Graham Media Group general discussion

[Howard Beale 57]

The old Graham Media Group thread is archived.  It’s time to start a new one, due in part to this interesting development.

 

Graham Media Group is apparently applying the MMJ concept (one person does the jobs of two or three people)  to its local management.  Its six stations have job openings for a so-called “Manager of Content and Coverage.”  Judging by the job description, this sounds like a mashup of an assistant news director, an executive producer, and possibly even a managing editor.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this MCC person even had to line produce on occasion!

 

Here’s the job opening for reference: https://www.click2houston.com/careers/2024/05/28/manager-of-content-and-coverage-three-openings-available/

 

I can’t say I’m surprised about this new development in management.  Graham is in cost-cutting mode.  They recently went through a round of buyouts.  Plus, they hired Sean McLaughlin, the ex-Scripps news executive who spearheaded that company’s bungled news reorganization.

[newsman123 112]

They are hiring (3) of those positions per station. Its like adding 3 additional EP’s to oversee each daypart. They are replacing the longtime vets with more managers.

 

“There will be 3 MCC positions available, working different shifts inside the newsroom. One of the shifts will involve early-morning hours to lead our morning news efforts. One will work later in the evening to lead our late news efforts, with the final a day shift leading evening products.”

 

Edited June 12, 2024 by newsman123

[Howard Beale 57]

1 hour ago, newsman123 said:

They are hiring (3) of those positions per station. Its like adding 3 additional EP’s to oversee each daypart. They are replacing the longtime vets with more managers.

 

 

 

It doesn’t sound like Graham is adding more managers.  I think they're combining several management jobs into one.  I say this, because one of the MCC job duties is to “act as the news director in their absence.”  That’s typically up to the assistant news director to do.  Other duties listed in the job posting sound similar to what you’d expect from an executive producer and a managing editor.  It therefore sounds like Graham will reduce at least five jobs — assistant ND, morning EP, dayside EP, evening EP, and managing editor — into three MCC jobs.  And I'm sure the salaries won't match the job responsibilities either.

 

[ns8401 941]

On 6/11/2024 at 7:25 PM, Howard Beale said:

The old Graham Media Group thread is archived.  It’s time to start a new one, due in part to this interesting development.

 

Graham Media Group is apparently applying the MMJ concept (one person does the jobs of two or three people)  to its local management.  Its six stations have job openings for a so-called “Manager of Content and Coverage.”  Judging by the job description, this sounds like a mashup of an assistant news director, an executive producer, and possibly even a managing editor.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this MCC person even had to line produce on occasion!

 

Here’s the job opening for reference: https://www.click2houston.com/careers/2024/05/28/manager-of-content-and-coverage-three-openings-available/

 

I can’t say I’m surprised about this new development in management.  Graham is in cost-cutting mode.  They recently went through a round of buyouts.  Plus, they hired Sean McLaughlin, the ex-Scripps news executive who spearheaded that company’s bungled news reorganization.

I know WDIV has been progressively getting worse lately… I welcome a Scripps guy to make sure they follow through on that effort. 

[MediaZone4K 2165]

 

On 6/13/2024 at 6:41 PM, ns8401 said:

I know WDIV has been progressively getting worse lately… I welcome a Scripps guy to make sure they follow through on that effort. 

Yikes sounds like the job my assistant ND was already doing. 

Dont know where else to put this; ex Graham but still uses the look...

 

What kind of cameras are WPLG using? Their in studio shots looks like SD, the lighting is very incandescent orange and the camera sharpness looks too high. Almost looks like the anchors are sitting infront of a green screen. WPLG is probably the best news product in the Miami market right now but their set isn't

Edited July 3, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[24994J 5568]

1 hour ago, MediaZone4K said:

What kind of cameras are WPLG using? Their in studio shots looks like SD, the lighting is very incandescent orange and the camera sharpness looks too high. Almost looks like the anchors are sitting infront of a green screen. WPLG is probably the best news product in the Miami market right now but their set isn't

 

If this is from the last few weeks, they've been on a temporary set, for the last month or so.

[MediaZone4K 2165]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:49 PM, 24994J said:

 

If this is from the last few weeks, they've been on a temporary set, for the last month or so.

I suspected it was a temporary set because the anchors are seated differently...but their standard set, which is 9 years old, is not much better. The bad camera quality is more obvious on a blown up flat screen tv than a cell phone screenshot but here it is:

Edited March 11 by MediaZone4K

[Weeters 1915]

The discussion for the new WPLG set has been moved here.

[MediaZone4K 2165]

On 6/13/2024 at 6:41 PM, ns8401 said:

I know WDIV has been progressively getting worse lately… I welcome a Scripps guy to make sure they follow through on that effort. 

If the multiple buyouts were done as a financial move, would it not further hurt them financially to have lower ratings because people's favorite personalities are gone?

 

*This assuming those anchors moved the needle.*

[ns8401 941]

On 9/9/2024 at 6:49 PM, MediaZone4K said:

If the multiple buyouts were done as a financial move, would it not further hurt them financially to have lower ratings because people's favorite personalities are gone?

 

*This assuming those anchors moved the needle.*

It seems every time one of the stations here has shown some veteran talent the door there are folks who say they will never watch… they seem to not follow through always… the ratings have been rusted in place for 14 years now. 

[Greggo 354]

Ever since Emily Barr left, the new leadership seems determined to torch these stations. KSAT was absolutely obliterated by the buyouts. Now the local media reporter is claiming KPRC parted ways with its morning traffic anchor … and doesn’t plan to replace her?!? How do you do news in Houston and not have a morning traffic anchor and be taken seriously? (Again, assuming the report is right …) And don’t get me started on that horrid set KPRC installed that was overseen by the ND who left just a few months after it debuted. 

[ABC 7 Denver 1714]

4 hours ago, Greggo said:

Ever since Emily Barr left, the new leadership seems determined to torch these stations. KSAT was absolutely obliterated by the buyouts. Now the local media reporter is claiming KPRC parted ways with its morning traffic anchor … and doesn’t plan to replace her?!? How do you do news in Houston and not have a morning traffic anchor and be taken seriously? (Again, assuming the report is right …) And don’t get me started on that horrid set KPRC installed that was overseen by the ND who left just a few months after it debuted. 

 

Use a fill-in reporter to cover street cams.

[MediaZone4K 2165]

Late to the party but musical chairs at WPLG. Wendy Williams' niece Alex Finney leaves weekend mornings to become the weekday morning co-anchor.

 

Longtime weekday AM anchor Jaycee Birch moves to weekend evenings. According to FTV live, it's not a demotion, she reportedly demanded to be taken off weekday mornings. Her IG says it was her choice.

 

That bounces Layron Livingston out of the weekend PM co-anchor chair (which is a shame because he is a strong personality).

 

AM traffic/noon anchor Alexis Frasier wil now also co-anchor weekend mornings.

Edited September 19, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[Yankees4life 558]

22 hours ago, MediaZone4K said:

Late to the party but musical chairs at WPLG. Wendy Williams' niece Alex Finney leaves weekend mornings to become the weekday morning co-anchor.

 

Longtime weekday AM anchor Jaycee Birch moves to weekend evenings. According to FTV live, it's not a demotion, she reportedly demanded to be taken off weekday mornings. Her IG says it was her choice.

 

That bounces Layron Livingston out of the weekend PM co-anchor chair (which is a shame because he is a strong personality).

 

AM traffic/noon anchor Alexis Frasier wil now also co-anchor weekend mornings.

I can't say I blame Jaycee. I too hate mornings

Edited September 19, 2024 by Yankees4life

[MediaZone4K 2165]

Just now, Yankees4life said:

I can't say I blame Jaycee. I too hate mornings

Same! The issue is allegedly displacing another anchor to get your desired shift. 

[newsbot 271]

In September Graham Media parent Graham Holdings Company transferred voting control without notifying the FCC beforehand. Essentially Donald Graham, for estate planning purposes, ceded majority voting control such that no one individual has more than 50% voting control (with his daughter Laura G. O’Shaughnessy now having the largest share but short of a majority.) In October Graham Media filed with the FCC to reflect that change. Bottom line, GHC remains family-owned; they're just rearranging the deck chairs. He who shall not be named referenced this today and, being the great reporter he is, asked his readership what this is all about instead of actually reading the FCC filing and finding out on his own.
https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f9192b94c4a0192c50f85101708

Edited November 8, 2024 by newsbot

[TheRolyPoly 2393]

You don't see much news these days regarding ratings at TV markets.

 

Well we still know of one such winner as of February 2025... Jacksonville's WJXT, The One and Only Channel 4.

 

Winner of every newscast in A25-54 except for 12 Noon and 11pm.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/susie-losco-65054625_n4j-february-win-ugcPost-7303551617398628353-7QN-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABqGw-0BrOQ_9csrv95OAtvM37gqLkE_dSc

[Howard Beale 57]

5 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

You don't see much news these days regarding ratings at TV markets.

 

Well we still know of one such winner as of February 2025... Jacksonville's WJXT, The One and Only Channel 4.

 

Winner of every newscast in A25-54 except for 12 Noon and 11pm.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/susie-losco-65054625_n4j-february-win-ugcPost-7303551617398628353-7QN-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABqGw-0BrOQ_9csrv95OAtvM37gqLkE_dSc

How many people total are watching?  Having 46% of the audience sounds impressive, but if the total audience size is -- for example -- 10,000 people, then big whoop.

 

Ratings no longer matter as they once did.  Broadcasters typically earn more-than half of their annual revenue from retransmission fees versus core advertising.  Who needs to fight for viewers when you're getting the same check every month from the cable companies?

[jjj 17]

8 hours ago, Howard Beale said:

How many people total are watching?  Having 46% of the audience sounds impressive, but if the total audience size is -- for example -- 10,000 people, then big whoop.

 

Ratings no longer matter as they once did.  Broadcasters typically earn more-than half of their annual revenue from retransmission fees versus core advertising.  Who needs to fight for viewers when you're getting the same check every month from the cable companies?

Good point.

 

This was from 2020: (news4jax com/features/2020/05/26/news4jax-is-viewers-no-1-choice/)

 

Quote

News4JAX also won all major demos in late news. WJXT is #1 at 10 p.m. with 17,000 A25-54 viewers and again at 10:30 p.m. with 14,000. News4JAX was #1 at 11 p.m. with 12,000 A25-54 viewers, beating both First Coast News and the WJAX and WFOX Action News newscasts, even when added together. Late news has seen year-over-year growth particularly at 10 p.m. where there is a 26% increase over last May.

 

Jacksonville FL has a metro population of about 1,600,000 people and they can only manage to pull around 17,000 25-54 year old viewers.  The above 54 y/o is probably a few times that but even with that they are attracting less than 5% of the total metro population.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 19 by jjj

[sfomspphl 490]

No network affiliation...and near 50% share of all daypart viewers in the demo is damn impressive. 

Edited March 19 by sfomspphl

[24994J 5568]

Please keep the discussion in the separate thread. No need for it to be here.

 

[Greggo 354]

I assume CBS 47 is the winner at noon because … Price Is Right. Are they also the winner at 11p?