MediaZone4K

Truly hoping that day never comes. I'm hearing more and more that networks could eventually abandon the affiliate model. What does that future look like? Local tv stations with no network scripted programming? Just syndicated scripted and talk shows, local news, and national news provided by the station ownership groups?

why aren't local stations transparent about ratings anymore? Is it to spin the numbers in their favor to convince advertisers to agree to a certain price?

Speaking of the Queen City, former Charlotte reporter turned Atlanta anchor Lana Harris is leaving WANF's morning show per her IG

This is better lit than their Upper West Side studio, warmer lighting has really helped all of the shows that moved. The HD quality looks richer. The temporary set looked better IMO, I wish they switched it up more for the new permanent Live set. This is basically what ABC did with World News Tonight, re-create the same thing in a different space. The only set I would've liked to have seen rebuilt the same way was The View, as it looked really good before, but the new set is OK.

I was just thinking about that. It reminded me of when Tom Brokaw anchored Nightly News from the roof of 30 Rock on 9/11. An alternative idea would've been to field anchor with one of the primary news cast anchors on the roof for the duration of the newscast. Extra emphasis

If this becomes a long term pairing it would be Lara's second time in a similar role. Reminds me of when she hosted Good Afternoon America. This is cool for Sam who (speculation) seems to have wanted a network position again after leaving GMA years ago. If the buzz is true about DeMarco and Eva getting the boot, that especially sucks for DeMarco who was overjoyed to the point of tears after getting the job. He's had some pretty prominent anchor positions over his career so I'm sure he'll get another opportunity at ABC.

GMA Cubed has gone though five rebrandings in it's seven year run. It's been an unstable program from the jump. Im surprised ABC didn't outright give up and cancel it. Strahan, Sarah and Keke was my favorite incarnation of the program, but it never took off.

Good Day Orlando is fun and creative, happy to see it doing well. I'll have to watch more of the the 5 & 10 pm newscasts!

Deborah leaving Inside Edition felt imminent. Mary Calvi is hosting most of the times I happen to catch the show.

All good. And yes, the lack of public availability of ratings is unfortunate.

I mentioned that several times. Please read the full post... This is supposed to give us an idea of where things were in recent years not exactly where they are today. Let me go back and put that at the top of the post to again emphasize that.

** it's hard to find data from 2024 or 2025, the latest I can find is from 2022. If this gives any idea of recent market standing... WSVN was at last check no longer market leader, and they're already in competition with WPLG. Based on the latest numbers from Nexttv (if we trust them) WPLG tops the English language stations in overall households in several time slots, with WSVN coming in second but competing for the demo. The Spanish language stations however appear to be averaging at #1 & 2 overall in the ratings in multiple slots. WFOR is in better standing than I thought they were, coming out as # 1 in english 11 PM. I have a family member that lives in So Flo who didn't even know there was a Channel 4 if that's any indication of their market standing. They separated WTVJ's numbers so it's difficult to ascertain their average standing. I would like to see something more recent, but 2022 is the latest I can find. https://www.nexttv.com/news/local-news-close-up-south-florida-holds-the-keys-to-successful-local-news (2022 Ratings)

I hope they use the 7 to 11 AM block to do a lighter morning show (like Good Day Orlando), instead of all hard news. It's surprising that in a place as active and vibrant as South Florida, there was no light morning newscast in the overlapping Miami or West Palm Beach markets, until WPEC added ARC Florida recently. WOFL 35 in Orlando is a great example of a station using creative formatting to fill heavy news output.

news overload! but they really have no options.

The last time I recall that happening was 2011 under Maurice and Kristine. Can't speak to today. I would love to see the latest NYC numbers. Stations and talent often claim to be number one all the time, but it could just mean in a specific demographic, time period or slot. Prime example, I've heard people at WSB calling it the "number one station in the country", but last time I checked that was WABC.

In the era of streaming, do television networks still need to air 24 hours of programming? Does overnight paid programming, sitcom reruns, local newscast rebroadcasts, or network news overnight shows, make a substantial profit? agreed. I miss James Corden, too bad it came out that his show was more expensive to produce than the profit it turned.

The corner angles of the set look nice. The whole thing however is not that impressive. It's the same old same old: massive video wall panels and a barren floor space

Having watched and visited, Today is on the plaza for a brief segment at the top of the 8am hour and maybe 1 segment at 8:30, in its four hour runtime. The only time they really heavily utilize the plaza is for concerts.

Wow, Times Sq will no longer host any morning show with CBS Mornings also gone. Does GMA still use an indoor audience on the second floor? If so, I hope they continue that in the new building. Even Today hardly utilizes its plaza audience anymore.

Rare footage — to me at least. Pre FOX 5 Rosanna Scotto on WABC!

You beat me to it. Syndicated options aren't much better. Cheap Byron Allen Court shows like The Verdict with Judge Hatchett, countless Family Feud reruns, Pictionary? Some stations have stooped as low as having paid programming blocks on weekdays. I totally agree that all the good stuff is on streaming while broadcast primetime goes for the generic procedural types. When I overcome my cynicism and actually watch some broadcast primetime shows they're not half bad. ABC's Doctor Odyssey for example. The problem is, shows like that don't encourage me to give them a chance to begin with, because they look like recycled crap.

First Coast News uses Good Morning Jacksonville despite the NBC station being their lead product which simulcasts on ABC. WABC calls its 10am newscast Eyewitness News Mornings at 10, despite Mornings being CBS's AM branding. While it's common practice for local stations to brand their morning newscast in line with the national AM newscast, I don't think it's a requirement or an expectation.

Cox has some good stations, WSB among them. I would hate to see Nexstar ( which according to those who work in the industry pays the lowest) come in and cheapen those stations. I wouldn't mind Hearst taking over. I've heard part of the reason why Hearst has such a good reputation is that it doesn't endlessly acquire stations like the other groups, so it isn't spread too thin. Moreover, they have assets outside of television, so they aren't solely dependent on tv revenue.

Part of the reason I question if WSVN will eventually go for a full ABC affiliation, is the thought that a big three affiliation is greater/more prominent than a Fox. Does that still hold true (especially for CBS after the 1994 realignments)?

That shouldn't matter. WSVN still uses Today in Florida which (correct me if I'm wrong) was a title it got during its NBC affiliation days. WTVJ calls their AM newscast NBC 6 News Today to differentiate. It's ironic that WSVN is often called the model Fox affiliate despite distancing itself from the Fox brand. Yes the business is changing... but as people have said before, I don't see ABC being content on a sub channel long-term in a top 20 market. If this were a smaller market, the CW or My Network TV, perhaps. We may be looking at another shake up in the next few years.