WFXT Looks to Rebrand Amid Continued Struggles Under Cox Ownership

[Eat News 4738]

 

For a company that prides itself on research and consulting, you would have thought that they researched the hell out of WFXT and the Boston market before the swap took place, and concluded that WFXT is a "if it ain't broke" station. From day one, they have done the exact opposite, and WFXT is digging it's own unnecessary grave.

 

And...

FOX does not use consultants, and you would think COX already knew that also. FOX also likes to tinker, and they tinker a lot in some markets. Since they don't go "outside" there is not really much decent public intel on FOX methods and thoughts.

So you have 2 polar opposites...like trying to teach a Volvo owner all the virtues and fails of a Holden Commodore. What do you expect?

 

Last...that Duo from KTVU that got imported was already facing problems in Oakland. The ND was in the middle of some heavy backlash from a bunch of public gaffs both on and off air.

 

Is WFXT considered a "dog station" like WFLD? Probably not, but today's sales weasels and bean counters would like to think all markets are the same, and they are trying hard everyday to actually make that happen.

 

COX would have been smart to leave WFXT alone for a spell, and work on other projects. FOX seems they fared a bit better at KTVU so far.

[Rusty Muck 4165]

if fox and fox news are two different things, why do most fox affiliates carry fox news during a major breaking news event?

The feed that goes to the Fox Broadcasting Company is different from what Fox News Channel airs, especially in the event of breaking news during prime time (ie, a presidential address). Sheppard Smith, more often than not, anchors the majority of coverage on the Fox network.

 

There are exceptions - O'Reilly's interview of President Obama during Fox's extended Super Bowl Pregame, for one - but you'll very rarely see Fox News commentators on the Fox network. (Megyn Kelly's fluff prime time special was done independent of Fox News proper.)

[C Block 1488]

Okay, I'll bite. I'm not as deeply familiar with WFXT as I am with some other high profile Fox affiliates. But I do think a lot of time can be wasted on doing too much research and consultation – something that the recently-ousted WFXT management had a habit of doing. I think this is also true when it comes to figuring out what role the Fox brand has in a local Fox affiliate's own positioning.

 

I have long said that local TV viewers are stupid. I still stand by that, but I still think that the majority of them (maybe not a large majority, but a majority) can discern the difference between a local Fox affiliate (O&O or not) and FNC. This is simply because of the very different structures of the two. When a viewer turns on FNC (or any cable news, really), he or she can expect to see Hannity feud with a few token guests over Trump's cabinet in the first eight minutes of the A block. When viewers turn on WFXT, they expect to see warm anchors they trust toss to a reporter live from a house fire in Waltham in the first minute. (And if WFXT isn't doing that already, well, they should start there). For the rest of the viewers, some might be put off by the Fox branding, and some might tune in because of it. I think it's a wash, and I think too much time can be spent arguing in circles about the toxicity of the Fox brand.

 

But what really does matter is that viewers can tell the difference when something is local, and that's the key to repositioning a de-Foxified Fox affiliate. Viewers will pay attention to a newscast that covers their city with sincerity from charismatic people they trust. (Hmm, wonder whatever happened to that lovable female anchor WFXT used to have). A Fox affiliate with the right management in place can do that regardless of branding. Being a local affiliate and being a Fox affiliate aren't mutually exclusive.

 

I don't think anyone brought it up in here just yet, but the most accurate playbook for WFXT to follow is KDVR. Another former O&O in a top 20 market, KDVR had some really turbulent years post-sale because of really poor management and an even worse programming strategy. Then, they harnessed a more local identity while still more or less keeping the same brand name they've always used and cut all the crap out of their newscasts. It may not be exactly the same situation as WFXT, as KDVR was coming off Fox ownership back when being a Fox O&O was something to be proud of. I don't think KDVR is a shinning success, but the rudimentary idea of leveraging local identity is probably the right way to go.

[TheRob 920]

As someone who works for a FOX affiliate, a former O&O, I can assert people angry or happy over a mistaken association with FOX News Channel rarely make themselves known. More people confuse us with our competitors. It happens in a market where affiliations have switched, where the cable channel (in K.C., most cable systems have 4 on 6, 5 on 3, 9 on 12 and 41 on 13) doesn't match the on-air identity. I'm sure the same thing happens in Boston.

 

Not being familiar with Boston strategy, where the meters are located and so on, if WFXT is truly having problems, they need to look at two things.

 

1. Do the viewers like your talent?

2. Are the primary on-air personalities getting out of the newsroom to meet those viewers and build relationships?

 

We all cover the same stories. The talent is the difference, and the viewers need to like them for you to succeed.

[David Salter JR 66]

The feed that goes to the Fox Broadcasting Company is different from what Fox News Channel airs, especially in the event of breaking news during prime time (ie, a presidential address). Sheppard Smith, more often than not, anchors the majority of coverage on the Fox network.

 

There are exceptions - O'Reilly's interview of President Obama during Fox's extended Super Bowl Pregame, for one - but you'll very rarely see Fox News commentators on the Fox network. (Megyn Kelly's fluff prime time special was done independent of Fox News proper.)

special reports on the fox network are usually optional for stations even during primetime, aren't they?

[Eat News 4738]

As someone who works for a FOX affiliate, a former O&O, I can assert people angry or happy over a mistaken association with FOX News Channel rarely make themselves known..[/quote

 

Exactly!

They don't care....

Except here(tvnewstalk.net) and on other TV(fan) sites...the public mostly does NOT care or gave a crap between FNC and FOX stations.

Show me 1 station in the entire country that has this "association" problem with FNC/FOX.

Give me 1 GM or ND who actually thinks it's a problem for his local FOX station.

 

They are 2 different beast...and the public figured it out long ago.

[MikePulse 315]

...the rudimentary idea of leveraging local identity is probably the right way to go.

 

They did manage to make a promo with that. Moreso focused on the hometown aspect of their reporters. Some of them, anyway.

 

 

I think one of their other problems is, they need an announcer that's not as green.

[nomadcowatbk 144]

here's the most polazired media markets, do the Fox stations do better in the red areas due association with FNC while Fox stations in the blue areas do worse?

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzgLrplXcAIE11_.jpg:large

[Eat News 4738]

here's the most polazired media markets, do the Fox stations do better in the red areas due association with FNC while Fox stations in the blue areas do worse?

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzgLrplXcAIE11_.jpg:large

 

Well someone would have to do an actual study on that to know the answer. That study would cost time and money. Would that study serve any valuable purpose to anyone?

 

I think attempting to tie ratings to political parties or geographical boundaries of voting blocks is a bit hyper for TV types. Maybe more along the interest of the Dems or Repubs, as I can't see the value of Nielsen or Rentrak to mine or analyze that data closer.

[C Block 1488]

As someone who works for a FOX affiliate, a former O&O, I can assert people angry or happy over a mistaken association with FOX News Channel rarely make themselves known. More people confuse us with our competitors. It happens in a market where affiliations have switched, where the cable channel (in K.C., most cable systems have 4 on 6, 5 on 3, 9 on 12 and 41 on 13) doesn't match the on-air identity. I'm sure the same thing happens in Boston.

 

Not being familiar with Boston strategy, where the meters are located and so on, if WFXT is truly having problems, they need to look at two things.

 

1. Do the viewers like your talent?

2. Are the primary on-air personalities getting out of the newsroom to meet those viewers and build relationships?

 

We all cover the same stories. The talent is the difference, and the viewers need to like them for you to succeed.

 

This is nicely said. I will add that I do think talent still only goes so far. It is important, and it is a big issue at WFXT, but viewers will turn away if you fill your entire newscast with wire stories because you don't have the actual resources to cover local stories beyond the A block. That's KDVR's issue, and I'd also argue that it's an issue with how the Fox O&Os are run.

 

Also, as an aside, a few nights a week at a certain Fox affiliate/O&O, a guy would repeatedly call in with curse-filled rants about how we were all a bunch of phone hacking shills for Murdoch. So the anti-Fox News crazies are definitely out there, though he was an exception. We got plenty of other crazies regularly calling in with a whole list of grievances besides Fox News.

 

They did manage to make a promo with that. Moreso focused on the hometown aspect of their reporters. Some of them, anyway.

 

Ooh, that looks rough. That really shows you how poorly thought out this entire rebrand was. I know WBZ isn't necessarily an example for anything, but I think this similar campaign they ran a few years ago is much better executed:

 

[Rusty Muck 4165]

They did manage to make a promo with that. Moreso focused on the hometown aspect of their reporters. Some of them, anyway.

 

 

I think one of their other problems is, they need an announcer that's not as green.

By contrast, WJW has been leveraging their hometown and homegrown talent for 30 years. The "Cleveland's Own" tagline came as a result of the first promo campaign welcoming Robin Swoboda into town as 6/11 co-anchor (and a year after the late Casey Coleman, son of Cleveland/Boston sportscasting legend Ken Coleman, was brought into the fold).

 

In 1986, WJW's station management had the idea of Robin, Casey, Tim Taylor and Dick Goddard appearing as a team as often as possible in public, in order to strengthen the "team" aspect and to build pre-internet viral awareness of "NewsCenter8." And by all accounts, it worked.

[aleckrohto 20]

If anything, WFXT needs to fix their audio signal, I can hear the announcers in the left and right on my 5.1 system and it is not supposed to be like that. WFXT has been going in the shit hole for a few years now.

[Rusty Muck 4165]

To highlight my previous post, this is a cute WJW promo from 1989 that emphasized the homegrown talent... such promos were common throughout the late 1980s.

And this WJW promo from 1997 showcased Dick Goddard, because why not? (It was reworked from a similar "ei8ht is NEWS" promo.)

[kdex86 48]

The following screenshot is from last night's 10 PM news on WFXT. The "Fox" has been dropped from the on-screen bug. With the station airing the Super Bowl in the Boston DMA this year, I would expect a "full" relaunch of its news branding on or before Feb. 5th

 

[scrabbleship 427]

The following screenshot is from last night's 10 PM news on WFXT. The "Fox" has been dropped from the on-screen bug. With the station airing the Super Bowl in the Boston DMA this year, I would expect a "full" relaunch of its news branding on or before Feb. 5th

 

[ATTACH=full]3582[/ATTACH]

 

The "Fox" was back this morning.

[Rusty Muck 4165]

The following screenshot is from last night's 10 PM news on WFXT. The "Fox" has been dropped from the on-screen bug. With the station airing the Super Bowl in the Boston DMA this year, I would expect a "full" relaunch of its news branding on or before Feb. 5th

 

[ATTACH=full]3582[/ATTACH]

If that bug couldn't look any worse...

 

KTVU-East keeps zigging when they should be zagging.

[Eat News 4738]

The "Fox" was back this morning.

 

Typical Fox,

Out all night drinking and sleeping with republican floozies and cavorting with democratic sub-women.

They always crawl back home once they get hungry for a few home cooked chickens.

[Greggo 340]

The following screenshot is from last night's 10 PM news on WFXT. The "Fox" has been dropped from the on-screen bug. With the station airing the Super Bowl in the Boston DMA this year, I would expect a "full" relaunch of its news branding on or before Feb. 5th

 

[ATTACH=full]3582[/ATTACH]

 

1 HUGE problem: The word 'FOX' is plastered ALL OVER their new set. Eradicating it won't be cheap.

[Jess 1110]

If that bug couldn't look any worse...

 

KTVU-East keeps zigging when they should be zagging.

To be honest the logo looks far better without that horrible "FOX" text.

[kdex86 48]

To be honest the logo looks far better without that horrible "FOX" text.

 

Both logos (with and without the "Fox" text) look horrible.

[ED2 144]

It's not even the correct FOX logo. I thought the network had influenced on how the FOX brand would be used on their affiliate logos.

[Rusty Muck 4165]

It's not even the correct FOX logo. I thought the network had influenced on how the FOX brand would be used on their affiliate logos.

That's why people have been mocking it relentlessly since Cox debuted it as part of the initial rebrand. It looks like something you'd see as on the masthead of a fake news website.

[newsbot 269]

Their bug is back to the Fox-less "25" logo but Fox appears everywhere else - at least for now.

[Action Newsroom 1150]

To be honest the logo looks far better without that horrible "FOX" text.

 

Both logos (with and without the "Fox" text) look horrible.

 

It's not even the correct FOX logo. I thought the network had influenced on how the FOX brand would be used on their affiliate logos.

 

That's why people have been mocking it relentlessly since Cox debuted it as part of the initial rebrand. It looks like something you'd see as on the masthead of a fake news website.

 

Honesty, does it really cost so much to have the real Fox logo appear in an affiliate's logo? I thought being an affiliate was enough to mark it down to "free".

[Rusty Muck 4165]

Honesty, does it really cost so much to have the real Fox logo appear in an affiliate's logo? I thought being an affiliate was enough to mark it down to "free".

And being a former O&O tied to the network until 2020, no less...