MediaZone4K

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/kelly-clarkson-tormented-talk-show-133000022.html

Kelly Clarkson will reportedly leaver her talk show in 2026. If so that's a shame. She was one of the better daytime hosts. I really enjoy her and Sherri, Jennifer Hudson is okay too. 

On 6/1/2025 at 2:44 AM, Breaking News said:

The old newsroom & the new newsroom at NBC4 & Telemundo47.

 

Having trouble editing my previous post...The circular monitor and desk in the bottom video remind me of ABC and FOX's Newsrooms. 

On 6/2/2025 at 7:00 PM, mouseboy33 said:

Tom seems like a nice guy. But his delivery for me lacks the gravitas of Brokaw, Williams and Holt that preceded him. He has a delivery similar to that of David Muir. Im not a fan of the breathless clipped style. That NBC and ABC now uses for the past decade. The reporters dont even use complete sentences anymore. After watching Tom Llamas for a few minutes. I had to switch to CBS. I was Night News viewer for decades. But Im kinda done now. Ive always had respect for NBC News as an entity. BUt i cant take it the tik tok style delivery. 

I think Tom gets the job done. He strikes me as the NBC version of David Muir. Young(ish) guy in a suit and tie at the desk, Roving anchorman in a black t shirt out in the field. If not Tom then who is the alternative with those all encompassing traits? Peter Alexander perhaps? 

IMO the issue is more so NBC Nightly News than Tom. I like Lester Holt but the program's quality declined after took over. It's been rapid fire pacing, high story count, head spinning graphics in packages, and breaking news for the entire A block. All of this I'm sure was a response to World News Tonight getting #1 (so I understand why they felt the need to change).

Of the modern era anchors,  Brian Williams' broadcast was superior. It fast paced as well but not to the ADHD level it is today. He also possessed a grand narrative style that was evident during his anchor intros that I appreciated.

Regarding the speaking I've noticed and been irritated by it too. NBC and ABC anchors seem to shout and as you say talk in half sentences. "Bullets flying; police coming to the scene, investigators finding victims". It's a mechanism to keep the story's "TRT" or runtime down to about 90 seconds long.  

2 hours ago, Vlad said:

Yeah, it’s the end of an era indeed. This is exactly how it played out for Bill Beutel in the late 90s until he left the station in 2003. And most of the veteran anchors stayed on the 6 p.m. show till their final days. Bill Ritter, now his replacement from 2003, is now 75, so it’s understandable that he's slowly beginning his departure from the career. Hopefully, he stays till 2030! What a solid anchor and face he has been for WABC. 

 

 

I was surprised to hear Bill say that he'll be on Eyewitness News at 6 for years to come. Although it's customary for semi retired anchors to ride the 6pm until the end, in this cost-cutting climate I'm surprised they didn't make him fully retire instead of paying him to anchor for 30 minutes a day. Regardless it's cool to still have another veteran anchor around for a while longer. 

I grew up watching Bill and Liz together at six,  so it's nice that she will be his final partner.

More changes in Atlanta.  WXIA's  much promoted 4pm team of Johnathan Martin (formerly KRIV) and Faith Jessie is no more. He swaps places with morning anchor Cheryl Prehiem. Rachael Cox Rosen is the new traffic anchor.

I liked Jonathan and Faith together.

https://www.11alive.com/video/news/local/11alive-morning-team-says-goodbye-to-cheryl-prehiem-and-julie-smith/85-fb635351-f770-4419-bb36-f875d32729de#

56 minutes ago, Howard Beale said:

The difference between WSVN in 1989 and WANF in 2025 is viewers.  WSVN succeeded because the "if it bleeds, it leads" format was unique,  and it drew in plenty of viewers during a time when you had few other choices for news.  Today, you can get your news from almost any local source on your phone.  Who needs to watch traditional TV news anymore?  Very few people do, and the ratings prove it.  Here's what Broadcasting & Cable had to say about Atlanta ratings in 2023:

 

 

That's pretty bad when you realize that Atlanta has, per Nielsen, 2.7 million TV households.

 

I've no doubt that WANF will do fine in a post-CBS era.  Gray has an incentive to ensure the station succeeds.  My point is that WANF and Gray are doubling down on more news in a legacy format that is losing viewers and revenue.

I miss the availability of raw numbers like those listed.

Yikes.... So only about 9% of households in the Atlanta DMA were watching local news at 11 PM.

Despite the overall low numbers it is impressive to see WSB's audience share dominance in 2023. 

Action News had 24K more households than their closest competitor Fox 5 News and double the audience of Atlanta News First.

Same script different cast. Tom did a decent job as expected. Seamless transition. IMO the iffy set and formatting persist. I don't think he'll beat David Muir but I anticipate NNN will remain a strong number two. 

There's a new segment "The Cost of Denial" about the toll of healthcare insurance denial on patients. No doubt a conversation sparked by the Luigi case.

With Tom Llamas taking over NBC Nightly News I'm thinking back to when Brian Williams was at the helm. I really liked his narrative style, especially in his anchor intros. The show has truly not been the same since he screwed himself. Shame. I really liked the broadcast from CNBC HQ during the 2008 financial collapse especially the shaky hand newsroom shots. 

On 5/17/2025 at 11:17 AM, SoFloTVClassics said:

More vintage South Florida News Snippets late 1970's

 

( Clip starting at 50:20 until the end contains disturbing images, viewer discretion advised)

 

Jesus. Blurred or not why would they even air those images? The content could have just been described. News in the 70s and 80s was RAW!

History repeats itself. With news of CBS Atlanta leaving Channel 46 and going to Channel 69, here are some news reports of when the CBS affiliation almost went to Ch 69.

12 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

In an explosive announcement, CBS is moving their affiliation to WUPA in Atlanta, making it an O&O.

 

Long predicted, interesting to see this come into fruition. Top market Atlanta will now have another O&O besides WAGA.

Hopefully whatever newscast they produce isn't as generic and lifeless as their former CBS "Nowcasts". I don't anticipate CBS News Atlanta will perform any better than WXIA or WANF but let's see.

WNBC story about their now shared newsroom/studio space with WNJU.

13 hours ago, GraphicsMan said:

Lowkey starting to think and I talked about this in a Reddit forum but I got my first tv job when I was in college and I dropped out. I’m starting to think you don’t need a degree for journalism or at least you don’t have to study it, some of the best journalist didn’t even study it they studied another genre than went into journalism. For example Tom Brokaw studied political science not journalism, I’m not saying going to school for journalism is important I’m not saying that but obviously people have back doored their way into TV News. Another example people have back doored there way into tv weather apparently you can get a metrology certificate (which is a degree without the Gen Eds) from Miss State and do the AMS exam and become a metrologist I’d didn’t know that I thought you had to get the 4 year degree. Even Al Roker didn’t go to school for metrology he majored in communications to be a journalist, he in a way back doored his way to weather. Again not saying j-school isn’t important that of course that’s traditional way but some journalist I’ve watched didn’t take that route.

Was thinking this myself. Journalism has a broad enough skill set where one can study adjacent subjects like English, law, or political science and enter the field.

I supoose that broad skill set is why the industry pays so low. Writing articles or conducting interviews are perhaps not considered specialized enough for high pay compared to medicine, law or skilled trade jobs.

Furthermore, a lot of training for journalism happens on the job which deemphasizes the formal education necessity. Most colleges do not teach broadcast skills like teleprompter reading, voice modulation or even how to edit packages. They simply teach standards of journalism, writing structure and how to craft print/web stories. 

Journalism is also a field where anything more than a masters degree, or attending a high status college aren't necessary. While the degree gets you in the door, skills like pitching stories, having robust contacts, and your on camera personality appearance and sound, is what carries you furthest.

12 hours ago, ns8401 said:

The gold one was one of the worst things ever devised by mortal man. Those colors belong in a 1970’s car dealership.  The other one was good except for the silly flying box on the left. That got old after a while.

Agreed. I like the second ones more except for the flying box.

The Brown graphics admittedly were not the best but I maintain that they were still more imaginative and lively than what we have now.

EDIT: This is perhaps the best thing **a Scripps station ever had graphically**...

18 hours ago, newsman123 said:

why have the Scripps stations become so boring and vanilla. They are unwatchable. No energy. 

My thoughts exactly. Who is the consulting firm that advised Scripps to strip their newscasts of any zest and turn them into generic waiting room/airport kiosk feed newscasts. Old Scripps packages had a lot more color and life. 

Liz Bishop's goodbye special after 52 years at WRGB.

20 hours ago, ScottSchell said:

I was told by the assistant news director at KJRH back in April that Scripps was working on a new graphics package and looks like Tampa Bay is the first to get it.

19 hours ago, alaskanews said:

While a bit generic, the graphics are an upgrade from the Powerpoint package they've had. I'd be interested to hear what other cuts the music package has because that one was quite underwhelming and forgettable. 

The openings looks good. More generic white box L3s graphics (yawn) but definitely an upgrade from their current flat blue rectangle L3. It looks like a better version of WPIX's mid 2010s package.

I think the lower third would look better if the  "Right now at 5:00 subject line" were placed above the white box, not within it.

I like the depth on some of these graphics such as here. The curves remind me of the ABC O&O graphics.

Can't wait to see these on WPTV.

On 5/24/2025 at 10:55 PM, nathannah said:

The big problem is definitely the security needed these days; as Weeters said, it was interesting in 1994 when the worst folks you ever encountered usually posted their manifestos via the mail and everyone self-policed themselves. But once Columbine and 9/11 happened along with the Internet, stalkers, then just general distrust of mainstream media setting in, you had to block out those folks from getting on camera as a threat to the safety of others, so now outside set parts of the day you're looking at an empty window outside the Today studio where unless you brought the right sign or sob story to get in for a game or makeover on the 4th hour (or now, well pre-vetted ahead of time), there's no way you're appearing on-camera.

 

It's why the concept has just completely died locally outside of controlled weather decks and balconies; those stations just don't have the budget to provide security that NBC has, along with any idiot ready to yell 'FHRITP' and attack the talent. Who would want that headache?

 

Add to that the pointless 1515 move that still stuck CBS in a windowless studio and ABC eventually retreating to the safety of the second floor, because pedestrianization of Times Square now means you have to deal with multiple headaches outside the Naked Cowboy, the cavalcade of unlicensed characters and the 'unwashed masses', which especially after Tony Dokoupil's interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates...yeah, you'd be questioned deeply if you wanted to send him and Gayle out to do a cooking segment on the Square.

 

It's also so damned bright now with all the signage and is probably a nightmare to light/shoot around because ad screens are on 24/7 rather than just still images lit only at night (my trip to Times Square last year was on a drab and rainy day and it felt like that block was lit like 30 car lots), so that was another reason CBS had to cover the windows and ABC's only Times Square shot is now just that one generic shot of the big screen. All of that is a reason TRL is no longer a thing too; it used to be you tolerated Limp Bizkit to get to see Britney Spears, but today's music 'stans' will try to derail a free event with an artist they hate in any way they can (and the reason for the hate is probably very banal).

 

Finally, most people are there just to get a picture with the talent, so once you get it...well, you're done. It's not 1998 any longer where it'll take a bit to get that picture from the lab. You got your TikTok/Instagram moment. Instant gratification. Why stick around? Outside the concert series, who wants to stand around watching a morning show backwards through a window you probably can't even see through, probably through loudspeakers which sound awful, and an outdoor uncovered plaza subject to rain, snow or cold? You'd be better off waiting for winter to get facetime on the skating rink wide shot or under the tree, where you know you won't get hassled by regular cops and side-hustle security guards.

I understand some of your points. I don't think the streetside studio concept is a necessary trend across multiple stations especially on the local level with constrained budgets. I don't mind Today keeping the plaza however.

The W 49th street view being blocked by police is understandable as you said. The Rockefeller Plaza portion however is a lot more controled. Onlookers have to go through metal detection to enter the plaza and security reviews your signs before you walk on.

Today already does an occasional weather hit or concert series on the plaza so one or two interview segments out there weather permitting (to keep the plaza portion relevant) wouldn't hurt.

Sidenote: GMA's in-studio audience experience was better. There are security guards in the audience monitoring everyone,  there's a hype man in the crowd between commercial breaks, and you can actually hear the audio of the anchors and guests speaking. It's more controlled in that you have to book tickets (but people on standby in the audience who show up early can get in before you).

On 5/8/2025 at 10:58 AM, Howard Beale said:

Graham Media might be trying out a new way of managing stations.  Per Rick Gevers, Graham’s WKMG in Orlando, Florida will not hire a new general manager, and  “department heads [will] report to their corporate supervisors.”

 

It reeks of Scripps and its station manager concept, where many stations replaced GMs with an existing department head who added “station manager” to their job title…while still running their respective department.

 

The common link here?  Sean McLaughlin, the ex-Scripps news VP who landed at Graham.

On 5/9/2025 at 12:36 AM, Greggo said:

The GM at KPRC/Houston just left recently. Will be curious to see if they’re going this route too. 

You called it, Per Tv News Check McLaughlin will also become KPRC 2's Vice President and General Manager while serving as VP of News for Graham.

 https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/grahams-mclaughlin-adds-kprc-vp-gm-to-role/

SIDEBAR: what exactly does the title "/Vice President" mean for a general manager. As far as I know general managers are the highest authority at a local news station so who is the "president?"

Looks like they're taking a page from WCBS with national personalities filling in on the weekend.

Unless Yates doesn't want it, it's beyond past due for Toni to weekend anchor. She's got the perfect personality and she was great with Michelle, and she was great whenever she filled next to Rob Nelson.

1 hour ago, Weeters said:

 

The streetside studio was an interesting concept when NBC brought it back in 1994. But, it's no longer 1994.

 

It says a lot that everyone else has abandoned/is abandoning their streetside studio concept. It doesn't magically make the show better, or increase ratings. It has become a magnet for weirdos and people with an axe to grind, and that can be seen by how the area outside 1A's home base has been filled with a bunch of giant planter boxes over the last decade. The only way you can end up on TV now (and that seems to be a lot fewer people clamoring for that than before) is by being in the area that their security and/or the NYPD can shoo you away from the window.

 

Look at the stark difference between this pic from a 1999 wild feed and nearly the same anchor position from this morning, and another similar one from this past week. You can't even see across the street anymore. Are they in New York City? Can't tell, it's entirely obscured by plants (and not even an actual plant in half of the second image, it's a screen showing a plant). The shots have all been adjusted too, go back and look at late 90's/early 2000's clips and match them up with the modern look... New York City is hidden from view. So, I ask, what is the point? 

 

Having been to that area, like you said, police shoe people away from that view of the window (W 49th Street) and everyone is told to stand behind the barricades on the side of studio (Rockefeller Plaza), so it's comparatively empty today.

Having gone to the Plaza myself, the audience experience is pretty lackluster.

The anchors barely come out onto the plaza except for the 8 AM introduction and an occasional weather hit from Al. 

I think an outdoor audience presence is still cool if utilized properly which Today doesn't really do anymore. 

I would love to see NDs fill in in the field so they definitely get a dose of reality.

1 hour ago, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

I actually applaud when ND's/AND's step in when needed... I think it gives them new perspective that many times they forget about.

 

17 hours ago, carolinanews4 said:

I genuinely don't understand the angst regarding Nightly broadcasting from Studio 1A. Is it just sentimental longing for a dedicated space?

 

From a business perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense to build a standalone studio for a show with a 22-minute runtime where the studio itself is on camera for a few minutes. The economic realities make Nightly's use of 1A completely reasonable. Heck, Nightly started switching the show from the 1A control back room during Brian Williams' tenure. I don't see the practical need for a big production space for a solo-anchored newscast like this. ABC World News Tonight uses a shared studio space, but outside of a bump shot, the show is mostly a static shot of David seated in front of an LED wall. And this is the top-rated evening newscast, and on occasion, has been the most watched show on television. 

 

So while the set in Studio 1A might be a little long in the tooth, it seems perfectly serviceable. Lester's ratings didn't drop when they moved to 1A. And I doubt Tom's would spike if they had their own space. When budgets are being slashed, the priority should be to keep investing in newsgathering resources. Building a new set to say you have a dedicated space doesn't seem like a good use of shrinking resources. But I might be missing something here.  

IMO it's no issue that they share a set, the problem is that the set sucks.

Recently a WRGB/WCWN anchor went viral for anchoring their three hour long AM broadcast while in labor.

Interestinly their news director Stone Grissom has been filling in for her for the last two mornings. 

The station is on the verge of short staffing as three of their anchors are pregnant simultaneously, with one already on maternity leave and another on paternity leave...on top of Liz Bishop's pending retirement.

3 hours ago, JoseRM303 said:

https://www.today.com/news/today-staff-react-sheinelle-jones-husband-uche-ojeh-death-rcna208455
 

Sheinelle Jones husband Uche Ojeh has passed away from an agressive form of brain cancer at the age of 45

Just awful.

This will put to rest the speculation about why Sheinelle has been absent so much.

On 5/22/2025 at 4:18 PM, Drew said:

Just like when Brian Williams took over from Tom Brokaw, they waited a bit to switch up the graphics to ease in the change for the viewers.  The networks did the same when transitioning from Charles Gibson to Diane Sawyer to David Muir.  Same went for the morning shows Bryant/Katie to Katie/Matt etc. 

The set Brian Williams got about two to three years in sucked compared to the late era Brokaw set. IMO that was Nightly News's best era visually (2000-2007).

Yeah Studio 1A looked way better when they changed up the set for Meredith.