WBTS - Home of NBC Boston?

[DonDonP1 118]

Well, our good friends at NBCUniversal shall cross that bridge when or if we get there, as far as preparations for the launch of NBC Boston go.

[DonDonP1 118]

Okay, I have learned that NBC Boston would temporaily broadcast on one of WNEU's digital subchannels while searching for a stronger signal. http://www.newenglandone.com/news/local/boston/a-scenic-change-in-boston/nbc-boston.html

[CircleSeven 1955]

As of last Thursday (10/6), the callsign of WTMU-LP is now WBTS-LD.

[Rusty Muck 4374]

NBC 8 Boston?

 

Hmmm.

[GroupWBZ 73]

NBC 8 Boston?

 

Hmmm.

 

Makes sense honestly. Comcast wants to keep NBC close to the other broadcast networks (and close to where it is now) so to map it to 8 might be the first smart thing Comcast/NBC has done in this whole debacle.

[nathannah 2429]

Makes sense honestly. Comcast wants to keep NBC close to the other broadcast networks (and close to where it is now) so to map it to 8 might be the first smart thing Comcast/NBC has done in this whole debacle.

 

No confusion with any channels (outside the oddball DX viewer who will inevitably complain about confusion with WMTW), only a bump of HSN or a local access channel (which are all moving to different channel tiers anyways digitally) to deal with on Xfinity systems, and it's numbered well. I still think they need a better full-power signal, but at least this isn't going to be an absurd number like WWJ's.

[GroupWBZ 73]

No confusion with any channels (outside the oddball DX viewer who will inevitably complain about confusion with WMTW), only a bump of HSN or a local access channel (which are all moving to different channel tiers anyways digitally) to deal with on Xfinity systems, and it's numbered well. I still think they need a better full-power signal, but at least this isn't going to be an absurd number like WWJ's.

 

On my Xfinity to keep it at 8/808 they'd just have to bump CW56 to somewhere else which I'm sure they can manage. On my parents' Verizon system WFXT currently occupies 8/508 (yeah, go figure) so they may have to stick it somewhere else (6/506 maybe?). If they're marketing it as just NBC Boston then I'm sure it won't matter too much. But definitely you don't want a WWJ situation where no one can find it.

[DonDonP1 118]

Makes sense honestly. Comcast wants to keep NBC close to the other broadcast networks (and close to where it is now) so to map it to 8 might be the first smart thing Comcast/NBC has done in this whole debacle.

 

I agree. Hopefully, WBTS would upgrade from low power station to high power station in case that station would be converted into an NBC O&O with the station's branding being change from "NBC Boston" to "NBC 8 Boston." Just saying.

[Rusty Muck 4374]

No confusion with any channels (outside the oddball DX viewer who will inevitably complain about confusion with WMTW), only a bump of HSN or a local access channel (which are all moving to different channel tiers anyways digitally) to deal with on Xfinity systems, and it's numbered well. I still think they need a better full-power signal, but at least this isn't going to be an absurd number like WWJ's.

This might be the ONLY circumstance where having a low-power signal in the core market proper actually helps them. Pretty sure that a full-power signal couldn't be mapped to 8 without encroaching on WMTW.

[Eat News 4745]

"NBC ate Boston."

"Who ate Boston?"

"NBC 8 Boston you moron..."

"Who's a moron?"

"NBC"

"Who?"

"....No...who 8 Boston"

 

 

 

..............................................................................lather rinse repeat.

[Rusty Muck 4374]

"NBC ate Boston."

"Who ate Boston?"

"NBC 8 Boston you moron..."

"Who's a moron?"

"NBC"

"Who?"

"....No...who 8 Boston"

 

 

 

..............................................................................lather rinse repeat.

Just remember... ei8ht! IS!! NEWS!!!

[Eat News 4745]

Just remember... ei8ht! IS!! NEWS!!!

 

Oh Dear Lord of all things living and dead...

 

I cannot "un-see" that video.

[William1111 41]

Heh.

 

My Comcast system has SD channel 8 marked as a local public access channel, without any content on it (as it has been like for years), with the channel name being "LOCAL2" and the program name being "Local 2" (sounds very Nexstar-ish i know), which never changes. However, a few weeks ago, I noticed that it changed to "Weather and Traffic Information", and as of last week, it's back to "Local 2".

 

HD Channel 808 is WLVI (their SD channel is 12).

[GroupWBZ 73]

Might actually be true on mine too. I don't really pay attention to the SD channels.

 

But regardless they could move them around I think and it wouldn't be an issue. Like I said before they'll do whatever to keep NBC near the other major networks and keep people from complaining about being able to find it.

[Rusty Muck 4374]

Oh Dear Lord of all things living and dead...

 

I cannot "un-see" that video.

Those were just the promos. Here are the actual newscast opens to one of the hokiest news brands ever inflicted on Cleveland television.

You're welcome.

[Action Newsroom 1281]

Here are the actual newscast opens to one of the hokiest news brands ever inflicted on Cleveland television.

You're welcome.

Are you sure you sure you mean just Cleveland...or theentirecountry?

Cause It could definitely make a case for the second one. (and add in the station name too for good measure.)

[Rusty Muck 4374]

Are you sure you sure you mean just Cleveland...or theentirecountry?

Cause It could definitely make a case for the second one. (and add in the station name too for good measure.)

As soon as the ink dried on Fox's purchase of New World, WJW was immediately rebranded as Fox 8 and within two weeks scrubbed (or ate) the "ei8ht" logo entirely.

 

Somehow WJW's ratings under the "ei8ht IS NEWS" name were not that bad. WJW's morning show shot up to number one, a ranking they have yet to relinquish.

[newsbot 271]

WMTW/Poland Spring, ME did the "ei8ht" branding thing in the 1970s and early 1980s; it was beyond hokey then!

http://www.tv-signoffs.com/clips/WMTW-signoff-1982.htm

 

WJW's use of the "ei8ht" branding dated back to the 1970s, as did KFMB/San Diego's usage.

[channel2 979]

Isn't WJW a really well-run station? They could call the newscasts/overall station whatever they want and people would keep tuning in.

[NEOMatrix 1299]

Isn't WJW a really well-run station? They could call the newscasts/overall station whatever they want and people would keep tuning in.

In the first few years of Fox affiliation, WJW did fall to second due to the aforementioned "ei8ht is News" branding and also due to the Oklahoma City Bombing, which exposed to the weakness of the Fox network at the time, which was not having a news division. The only reason why WJW didn't fall further in the ratings was because WKYC was still owned by NBC (albeit partially) and WOIO/WUAB (then, as well as now) was putting out a lousy product from Reserve Square.

[NEOMatrix 1299]

Nice play by NBC to be right next to WHDH with it's VC at 8. Also, "NBC (still can't cover anything south of) Boston" should gun for getting Ch. 8 on Dish and DirecTV.

[Rusty Muck 4374]

The only reason why WJW didn't fall further in the ratings was because WKYC was still owned by NBC (albeit partially) and WOIO/WUAB (then, as well as now) was putting out a lousy product from Reserve Square.

Multimedia was clearly calling the shots at WKYC, but the stigma of having been a doormat NBC O&O persisted well until the new millennium.

 

WEWS also hadn't yet begun their long descent into "not as good as WKYC, but mildly better than Cleveland 19" territory.

[nathannah 2429]

In the first few years of Fox affiliation, WJW did fall to second due to the aforementioned "ei8ht is News" branding and also due to the Oklahoma City Bombing, which exposed to the weakness of the Fox network at the time, which was not having a news division. The only reason why WJW didn't fall further in the ratings was because WKYC was still owned by NBC (albeit partially) and WOIO/WUAB (then, as well as now) was putting out a lousy product from Reserve Square.

 

The entire bubble time between the NFL starting on Fox, the affiliation switches and Fox News' launch in 1996 was an odd time for the New World Fox stations. WITI also had the same struggles in Milwaukee as WJW did that same day (I remember a lot of time trying to figure out when it was appropriate to go to CNN or not, and plenty of studio analysis vamping in-between; the problems still extended out to the Princess Diana death/funeral coverage with FNC trying to figure out the perfect mix of FNC-originated coverage and that of Sky News), but WDJT not having a news division yet salved things a bit there (WUAB subbing in for WOIO easily was definitely an issue for WJW, even if it was substandard product). Everything eventually sorted out once FNC and the accompanying wire service did launch but if you were a New World news director circa 1995, you had plenty of challenges.

[David Salter JR 66]

The entire bubble time between the NFL starting on Fox, the affiliation switches and Fox News' launch in 1996 was an odd time for the New World Fox stations. WITI also had the same struggles in Milwaukee as WJW did that same day (I remember a lot of time trying to figure out when it was appropriate to go to CNN or not, and plenty of studio analysis vamping in-between; the problems still extended out to the Princess Diana death/funeral coverage with FNC trying to figure out the perfect mix of FNC-originated coverage and that of Sky News), but WDJT not having a news division yet salved things a bit there (WUAB subbing in for WOIO easily was definitely an issue for WJW, even if it was substandard product). Everything eventually sorted out once FNC and the accompanying wire service did launch but if you were a New World news director circa 1995, you had plenty of challenges.

how did those stations handle the OJ simpson verdict?

[ToriElectra 292]

The entire bubble time between the NFL starting on Fox, the affiliation switches and Fox News' launch in 1996 was an odd time for the New World Fox stations. WITI also had the same struggles in Milwaukee as WJW did that same day (I remember a lot of time trying to figure out when it was appropriate to go to CNN or not, and plenty of studio analysis vamping in-between; the problems still extended out to the Princess Diana death/funeral coverage with FNC trying to figure out the perfect mix of FNC-originated coverage and that of Sky News), but WDJT not having a news division yet salved things a bit there (WUAB subbing in for WOIO easily was definitely an issue for WJW, even if it was substandard product). Everything eventually sorted out once FNC and the accompanying wire service did launch but if you were a New World news director circa 1995, you had plenty of challenges.

One thing they nearly all agreed on was "no Fox Kids- we don't like cartoons", even though they could've still carried the Saturday portion and just dumped the weekday portion- but nope, it was apparently not mix n match. WBRC was technically the turning point- there were planning on carrying it, but the old Fox station held onto it and Fox changed their policy after that, though WSVN had dumped it even prior to that. There were only a few of the NW and associated stations that did carry it- there was KTVI, and there was WHBQ- and neither really carried the blocks in pattern. The Emmis stations liked it, though- KHON, WALA, WLUK, and WVUE all carried it in pattern (though WLUK cut the weekday hours shortly before that part was eliminated).