Vote Now

[superbad 1]

Should New Management be brought in after WBBM moves to new building.

 

YES

 

NO

[CircleSeven 1944]

They should let Ahern go before they move to Block 37. And I stated this before, it would be completely stupid to drag their devastating ratings from 630 North McClurg to 108 N. State. Even they did change their talent earlier last week, I don't think the ratings would change at WBBM. So they need to have a major overhaul with everything. Even bring some more out-of-market personnel to WBBM. Anything can be better then what they have now.

[Amra 130]

from NewsBlues:

Chicago viewers embrace new CBS anchor team

 

We have to hold Ahern. Anne State & Rob Johnson are great together. Anne is a very good anchor.

[Link 3]

I think one thing that might help the WBBM's ratings is when analog signals shut down next February and WBBM has a beter VHF signal and can reach more people than they apparently do now with their signal problems on analog channel 2 and digital problems on low band VHF channel 3.

[former newsboy 50]

from NewsBlues:

Chicago viewers embrace new CBS anchor team

 

 

Not really sure what that's about since I no longer subscribe to NewsBlues. If it's a link to today's Feder column, the headline doesn't make much sense.

 

I agree that Anne State's a good anchor, light years ahead of Diann Burns. So if Channel 2's just going to maintain the status quo like Feder reports has been the case these past 2 weeks, might as well save money with better talent. But will things actually improve over time with this cast? Maybe a little, but I doubt any real growth is seen.

 

Ahern's out after the move, after it's clear the new building doesn't help ratings either. And that shouldn't take long. His 2-year extension is up in the fall of '09, so that's the longest we'll have to wait.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

Ahern's out after the move' date=' after it's clear the new building doesn't help ratings either. And that shouldn't take long. His 2-year extension is up in the fall of '09, so that's the longest we'll have to wait.[/quote']

 

 

The actual intent of moving to a new building isn't really ratings as many people think. Northwestern Medical has been wanting to take over the land that WBBM's building stands on for many years now either to build a new doctors building or expand a parking garage. WBBM has been planning to move to a new home for the past 10-15 years now but they've never actually been able to secure a new location actually within downtown Chicago. I think they closest they came was another very old building that would have had to go under alot of work and was also outside of downtown around 8 years ago; however, CBS and WBBM management really wanted to stay within downtown. Ahern has been the only one that has been able to secure an excellent location for their new home in the loop. Alot of it too has to do because he's Joe Ahern (with city and mayor connections) and really, no other President/GM that CBS could have stuck in there from other markets would have been able to get their hands on or understand the importance of block 37.

 

Plus, at this time of TV stations upgrading technology, it really does make a lot of economic sense to move right now to a new home that is all new digital technology/HD ready rather than to spend alot more money to redo the infrastruction of the old WBBM building only to take it apart a few years from now to move it all into a new home/building. If they would have made the move to a new building a number of years earlier, they would be spending quite a bit of time and money having to upgrade much of things at the new building around now. Timing was almost perfect on this one and is probably the best money WBBM has spent.

 

 

WBBM's old building is really a craphole falling apart. You can see a photo of the building at: The building itself is kind of an eyesore in the area its located. Alot of the exterior facade is falling apart and has been for years. The city has been letting WBBM get away with not doing any repair work on the building under the condition that they'll be moving elsewhere and the building will be demolished. Alot of people are saying the building has history and should be saved; however, it's really not feasible to save it. Someone could try to turn it into a museum, but the donations/money needed won't be coming in to pay for the building, taxes, and repairs.. Bruce Dumont is already having a hard enough time getting money for his TV broadcasting museum.

 

--------------------

 

I've been reading around online and various other places at comments/bashing/extreme criticism being made about Anne State and really, I think alot of people are really being unfair about her; especially, when she's only been on TV for 2 weeks in Chicago (actually in the city of Chicago for only 3 weeks). 2 weeks is really too short of a time to judge a new anchor that has come in from a completely different market where the news is completely different. The way she is now is ALOT like when Linda MacLennan first showed up in town. Anne is really still a bit unfamiliar with the city, its people, and some pronounciations but that's stuff that will get fixed with time. Those are the same type of "issues" that both ABC 7's Ravi Baichwal and FOX Chicago's Meteorologist Amy Freeze (who I'll admit, I was unfair with towards the beginning) had when they started; however, they didn't get the bashing that Anne State is getting.. Heck, Rob Johnson had his list issues when he first came to town. I'm just guessing that people are extremely criticizing or bashing her only because she's working at WBBM. I only wish her the very best here in Chicago. I have a feeling she'll be in town a long time. Just give her some time. I'm sure she'll have everything down in no time.

[former newsboy 50]

I don't know anyone who thinks their move to a new building is for ratings sake. New facilities are long overdue and have been a pipe dream for years, so kudos to Joe for makin it happen (one of the few things I've given him credit for in the past).

 

However, he's made it clear that his hopes for a turnaround now rests greatly in the new digs, more specifically a street-level studio much like ABC 7's. And that's comin straight from the horse's mouth, in a Crains Chicago Business story.

 

BTW, personally I've seen and heared mainly praise about Anne State. I know *I'm* really liking her. If possible lazynet, could u link us to some of this bashing u speak of? I can't imagine what people could be saying, compared to Diann Burns, Anne's a female Walter Cronkite.

[Amra 130]

Amen Former Newsboy, especially on Anne State! She is very nice and actually takes time to answer viewers emails.

[cbs2idiots 21]

This is the only negative thing I read about Anne State from Feder's article.

 

Martin Jacobs: I've watched Anne State a few times, and frankly, I'm not impressed. She seems uncomfortable and still unfamiliar with the city and its people. Her rapid-fire delivery is her biggest problem. Her mind gets ahead of her mouth, and she ends up stumbling on simple words in her news copy. Maybe in time Ms. State will settle down and be more consistent. But for now she's still an iffy work in progress.

 

Other than that its all praises

 

http://www.suntimes.com/business/feder/914769,CST-FIN-feder25.article?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=800