MediaZone4K

On 10/5/2023 at 9:39 AM, NBC 5 Chicago said:

I think WTVJ's is a miss compared to their previous set. It's a very large and nice set but I think it is just bland overall like WNBC's. WMAQ, WRC, WCAU, KXAS and maybe even WBTS have the better sets within the group. There is more character and elements to their sets. KNBC's is starting to age but still held up well and had some character. We'll see if they get something similar to WMAQ and WRC and not the way of WTVJ and WNBC. 

WTVJ's set is waaaay better than WNBC's former and new set. But totally agree that WNBC is lackluster for market 1. 

Hopeful for some mixture on the evening shows.

Tamsen could fit on a light flare newscast like Good Day New York.

@DMA 3C was the best set they had since vacating 6B and I still don't understand why they went to 3K.

This new set is nothing remarkable, but it looks better than their last set, and it looks miles ahead of WABC. As for being DMA #1...none of the the NY O&Os, which are supposed to be flagships, look better than their station group peers. Just look at WTTG vs WNYW, or --NBC related---WNBC compared to WTVJ:

12 hours ago, 24994J said:

Not great, not terrible. Reminds me of WPIX, in the L3 text weight & proportions. The waving flag next to the live bug is silly, but feels on-brand, in a hilarious way. The logo in the bug is way too big. The time rotates with the stock numbers. It is "cleaner," if uninspired.

 

I like the clean portrait effect on national outlet reporter standups. But if the entire point is to be live in front of something, it defeats the purpose to have the background be blurry. 

On 8/18/2023 at 1:55 PM, MD TV said:

So the UFO stuff has helped ratings. But obviously at a cost:

 

 

Haven't we learned from CNN and the Malaysia Plane

Late in the game to ask this, but why would Nexstar, a company known for being cheap, pour resources into launching a cable news channel in the era of cord cutting???

Futile question: Why not take that money and pay local station employees better?

34 minutes ago, NYNewsCoverage said:

From the New York thread: 

WCBS reports tonight that NY news fixture of the consumer segment 'shame on you', Arnold Diaz, has passed at 74 . 

 

Yet another CBS 2 alum gone! Wow!

More from what I call the "struggle era" of WCBS (1997-2006). Constant talent changes, rebrands and new sets following the "Massacre of 1996" when many talent were fired.

News 2 era begins (1997). Never saw this set before. The "2News" logo, set, and graphics looked way better.

Just months later the set would look like this:

Shon Gables first day (2003). That blue set was a downgrade compared to the "information center" era and 5th Ave studios. 

Jim Rosenfield's first day (2005). Roz says she's "happy to have him back from that other station" and that "she hopes they can anchor together for a loooong time". Ironic in that she didn't last too much longer at the station. I love Roz but that wig was not it compared to her WABC style. 

What did you all think of WCBS during this time?

On 10/6/2023 at 10:49 PM, Colortini said:

John deserves to be on weekdays, and it’s comforting having him back after the loss of Elise Finch. Sorry if I’m in the minority here but Raegan Medgie is one of the most annoying personalities on television. She was annoying on The Weather Channel and she was just as annoying on FOX 5. Yes, she has high energy but she’s way over the top, and for her to replace John Elliott or Craig Allen would be crazy. Craig Allen is one of the, if not best/most knowledgeable meteorologists in NYC. Only if he wants to give up that slot then sure, hire her to fill the slot to give the weekend show a shot in the arm. However, to have someone like Craig Allen on the weather team gives CBS 2 major credibility, and makes the team much stronger. 

On 10/6/2023 at 2:30 PM, NYNewsCoverage said:

My opinion is that they already replaced Elise with John Elliott. John, Lonnie and Elise all came to WCBS at the same time in 2007 so he deserves (and before Elise had) the weekday spot. I still remember all the random people complaining when he was moved to weekends lol. Having Craig Allen on weekend mornings is great but I don't know if thats a long term plan or if Craig wants that gig back permanently. I could see Raegen Medgie joining for weekend mornings (she already had a stint on WCBS years ago), or Megan Glaros if they wanted to go that route.

Keep John and Craig where they are on WCBS. I could have seen Regan on mornings at Fox 5 given that she dialed it back just a bit. 

On 9/29/2023 at 7:56 PM, bronxny said:

raegen medgie last day at fox 5 is next friday. she posted it to her instagram. they offered her a renewal of her contract but she decided its time to move on she was starting to grow on me i liked her energy 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxyhiXWuu45/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

She was giving me some Jodi Applegate energy. Surprised she never got a morning anchor position. 

Yeah anchor lineups industry wide are getting a lot more mix and match and unpredictable. 

1 hour ago, mountainave said:

The writing has been on the wall for years.  GMA has (unfortunately, in my opinion) been using less and less of its Times Square backyard.  It was once upon a time a focal point of the show with the windows open behind the anchor desk, frequent camera shots of TS, and regular segments outside.  Given that this has all been mostly eliminated, there's frankly no reason to continue renting what is highly-valuable real estate.  They could build a studio in the middle of nowhere and produce the show in its current format.

Times Sq has become a strong part of the GMA identity, but agreed that GMA and Today have been using their outdoor audiences less and less.

If CBS Mornings is still around in 2025, they need to really capitalize off of the Times Square brand now.

Jim Ryan on WCBS' Morning News (2006). I had no recollection of him ever working in TV news after leaving Good Day.

I knew WSVN was tabloid but not this low down Good God, who green lit this segment??? I'm surprised they could show that much behind on the news without censorship.

10 hours ago, SoFloTVClassics said:

WSVN 12/9/93 (Yup It's the infamous Hot Dog story)

 

 

Seems like every TV station is celebrating an anniversary this year! 

On 10/15/2023 at 8:58 PM, SoFloTVClassics said:

WKBD Ten o'clock News 1986

 

WLUK Hello Wisconsin 1980's

 

WLUK 65th Anniversary special 

 

WINK TV News 1988

 

On 10/15/2023 at 7:00 PM, NYNewsCoverage said:

Yes I just saw that too, so it seems to be a TV gig. The only 2 stations I could see hiring him would be maybe Fox5 of Pix11 if he's staying local but you never know! Ken and Rosanna, anyone?, lol

Ken seems like a standard serious anchor, much like Lori Stokes. I don't know if he would fit as a GDNY cohosts but we'll see, Lori did it. 

Today triple play. Katie announces she's leaving (2006), first half hour

Meredith first day (2006)

Soledad's last day on Weekend Today (2003)

4 hours ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

I hate to be that guy, but it’s “Abrams” and “WCBS.”

 

Still though, very cool find.

Pardon my horrendus cell phone typing. 

Two treasures...Roz Abrams first WCBS newscast (2003). You could feel the joy from Ernie Anastos and Dan Rather...Hard to believe she hasn't been on the air for nearly 20 years now. She should still be at WABC! 

WABC Roz Abrams last day (2003) Cool to see the Oprah tribute.

On 10/9/2023 at 1:40 PM, Devin said:

Since they added the new anchor to this parade, made me think that Sandra will be named moon co-anchor soon

Sandra is awesome with Joe and I hope they stay together, even though they have the makings of a weekday anchor pairing.

What I don't understand is --- and someone educate me --- why can't networks (or studios) just not put things on streaming if they're so concerned about loosing an adience thus ad revenue?

This feels like a self created problem for the industry. 

4 hours ago, Abraham J. Simpson said:

Every generation seems to lament what those newfangled whippersnappers like. Bring back Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan. What the heck are music videos? Who wants to watch kids dance for an hour?

 

What hasn’t changed is the audience dictates the content. What people reject goes away.
 

And while sequels/reboots/rehashes of existing IP are by no means anything new in TV, they seem to get a disproportionate share of “there are no original ideas” when in fact there are many. Of course audiences familiar with whatever brand may gravitate toward checking it out; we’re human and like positive memories. If people stick around and enjoy the show on its own merits, great. But there’s plenty of original

ideas and creative twists on older ones (Stranger Things and Wednesday from Netflix come to mind as one example of each).

 

And all kinds of content from music to movies to TV has borrowed, some more blatantly than others, from

what came before.
 

Much of the original content from basic cable migrated to streaming as the audience did. Makes sense; follow the money. And it also follows that we’d see a big push early on for original content to give each platform an identity and a reason to pay up. That dust will settle and the investments will become more targeted into what proves to be working.

 

The broadcast model is dying. It’s not dead and won’t be for a while, but it’s on the way. It’s going to need to rely on a changing mix of programs to wring some remaining life out of it, and rely on streaming to pick up some of the lost audience. For now, it’s sustainable with adjustments. 

Yes there are good ideas on streaming. And that's the crazy part...we went from getting good shows on free analog to paid subscription model puls the added cost of an internet connection.

On 10/10/2023 at 9:37 AM, Abraham J. Simpson said:

There’s a lot of wistful, rose-colored-glasses nostalgia in this thread. And perhaps a bit of “get off my lawn” as well. 
 

Trying to apply the model of broadcasting from decades ago into today’s world isn’t going to work. The audience has changed. Technology has changed. Yet the broadcasters should operate like it’s 1982? How does that work?

 

The ecosystem is much larger, and people do not—and will not—watch content the way they once did. That’s not a bad thing; it’s the nature of the world. If you try to cling to the old ways, you’re hastening your demise. 

You are right, things change and (get off my lawn ahead) it sucks that that media change is happening in my lifetime.

BUT, most people (across several bubbles that I've spoken with ) agree TV sucks now...and subjective statement ahead: the change has largely not been for the better.

Viewing habits will evolve, change is a fact of life. I love streaming. The problem is content saturation and de-evolution. 

Watered down recycled ideas, endless reboots instead of original ideas, heavy handed political virtue signaling in shows, excessively graphic cursing and sex scenes.

I love the traditional tv model, I'm open to streaming, let's just make sure what we're doing now isn't crappier than what we had.

Thoughts on Welker's tenure so far?

The intro was okay, buy everything gets weighted down by terrible Sinclair graphics and studio lighting.

On 9/30/2023 at 6:18 PM, TVNewsLover said:

Have they decided on Marza’s replacement? I feel like he’d be a good fit along Michelle. 

Again, Toni Yates is my preference but it hasn't happened in all these years so it's either her choice or their's.

On 10/3/2023 at 2:00 PM, Abraham J. Simpson said:

Y&R at 12:30 ET for a long time put it head to head with other soaps, not getting a jump. (Loving, anyone? Port Charles?)  It's more a vestige of having an extra half hour of programming, not competing with another soap. Competition is everything--news, syndication, all of it. Y&R is at as much a disadvantage in areas where other hour long programs have started on the hour and it's at :30.

 

I would have to disagree. Y&R gained strength at 12:30 because it had a jump on Days and All My Children which started at 1 PM. The two soaps you listed: Port Charles and Loving, did poorly in the ratings because they had to go up against Y&R which has been the highest rated soap since 1988. 

On 9/11/2023 at 9:25 PM, Geoffrey said:

CBS 2 updated their 9/11 ceremony graphics this year to match their new look. (Once again, they are VERY large.)

 

Interestingly, they used the CBS 2 black square logo and not the CBS News New York one.

 

 

Wow those L3s are big and terrible. 

10 hours ago, NYNewsCoverage said:

Apparently WCBS is now tasked with producing newscasts in Atlanta each night at 8pm (under the NOW newscast brand). This obviously conflicts with their 8pm newscast in New York (it is done from the same studio), so I'm guessing this is pre-recorded at 7pm or even 3/4 pm? Dana Tyler seems to be the permanent anchor, with Lonnie Quinn doing Atlanta weather. Hypothetically, they could probably do both live if they wanted, with this taking place in their backup (old CBSN) studio? I don't think that's been seen since they updated their current set, so it's possible that set is undergoing another refresh.

 

CBS needs to give up on this NOW thing. it just feels like a cheap generic storebrand of a  newscast.