 2-3, then repeating from 3-4.  lately, though, I’ve seen some live between 3&4 on the TV at work…

Jim

4 hours ago, Tyler said:

Re KDKA; That joke was relevant 25 years ago. In modern times, no one is out on the streets saying call letters. Or channel numbers. 

I disagree. Folks I talk to still say “Channel 2” or “Channel 4”, etc. in areas where the stations used the channel numbers, rather than CBS 2 or NBC 4.

IMHO, the best way to roll this out would be to use the CBS News Chicago name for the newscast, but include something like this in the intro: You’re watching CBS News Chicago on Channel 2/CBS 2 and online at cbschicago.com.

The folks watching OTA are still going to refer to it as the channel number, if that’s what they’ve been using their entire lives…

J

5 hours ago, ATLNewsExpert said:

Always also found it weird why for like at 6/5 in the US, local newscast came first then national while internationally (UK especially) it is the opposite. 

But historically in the Central/Mountain (and sometimes Pacific), it was National News at 5:30, followed by local news at 6 (or National at 5, local at 5:30 out west).  If a station had a 5pm newscast (typically larger cities), it was more of a “Live at 5” program, featuring lighter news and features.

J

On 8/9/2022 at 10:42 AM, RGSJenkins said:

141 miles from WBRC, WTVA in Tupelo has 8. 2-3 years ago, they had only 3.

 

I’m guessing they’re bringing in either students or grads from Mississippi State’s program - I know in the past it’s been one of the best broadcast meteorology programs in the country.

Jim

20 hours ago, sanewsguy said:

In lots of these markets, there are independent filmmakers and theatre actors. I'd love to see a station produce a good quality drama or sitcom on a local level (or maybe as a group to share costs). It's amazing what good quality you can get with today's technology and some creative minds.
[snip]

Just, something has got to give. The status quo cannot and should not continue.

What about localized versions of (classic) game shows?  A game show could be designed such that the same questions/clues/puzzles could be used with the ground rules being that all all are taped at the same time/date.  (Think a localized version of the $25,000 Pyramid or the British show Countdown (where each game is truly different and all depends on random draw made by the participants…)

If there wasn’t dependence on secrecy of questions (e.g., Countdown) a portable set could be created that travels between locales for taping.

Keep prizes small (two nights at downtown hotel with Dinner - or exchange between cities - a New York version has 2 nights at a DC hotel and vice versa. Or in the case of Countdown, a Teapot…)

Just an idea…

Alas, there will probably be less and less available, because, as you’ve noticed, stuff gets taken down all of the time on YouTube (and other hosting services). I’ve had stuff pulled off YouTube as well as a lot I posted on a paid account on Vimeo - all “here today, gone tomorrow”, with no explanation.

I’ve given up on the commercial services after spending hours upon hours uploading, only to have stuff removed and accounts closed.  I have been uploading to the internet archive, when I have time.

Jim

That’s an anchor pair who must be high on the longevity list - I seem to recall them together at KCBD back in the early 90s…

J

On 5/29/2022 at 2:56 AM, DirtyHarry said:

 

Retransmission fees are killing the golden goose. My cable bill got to be so high that I finally pulled the plug. And a big reason for it was those retransmission fees. And I didn't have a lot of extras, just the medium package.

I process the cable bills for work, and Comcast charges $18.95 per month as a “broadcast TV Fee” - this is on top of the package to get cable channels. It’s ludicrous!

At home, I have an antenna in the attic and get both DC and Baltimore locals - more than I’d get with cable…
 

Jim

They could self identify as anything they wanted not in use in Detroit…

Look at NBC10 Boston - a stones throw from longtime legacy NBC station (and one time O&O) WJAR…

Looking at adjacent markets, 3 & 8 are “available” (i.e., not in use) for full power stations, though there is an LD on 3 in the Detroit market. (CBS could make an offer on that LD station to get the Channel 3 PSIP… (and position themselves nicely between Fox and NBC on the Dial…)

I’ll stop here so that I’m not getting into Speculatron territory…

J

1 hour ago, KentBrockman said:

And for the first time ladies and gentleman, FOX 3.

Technically wouldn’t be the first Fox affiliate on Channel 3: KYUS was briefly (1996-98) a Fox affiliate after the sale to Steven Marks…

J

7 hours ago, Yankees4life said:

Yeah...I can't see it succeeding just because of that price tag. That's too expensive for one or two channels at most. (Thank God my team is well out of market so I could just watch on the league packages...)

I wonder if this may supersede the league packages?  If you want to see the NBA, then this is your only option…. Too many unmentioned details.

The 6:15-ish rejoin on WRC was still the Look N rejoin. The open was Look S.  Can’t say what the close was, as automation clipped the “good bye”…

WCBS air WoF when it first hit syndication, but quickly moved to WABC (I have an ad for it on WCBS from 83) - can’t speak for other markets, but KPRC had J! from the start, before it moved to KHOU, then KTRK…

J

1 hour ago, Spring Rubber said:

Gotta love the meteorologist in the Hawaiian shirt and the consistency of that forecast.

Don‘t you realize it was recorded 10 years ago - they just re-run the same set each week…

(LA and San Diego are the same way, too…)

J

On 11/1/2021 at 6:09 PM, J1975am said:

KATC is now using the Scripps graphics and music (and they kept Robert Burton as their longtime station voice, too)….

 

Hard to believe “The One and Only” Gari package is gone after 23 years at KATC…..

 

Is the “Good Morning, Acadiana” theme gone too? If so, Boo!

Jim

23 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

Another article said it was where they 'had channel space in legal states'...which makes no sense, because if that's the case, they'd be voiding their contract with Weigel to get Movies! off KLAS-DT3 and getting it on there at launch to get on the big casino screens in Las Vegas.

I suspect they’re focusing on markets where on-line sports betting is permitted (as well as bandwidth).

I wouldn’t think they’d need it on KLAS if the casinos wanted it on-screen at the casinos…. If the casinos want it on screens, they’ll find a way to get it on screens…

Jim

On 8/17/2021 at 11:14 PM, SoFloTVClassics said:

KELP? Tv 13 El Paso 1977 news clip (first of all who in their mind would name a station in a city where's bone dry )

 

 

I’m thinking this is KLBK/13/Lubbock and not KELP for several reasons

- References to the South Plains and the Panhandle of Texas - KLBK referenced the South Plains in one of their 90s opens, plus El Paso would be too far to be covering this area.

- Mentions of delayed programming were for One Day At A Time, M*A*S*H, and Lou Grant, which are CBS programs, not ABC programs, as KELP would have carried.  KLBK is a CBS affiliate.

Jim

5 hours ago, SFTV said:

Aug 9 and they still on Look N.

 

with the other stations that still haven’t debuted the new look, you’d think it’s embarrassing now that the olympics are over.

WRC will get them in time for the Winter Olympics…

Nobody seems to complain - everyone there’s focused on reporting the news…

J

7 hours ago, Adam MadMan said:

I was listening to Nexstar's earnings call while working, and at one point he mentioned that only 16% of people in the country recognized the NewsNation brand, even admitting that 84% of the US "has no earthly idea" what it is.

 

At least he's honest that nobody's watching...

I’m surprised it was that high…

I had heard of NewsNation through this group, but wasn’t aware that WGN America had rebranded until very recently…

Jim

10 hours ago, JosephH1998 said:

But please tell me compubit, which videos were you in the process of uploading when your Vimeo account was suspended?

I was working on 2000-2003 newscasts - and was finishing up posting the late 90s I had already converted and uploaded.  
 

the good news is that I don’t have to convert the files - the archive will ingest native MPEG-2 files, so I’m just uploading directly.  But I’m also consolidating things onto a new storage device on my network (and renaming them, so there’s consistency and easier searchability on my part…). Stuff is spread across multiple hard drives as it is right now…

i hope to post more this weekend, after my work project settles down…

My focus in uploading is working forward from oldest to newest, but keeping everything older than 10 years old…

Jim