KCBS 2/KCAL 9 - CBS Los Angeles News Thread

[TheNewsTV 251]

Finally appeared the weather and time bug in KCAL News

 

[BluesNews 185]

On 1/6/2023 at 12:21 AM, CalItalian2 said:

KTLA recently moved onto a new set. No issues. This is Los Angeles not Rapid City. You get it right on day 1.

 

CBS 2 is not CBS Los Angeles. Both of the stations are. They're also CBSLA.com. CBS 2 airs KCAL News. It's all idiotic mumbo jumbo branding.

If you wanted to use an example of a semi-sucessful newscast that wasn't on the primary channel, you should have used ABC 7 Eyewitness News on KDOC 56. That actually got some decent numbers unlike the Fox 11 newscast on KCOP.  It would still be around today if the station handn't been sold to a religious broadcaster last summer.

Why are you so angry? Everyone makes mistakes and hiccups on Day 1, everyone, even your beloved KTLA did on their new set (i.e. main backdrop).

 

You and a few others on here act like it’s the end of the free world because you think this branding is going to kill Los Angeles television. It’s not. People will adapt and move on, as they have done for eons. This isn’t the first time KCBS/KCAL has done something different like this either (NewsCentral) so again I’m not entirely sure what has your boiling point up but you need to cool off. It’s not that serious, it’s a branding strategy. It’s a branding strategy that was tested, tried, and worked. They put A LOT of time behind this I am positive. They asked A LOT of people about it. They’re not just going to throw something on the air without market testing it first, and it tested favorably so here we are.

[CircleSeven 1955]

16 hours ago, TheNewsTV said:

Finally appeared the weather and time bug in KCAL News

Shouldn't that time/temp bar be on the other side?......

[24994J 5551]

38 minutes ago, CircleSeven said:

Shouldn't that time/temp bar be on the other side?......

 

Looks like they just chopped the time/temp off the CBSN ticker and made it float on its own. Ironically, the time/temp was the only part missing when that ticker was being used for the last couple weeks.

 

If only the new package had time/temp bug and ticker they could use. 

[CraigViewer 77]

6 hours ago, 24994J said:

 

Looks like they just chopped the time/temp off the CBSN ticker and made it float on its own. Ironically, the time/temp was the only part missing when that ticker was being used for the last couple weeks.

 

If only the new package had time/temp bug and ticker they could use. 

I was thinking similarly that it looks similar to the time/temperature reading on the CBSN ticker.

They finally joined morning news programs just about everywhere else with on-screen time/temp bugs, which is great!  As an observer, the placement of it on the bottom-right of the screen seems buried from the rest of the lower-thirds and is small, however.  The color scheme doesn't match the rest of the banner, either.

[Encore Emp 24]

The duopoly is now showing commercials that say CBS2 is now CBS Los Angeles.

They should’ve done that for KCBS a couple weeks back and not just KCAL only.

[Joey1986 26]

I’ve also seen that they only have the time/temp on for morning and midday newscasts now, no longer on the the long-established prime time block or late news. Haven’t checked the 4:00 PM on 9 or the 5:00–6:30 PM on 2.

 

That’s a step backward, in my view, because the other news-producing stations in L.A. (KTLA, KABC, KTTV, KMEX, KVEA) have it on for every newscast (and have done so for more than a decade) while the only other one not have it on the late news is KNBC (except, inexplicably, on Saturday nights).

Edited January 20, 2023 by Joey1986

[CraigViewer 77]

3 hours ago, Joey1986 said:

I’ve also seen that they only have the time/temp on for morning and midday newscasts now, no longer on the the long-established prime time block or late news. Haven’t checked the 4:00 PM on 9 or the 5:00–6:30 PM on 2.

 

That’s a step backward, in my view, because the other news-producing stations in L.A. (KTLA, KABC, KTTV, KMEX, KVEA) have it on for every newscast (and have done so for more than a decade) while the only other one not have it on the late news is KNBC (except, inexplicably, on Saturday nights).

The time/temp bug is not as necessary at any time of day as they are during morning newscasts (as it is before traditional work and school hours), in my opinion.

In this case, they probably were seeking to establish different on-air looks between both morning and afternoon/evening newscasts.

[RaleighTVBOI1 81]

14 hours ago, Joey1986 said:

I’ve also seen that they only have the time/temp on for morning and midday newscasts now, no longer on the the long-established prime time block or late news. Haven’t checked the 4:00 PM on 9 or the 5:00–6:30 PM on 2.

 

That’s a step backward, in my view, because the other news-producing stations in L.A. (KTLA, KABC, KTTV, KMEX, KVEA) have it on for every newscast (and have done so for more than a decade) while the only other one not have it on the late news is KNBC (except, inexplicably, on Saturday nights).

I know that so twenty years ago. Almost every west coast station has time/temp and got there act together. It’s a step back plus why did they have that in the 90s?

[MediaZone4K 2158]

I know that the point is to de-emphasize channel numbers because people are watching on multiple platforms.

 

Is it safe to assume however, that television is still the dominant way people consume local news? If so, there should be at least some reference to channel numbers so people know where to find the station. One way might be to include the station's channel number along with the call letters that are usually placed below the station's logo. 

 

Example:     CBS News Los Angeles

                      KCBS-TV | Channel 2 

 

This might be especially useful for higher up double digit channel numbers like WWJ 62 in Detroit. Someone without cable may not know what dial CBS is and might not take the time to flip as far up as 62 on their OTA television. 

Edited January 26, 2023 by iron_lion

[Georgie56 3292]

KCAL has modified the bug to say CBS NEWS LOS ANGELES.

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by Georgie56

[Horizon 262]

5 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

KCAL has modified the bug to say CBS NEWS LOS ANGELES.

 

Oh boy. I'm already imagining what some people are gonna think. But it's nice that they're finally promoting the CBS News local brand a little...through a simple bug change. 

[CraigViewer 77]

41 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

KCAL has modified the bug to say CBS NEWS LOS ANGELES.

 

I am currently watching the local over-the-air feed of KCAL, and the "KCAL News Los Angeles" on-air bug still remains on screen.  

Edited January 26, 2023 by CraigViewer

[Rusty Muck 4366]

6 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

KCAL has modified the bug to say CBS NEWS LOS ANGELES.

 

Gee, it’s like I might have been on to something…

On 1/16/2023 at 10:45 AM, Myron Falwell said:

My hunch is that you’ll see the KCAL brand get slowly phased out over the next few months, if not a full year. It’s capitalizing on their existing brand equity while associating it with the “CBS Los Angeles” branding.

Ready to claim my prize lmao

[Georgie56 3292]

6 hours ago, CraigViewer said:

I am currently watching the local over-the-air feed of KCAL, and the "KCAL News Los Angeles" on-air bug still remains on screen.  

Must be a streaming-specific bug then.

[Rusty Muck 4366]

1 hour ago, Georgie56 said:

Must be a streaming-specific bug then.

Even if it is just that, I highly doubt that you’ll see a branding disparity between OTA and streaming last for long.

 

For one, February sweeps is forthcoming. No better time for the CBS Los Angeles name to be gradually phased in with the KCAL name so OTA viewers can connect the two brands.

Edited January 26, 2023 by Myron Falwell

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

3 hours ago, Myron Falwell said:

Gee, it’s like I might have been on to something…

Ready to claim my prize lmao

Your snarky attitude is duly noted. I’ll keep it in mind from now on.

[CraigViewer 77]

2 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

Must be a streaming-specific bug then.

Yeah, it makes sense to replace "KCAL News Los Angeles" with the "CBS News Los Angeles" bug over the local "KCAL News Los Angeles" bug, which is still seen on channel 9, so the streams are more identifying and consistent to CBS Los Angeles audiences online.
 

Edited January 26, 2023 by CraigViewer

[TVJayFOX 10]

Does KCBS air news and weather cut ins during CBS Mornings during the early morning hours at 4:25 4:55 5:25 etc.?

[CraigViewer 77]

11 hours ago, TVJayFOX said:

Does KCBS air news and weather cut ins during CBS Mornings during the early morning hours at 4:25 4:55 5:25 etc.?

I happened to notice that during the 5am hour today that morning traffic anchor Kaylina Astrinos was doing a local traffic cut-in on "CBS Mornings" on KCBS around 5:25am or so, while "KCAL Mornings" over on KCAL was in a commercial break at the time.

Edited January 27, 2023 by CraigViewer

[FiveNews 371]

AFAIK. No full cut in, just weather and traffic on CBS Los Angeles.

[Jase 1042]

On 1/6/2023 at 4:12 PM, PhillyWatch said:

I agree that "The Desk" is coming across as a bit overused, but I can see it from the angle that they're "constantly monitoring news, always bringing the latest information, etc." With approximately 95 hours of news to fill in a day, how many times can they run the same flood package, or the same report that McCarthy lost the speaker vote again? This is a market where an entire newscast will be blown out to follow a car chase- this at least brings some variety. 

 

 

 

Having had the chance to watch a couple of newscasts; my issue, with ‘The Desk’ is that either an anchor, reporter or someone with a very STRONG journalism/communications background should be handling this and not some random assignment editor.

 

It appears Mike Rodgers (along with whomever works ‘The Desk’ during the mornings and afternoons… can’t recall their names) don’t have any on-air experience nor the ability to put a cohesive sentence together. It’s tough to watch this guy constantly trip over every other word.

 

If there’s anything they need to change ASAP it is this. Especially if this person is acting as a de facto 2nd or 3rd anchor for your newscast.
 

 

[JTT 111]

Is the new slogan that both stations are using confusing?  It's confusing to me.  Why not just state CBS NEWS Los Angeles on CBS 2 and CBS NEWS Los Angeles on KCAL 9 as the slogan?  I understand that the KCAL brand is more popular,  but in my opinion,  it is confusing to many viewers.

[TheNewsTV 251]

On 1/26/2023 at 3:17 AM, CraigViewer said:

I am currently watching the local over-the-air feed of KCAL, and the "KCAL News Los Angeles" on-air bug still remains on screen.  

 

Appears only during KCBS broadcast.

 

[CraigViewer 77]

5 hours ago, jase said:

Having had the chance to watch a couple of newscasts; my issue, with ‘The Desk’ is that either an anchor, reporter or someone with a very STRONG journalism/communications background should be handling this and not some random assignment editor.

 

It appears Mike Rodgers (along with whomever works ‘The Desk’ during the mornings and afternoons… can’t recall their names) don’t have any on-air experience nor the ability to put a cohesive sentence together. It’s tough to watch this guy constantly trip over every other word.

 

If there’s anything they need to change ASAP it is this. Especially if this person is acting as a de facto 2nd or 3rd anchor for your newscast.
 

 

My thoughts exactly. 

I will admit that I have slightly become more accustomed to 'The Desk,' but it still feels very awkward though.  The same information that Mike Rodgers and the other assignment editors gathers and then conveys to the audience can easily be relayed to have an anchor/reporter deliver such instead.

Given its overall ratings, there's nothing wrong with CBS Los Angeles trying to not reinvent the wheel, which is certainly another example here.  'The Desk' is actually a decent addition, but it seems unnecessary to have the anchors toss to it many times per hour -- slowing the rhythm of the news broadcasts -- and indeed having these segments helmed by the assignment editors on-camera, as well.

Edited January 27, 2023 by CraigViewer