New Mobile-Pensacola TV Article

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http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1200392224205050.xml&coll=3&thispage=1

 

Mobile Press-Register TV and radio reporter Mike Brantley, who rarely has new articles appear in the newspaper, has a new one today about the local broadcasters of this tri-state market (Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi). It says NBC affiliate WPMI's 10:00 PM newscast made some improvement in the ratings during November 2007's "sweeps" period compared to the previous time in November 2006 before many news presenters, reporters, and other staff were let go or fired. WPMI's general manager Bob Franklin gave credit to the new 10:00 PM news presenters and the newscasts becoming "better" in story count and graphics.

 

As usual, notorious ABC affiliate WEAR was number one at 10:00 PM in November, followed by CBS affiliate WKRG, which had a month of increases and decreases for its newscasts. Former NBC affiliate and current FOX affiliate WALA's ratings for its hour-long 9:00 PM newscast were up compared to November 2006.

 

The article also mentions WALA's slow and steady pace at finding a new co-anchor for longtime anchor Bob Grip and WPMI's effort into covering the Florida side of the market. Channel 10 (WALA) has recently tried out former WMBB (Panama City, Florida) reporter and Mobile native April Douglas for the 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM newscasts. As for WPMI's Florida news effort, the station and the other two in Mobile are all ready doing a good job in that area, maybe greater than WEAR.