Sinclair Broadcast Group - General Discussion

[d247 43]

Sinclair is launching an original programming division, which will initially focus on its' CW and MY stations.

http://www.multichannel.com/news/news-articles/sinclair-unveils-original-content-division/383288

[cbs2newengland 72]

 

Apparently, Jeff Barnd kinda went crazy on one WLVI newscast in September 2001, jumping out of his chair and dancing around the studio after the top story; shortly after that, he was demoted and soon left.

 

Now that made a lot of sense. I remember his co anchor appearing on a local radio program on the day of their final newscast as a Tribune station, and a caller was mentioning him and everyone got awkward, I guess what you mentioned was the awkward moment. I do have a tape from November 2001 (the day of the Queens plane crash) and he was still there.

 

 

 

He stays neutral which is difficult being at Sinclair which used him to record robocalls and political polling. Because of his position he has more likely required to do the recordings rather than him going out and doing it on his own (I don't believe a reporter that has ethical standards would volunteer to do robocalls or polling). Most political polls are written in a way that is to be considered neutral so it does not sway the response but some of the questions seemed to be one sided.

 

Interesting, like I said earlier, didn't know much about his whereabouts after leaving NE.

[tyrannical bastard 3951]

Jeff Barnd used to host the "American Crossroads" magazine show Sinclair put on until around 2009....this was the last remaining vestige of their prior push into news with NewsCentral and Mark Hyman's original commentaries. They retrenched after the economic crisis and came back with a vengeance around 2011 when they started expanding again.

[sanewsguy 511]

Sinclair has named a new GM for WEAR and WFGX in Pensacola and that is WTTO/WABM's GM J.C. Lowe. Mike Murphy, WBMA's existing GM retained from Allbritton, will expand his duties and now oversee WTTO and WABM as well.

 

http://sbgi.net/site_mgr/temp/Murphy%20and%20Lowe.pdf

[Mrtraveler01 738]

Speaking of Town Halls, I saw something on WJLA where they'll have a Town Hall on race relations on Newschannel 8 this coming Tuesday.

 

They're really quick to get these Sinclair segments to WJLA/NC8 aren't they?

[Samantha 2895]

KDBC and KFOX will be moving into an office building on the west side of El Paso, says FTVLive. For the CBS outlet this means a move away from the space allotted to it at KTSM, though on-air talent will be changing for KDBC:

 

"In addition, Sinclair is buying its two El Paso stations new live trucks and updating the stations’ graphics, including a new logo for KDBC. Hayes says KDBC on-air talent like longtime weathercaster Robert Bettes remain under contract with KTSM."

[DirtyHarry 727]

 

KDBC and KFOX will be moving into an office building on the west side of El Paso, says FTVLive. For the CBS outlet this means a move away from the space allotted to it at KTSM, though on-air talent will be changing for KDBC:

 

"In addition, Sinclair is buying its two El Paso stations new live trucks and updating the stations’ graphics, including a new logo for KDBC. Hayes says KDBC on-air talent like longtime weathercaster Robert Bettes remain under contract with KTSM."

 

Is he related to Mike Bettes of the Weather Channel (ex-WSYX)?

[bammy9 26]

 

Is her related to Mike Bettes of the Weather Channel (ex-WSYX)?

 

Don't think so.

 

 

KDBC and KFOX will be moving into an office building on the west side of El Paso, says FTVLive. For the CBS outlet this means a move away from the space allotted to it at KTSM, though on-air talent will be changing for KDBC:

 

"In addition, Sinclair is buying its two El Paso stations new live trucks and updating the stations’ graphics, including a new logo for KDBC. Hayes says KDBC on-air talent like longtime weathercaster Robert Bettes remain under contract with KTSM."

 

That means KDBC either getting it's own team or they're sharing with KFOX. KDBC has been needing a new logo and set. They've been using the previous WHAS graphics and News Matrix since 2009 (when the LMA with ComCorp began). Also makes you wonder what will happen with Bettes and if KTSM will keep him or let him go.

[Samantha 2895]

Posted without comment, from our friends at the Baltimore Sun:

 

Alerted by a phone call one recent Sunday, Stephen Pieper drove his black pickup the few miles from his farm in White Hall to Monkton, where he arrived too late to stop a man from plowing under the corn on 95 acres of land he'd leased for decades.

 

Pieper, who leases more than 1,000 acres in Baltimore and Harford counties, said $100,000 worth of corn was destroyed by the farm's new owner — the CEO of Hunt Valley-based Sinclair Broadcast Group. David Smith, who heads the nation's largest independent TV broadcast company, had no choice, his attorney said. Pieper trespassed to plant the crop and damaged the soil, Smith alleged in a lawsuit.

[ToriElectra 292]

And now Sinclair has sunken to destroying other people's property; I half-expect them to be dealing something like black-market eagle meat or something.

[rkolsen 1684]

And now Sinclair has sunken to destroying other people's property; I half-expect them to be dealing something like black-market eagle meat or something.

I have to side with David Smith thought he bought a farm without any leases (I think a realtor could get in trouble because the contract stated that there were no leases). Subsequently offered to buy out the lease in full and the value of the lossed crop. In March 2013 Smith tried to terminate the lease because the farmer violated some terms pertaining to erosion. State law requires six months notice by the landlord prior to the termination of a lease and requires soil conservation to prevent erosion. After this issue occurred the farmer broke down a fence and locked the gate preventing Smith from accessing rest of the property and proceeded to replant his crop.

 

 

I am not sympathetic one bit to the farmer because he has had run ins with the law before. The farmer performed an illegal burn on leased land which caused a big enough fire and smoke for the fire department to be called. The farmers prohibited the fire fighters from extinguishing the fire. Police officers were called in and he would not listen to their orders. Consequently he was charged with failure to obey a reasonable police order and obstructing fire fighters - his charges were dismissed. Then a few years ago the farmer threatened a woman who was riding her horses alongside but not on his leased land. While he was threatening the woman he spooked another horse which bolted causing a 73 year old man to fall off. After the event transpired he went to the woman's house kicked her dog and shoved her while cursing at her in front of her children. The woman subsequently had a peace order taken out against him.

[tyrannical bastard 3951]

So Sinclair decided to do a townhall on Ferguson, MO....from BALTIMORE.

 

So did KDNL have any involvement...perhaps even AIRING it...since they're a ST. LOUIS STATION?

[rkolsen 1684]

So Sinclair decided to do a townhall on Ferguson, MO....from BALTIMORE.

So did KDNL have any involvement...perhaps even AIRING it...since they're a ST. LOUIS STATION?

Did it already air in St. Louis? I wonder if it's meant to be broadcast on all stations. The only reason why I could think it would occur from Baltimore is because they could be cheap and didn't want to fly representatives from the NAACP HQ, if they were involved at all. But they still could of used an insert studio.

 

Update: It appears it was a national town hall that occurred at 7PM EDT. None of the the stations here in Baltimore carried it.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

Did it already air in St. Louis? I wonder if it's meant to be broadcast on all stations. The only reason why I could think it would occur from Baltimore is because they could be cheap and didn't want to fly representatives from the NAACP HQ, if they were involved at all. But they still could of used an insert studio.

 

They did it from WBFF's studios in Baltimore. Newly-acquired Newschannel 8 aired it in the DC area, not sure if any other station is airing it. (EDIT: I see that WSYX and WKRC aired it as well.)

 

As far as St. Louis is concerned, KMOV aired a very similar Town Hall debate a few days after the actual shooting and riots happened. KDNL hasn't done squat. I live in St. Louis so I'm used to KDNL being a joke when it comes to being a part of the community.

 

And why oh why must Mark Hyman be the moderator for these?

 

"I'm Mark Hyman from Behind the Headlines..."

 

First, how many people would actually know him from that segment? Secondly, why not have the local anchors do it so it looks more like a local debate instead of some corporate mandated program?

[sanewsguy 511]

 

They did it from WBFF's studios in Baltimore. Newly-acquired Newschannel 8 aired it in the DC area, not sure if any other station is airing it. (EDIT: I see that WSYX aired it as well.)

 

As far as St. Louis is concerned, KMOV aired a very similar Town Hall debate a few days after the actual shooting and riots happened. KDNL hasn't done squat. I live in St. Louis so I'm used to KDNL being a joke when it comes to being a part of the community.

 

And why oh why must Mark Hyman be the moderator for these "I'm Mark Hyman from Behind the Headlines"? First, how many people would actually know him from that segment? Secondly, why not have the local anchors do it so it looks more like a local debate instead of some corporate mandated program?

 

Mark Hyman is not that good with them. It ticked me off when he called Michael Garofalo a "reporter" for WOAI when he's really the morning anchor (he never reports).

[d247 43]

KTUL only streamed it online, but it did get promoted after Ferguson stories during newscasts for the past few days. This being one of the first times I've heard them make any mention of the new owners.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

Mark Hyman is not that good with them. It ticked me off when he called Michael Garofalo a "reporter" for WOAI when he's really the morning anchor (he never reports).

 

I agree. It just seems forced when he's the moderator. And he always gives me a sleezy used car salesman vibe when I see him. They should've had Jeff Barnd moderating.

[tyrannical bastard 3951]

Pretty pathetic that Sinclair can't even cover a story in the market it's happening in because their station has been an also-ran that refuses to compete.

 

How difficult is it to pre-empt some Family Feud reruns to carry a town hall (or even acknowledge it in ANY form) by THEIR station in the market it's happening in?

 

:bang: :bang: :bang:

 

On the other hand, it's like they're trying to exploit a national issue because it's a national issue thanks to the media. Double fail.

End rant.

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

Pretty pathetic that Sinclair can't even cover a story in the market it's happening in because their station has been an also-ran that refuses to compete.

 

How difficult is it to pre-empt some Family Feud reruns to carry a town hall (or even acknowledge it in ANY form) by THEIR station in the market it's happening in?

 

:bang: :bang: :bang:

 

On the other hand, it's like they're trying to exploit a national issue because it's a national issue thanks to the media. Double fail.

End rant.

 

You hit the nail on the head.

 

Which is why I had to laugh when Mark Hyman was commenting on how this is on stations across the country. You're right, KDNL could've preempted Modern Family reruns for this. But as I mentioned, this whole thing seems forced just with the promotions and the questions, the people they had on their panel, etc.

 

Either way, you can catch the stream of it on the Newschannel 8 DC website since they use Livestream: http://www.wjla.com/news/newschannel-8/

 

(Rewind to 18:58:40)

 

I'm sure it'll show up on the Fox Baltimore website shortly as well.

[rkolsen 1684]

Does anyone know who built/modified Fox 45/ traffic tracker car? I haven't seen this design listed on AMT, Frontline or Level 3's websites.

 

https://twitter.com/tomrodgersnews/status/485094601661755393

May need to refresh your page for the image to load.

[Samantha 2895]

Sinclair has closed on its purchase of WGXA today, in addition to closing on WHTM and buying KSNV.

[GoldenShine9 1513]

The New Age deal is hitting the closing date soon though?

[Viper550 291]

KUTV seems to be phasing in the new graphics on weather segments, but everything else is still using the blue/red package from before.

 

 

Also I must agree; those weather icons need to be re-done. Personally I'd make the suns match the orange-yellow on the subheading. They also got the Sinclair "responsive" template on their site now too.

[sanewsguy 511]

 

KUTV seems to be phasing in the new graphics on weather segments, but everything else is still using the blue/red package from before.

 

 

Also I must agree; those weather icons need to be re-done. Personally I'd make the suns match the orange-yellow on the subheading. They also got the Sinclair "responsive" template on their site now too.

 

So you quickly answered your own question, I suppose. It's like they're making all these changes with KUTV but we don't notice because we're too busy looking at WBMA and WCIV...

[Mrtraveler01 738]

 

KUTV seems to be phasing in the new graphics on weather segments, but everything else is still using the blue/red package from before.

 

 

Also I must agree; those weather icons need to be re-done. Personally I'd make the suns match the orange-yellow on the subheading. They also got the Sinclair "responsive" template on their site now too.

 

I do like the city backdrop for the 7-day forecast. It's a decent package, but they went the cheap route when it comes to animation.

 

We'll have to see if they introduce it tonight or tomorrow.

 

As far as the Sinclair template...they really should outsource that.