ns8401

20 minutes ago, C Block said:

 

I disagree with the 4pm being the most important show. That's still too early to have the big audience, and if a station is giving all of their content to the 4pm and very little new for 5 and 6, then that's either a result of old habits or is just a poor allocation of resources.

 

The 6pm hour is probably the most important with the highest ratings and the most people at home watching. A lot of stations are still set in their ways of having a bunch of dayside reporters all start at 9:30, with one big editorial meeting then, and then everybody's live at 4 or 5 with a straight pkg for 6. Sometimes that's fine, but I do think that things can and do start to not feel as fresh at 6. Some stations have started to stagger reporter start times to be able to be live later and have new content for 6 and 7, and I think that's smart.

I’m kind of thinking the tell on what time slot a specific station values the most is in its advertising. In my market it’s the 6pm that gets the most ads and feature reports. I know WLS emphasized the 10pm heavily in its advertising and less the other time slots in the evenings. Not sure if that’s still the case. 
 

Tonight they had 2 pretaped packages at 10pm. It was a pretty sleepy newscast. 

On 6/20/2024 at 10:11 AM, MediaZone4K said:

In general live shots at night where the scene is not visible are pointless. The main point of a live shot is to display an active scene or breaking news, the second is putting a report on the air in which there isn't enough time to package. Big markets like Atlanta are the king of pointless live shots. 

 

I doubt the audience cares if the reporter is live at an inactive scene, especially if they are consuming news after the fact on YouTube. 

 

I had a news director say he didn't want a daytime stand-up for a report airing at night, but the bridge or the cutaway two shots (and the interview) could be in daylight which made no sense. 

A report from earlier in the day when the scene is more active would seem to be maximum bang for the buck. I’m used to the late news being an update show and the 6pm being the most important though… something that dates off and on back to the 1980’s at least. 

On 6/11/2024 at 7:25 PM, Howard Beale said:

The old Graham Media Group thread is archived.  It’s time to start a new one, due in part to this interesting development.

 

Graham Media Group is apparently applying the MMJ concept (one person does the jobs of two or three people)  to its local management.  Its six stations have job openings for a so-called “Manager of Content and Coverage.”  Judging by the job description, this sounds like a mashup of an assistant news director, an executive producer, and possibly even a managing editor.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this MCC person even had to line produce on occasion!

 

Here’s the job opening for reference: https://www.click2houston.com/careers/2024/05/28/manager-of-content-and-coverage-three-openings-available/

 

I can’t say I’m surprised about this new development in management.  Graham is in cost-cutting mode.  They recently went through a round of buyouts.  Plus, they hired Sean McLaughlin, the ex-Scripps news executive who spearheaded that company’s bungled news reorganization.

I know WDIV has been progressively getting worse lately… I welcome a Scripps guy to make sure they follow through on that effort. 

On 6/12/2024 at 12:14 AM, Chicago2008 said:

He stated in an interview that he was paid off, he also stated that the NDA is in effect for life hence why he can't mention her name publicly. It is also why he should seek professional help, anything you say in a shrinks office is confidential

Is there really a whole lotta doubt that she is a particularly underwhelming anchor? 

15 hours ago, Breaking News said:

What do you make out that Devin Scillian didn't take the buyout? Will he get renewed on the next contract cycle?  He been a mainstay for 30 yrs.

He’s probably there as long as he wants to be but must figure he has more work to do or he’s having fun while it lasts. They won’t cut him unceremoniously or anything. 

On 5/30/2024 at 11:44 PM, GraphicsMan said:

Had a brief stint at WCBS in New York in the 90s but he was part of the station “massacre” at that station which resulted in him getting laid off.

I realize but I think they and he want to forget that part… I didn’t think it was quite that long a stint…

WDIV Is giving 4 of its veteran on air people and several behind the scenes people buyouts. Bernie Smilovitz (main sports anchor joined in 1986), Paula Tutman (reporter joined 1992), Rod Meloni (reporter joined 1995) and Mara McDonald (reporter joined 2004) have all accepted the incentives. This will take effect July 1. The GM even penned an open letter trying to convince everyone it’s not a cost savings move. Their quality has been slipping lately… I can’t imagine that’s going to markedly improve with the talent drain. 
 

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/television/2024/05/28/wdiv-tv-confirms-departure-four-veteran-members-news-team/73887265007/

10 hours ago, Vlad said:

Its honestly too slow and just antiquated in my opinion and the theme just doesn't fit with LA. I honestly wish they even got rid of it here in NY.. It is a catchy grewt theme but it's been in use for 20+ years. Still shocked they switched to the WABC theme. So wild to me to hear the WABC bumper when watching the show haha.

I grew up with that theme when WXYZ used it so it’s my all time favorite. Never mind the Action News using Eyewitness News music bit. It was when Bill Carey turned WXYZ into a pretty decent WABC imitation. 
 

I will say KABC’s presentation is a little breezy for the pace of the theme. 

The second theme is arguably a lot catchier so it should be an upgrade. 

Bryan Abel is leaving WXYZ for CNN Newssource… he was their 5pm anchor. 
 

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/television/2024/04/30/brian-abel-is-leaving-wxyz-tv-detroit-for-cnn/73518574007/

It was actually Saturday 4/20. 

1 hour ago, LTSC1980 said:

That 3D logo made the stations looks so 2000s

That might have been the idea… their 2000’s graphics package circle 7 spun like that. 

Well… they got some nifty new preview graphics in a light blue color:

Also a new background for use in a multiple person box, not sure how well it shows up but it’s using some of the same light blue color. They’ve had the blue on their jackets for years now. It’s about the same shade that Honda uses for its commercials. Lower Thirds are the same. 

Sports sponsorship bumper showing new sports logo:

11pm Open complete with some actual movement with the logo:

7 News Detroit Sponsorship Bumper:

9 hours ago, GodfreyGR said:

I can appreciate this comparison, and it ties into what @Samantha was saying earlier about Scripps' values in journalism. The KSHB rebrand did a great job at utilizing the channel number as the brand and slogan- I end up in KC a decent amount and remember seeing the "News For Every One" (Stories, A Voice, A Community...). I remember thinking the approach was unique and built a community-minded angle that seemed to take a stab at first-place KMBC/Hearst, where many stories in the newscast are introed "covering (location) tonight". The positioning for KSHB also is a good setting/base for ScrippsCast (can argue that later).

 

Has it pulled KSHB out of 4h place? Not sure. Would love to know if there was a dent made. If northing else, there is likely a greater brand awareness for Channel 41. However, to the point, there are now 4 newscasts in Detroit. if WXYZ is not in 1st place and ratings are lagging or sinking, this might be worth a shot. Including Detroit as the brand might also be a stab at CBS (Again, has WWJ made any dent in the ratings or is there any trend showing they are on track to?)

They been stuck in 2nd since 2009 overall and third in the demo… they have nothing to lose.

6 hours ago, GraphicsMan said:

It called tradition, we need to keep them. Just like how WPVI the mother of the Action News brand would never do something like this and drop it. Or even worse drop Move Closer to your world. Jim Gardner retired from channel 6, in 10 years should we drop the “Action News”  branding and MCTYW? No. Because it’s tradition. WXYZ in Detriot caved to modernism by rebranding.

I hate to break it to you but all three major stations in Detroit will have now rebranded at least once. It happens. Folks in this market seem to like the hype of WDIV and absolutely nothing 7 has tried seems to work. They have been stuck in second since 2009 and there for 22 of the last 28 years. Even though their newscasts are really well put together now they spent years in the doldrums quality wise and never really followed the format to begin with even in the 1970’s. Their newscasts weren’t so different from KABC or WABC or WLS that we should say they reinvented the ABC local news wheel. It’s not the tradition it is in Philly or something either. If it means better graphic elements and a new voiceover and maybe talent opens and a new style that’s probably a positive on aggregate. Their focus is gonna be on using 7 and Channel 7… they don’t even have a slogan anymore. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with. 

6 minutes ago, GodfreyGR said:

Anyone know how much WPVI shells out for it? You'd think ABC would make a move to buy the TM from Cox (Or tie an affiliation renewal to it?)

 

Side thought- PVI probably pays way too much for the rights, but history tells us what happens if you change that brand (MCTYW revamp, exhibit A)

If you tweak the name and leave the product exactly the same or nearly so… will anybody notice? That’s what I think they are up to. 

2 hours ago, 24994J said:

 

In-house package, 2001-05

Thanks, I knew you would know it. First image from the News era I could find and it took a minute to come up with one. 

Just now, Rusty Muck said:

Wasn't that because WJBK at the time used the EWN name? Of course with an anchor like Bill Bonds at the helm, it wouldn't have been a proper use of the EWN format anyway. Same with Irv at WKBW not exactly implementing the Action News format with the EWN name.

Correct WJBK beat ABC to it in Detroit so they adopted the other name but it left their product somewhere in the middle. It was unique among the original 5 stations in that way. 

21 minutes ago, Weeters said:

General reminder that the "Action News" trademark is owned by Cox (and "Eyewitness News" is owned by CBS!) and stations have to pay to use them. Why should Scripps keep paying for a brand name for a format that hasn't been properly used in decades? I know folks have a weird affinity for these two brands, but come on. This is, by far, a better logo than some of the other Scripps rebrands over the past few years.

They always had the same style as KABC or KGO… they never really followed the Action News format… it always looked like Eyewitness news with a little more relaxed freewheeling style. Then they got lost after bonds left and adopted a WABC-ish caricature that was actually really good in the 2000’s before falling off a cliff from say 2011 to 2021. Currently they have gone way hard news with very little hype… this new branding fits pretty well with what they are doing and the improvements they’ve made to the product. Their newscasts could use to be a lot less sleepy though. There isn’t any flare at all for whatever reason. Not even the kind that you can do for free by changing or tweaking style. 
 

The logo looks like something one of the O&O’s would make when they had dropped the Eyewitness part of the name… at least if you squint and move the word news around. This one is a WLS version from well… 24994J would likely know. 
 

WXYZ Will be rebranding from 7 Action News to 7 News Detroit starting Monday morning at 430am. The morning show will be “7 News Detroit This Morning” which doesn’t have much ring to it. This is the first time they’ve rebranded their newscasts since 1972.
 

They even have a nifty new logo that vaguely looks like it means hard news:

5 minutes ago, froyo49 said:

The pointless gloss that doesn’t emphasize anything, lens flares on top banners, and everything flying in/up/around

This game can be played with any decorative element, and for the same reason your neighbor covers their house with Christmas lights, it’s there to draw attention. imo the graphics should complement the story, not distract from it, but the consultants often don’t seem to think so

The fancy arrows DO have a purpose… they “move” the little line below the headline in the previews… you know… like you do in an app! Kinda like tabs that look like text boxes… it’s what all the kids are into right? I swear these ideas are from somebody about to retire who is about as hip as a heart attack. 

I managed to fire up the online newscast on my Apple TV so I can see what this looks like on a TV vs. my phone… the lower thirds owe royalties to somebody in Fargo, ND. There is no separation to the names of someone being interviewed and where they are from. A thin line between top and bottom would be awfully nice. The transitions where the graphic swings in and swings out again (weather for example) looks familiar… like 2012 familiar. Making your audience dizzy trying to read your graphic still isn’t in style. 
 

The best part of the package is probably the weather graphics. 

I never thought I would have a use for this but…

*Cough*

Why do TV news people have to have the same hard headed product philosophies as car executives? Keep it simple and don’t try to overflash or make it harder to read a graphic or see an image in an open. A large chunk of the viewers are older and may be turned off by it.

I think I prefer something simpler. I’d rather have the Scripps package than this. There are too many elements moving all over the place, the mashup music is jarring and strange. The live bug is weird looking and reminds me of something CNN might use. For spending years making it the whole thing looks like a ridiculous rush job. Color me disappointed. WLS downgraded big time. I’ll second whoever said it looks like WABC’s package. 

1 hour ago, CircleWXYZ said:

They just finished hiring all the spots for the weekend newscasts.  They are supposed to debut this summer.  Heard this from a couple of people who are involved with the station.

Have they caught 20 yet? I kinda have my doubts…

15 hours ago, LexTVandRadio said:

I just noticed this on twitter.  

 

"Scripps News Norfolk". Is that how they are telling other stories from other markets? 

 

Asking for a friend… doesn’t anybody proofread anything or understand what the edit button does?