News Series 2000 Plus

[lkwdcj562 0]

I wondered if ABC 7 is getting a custom update of their current theme "News Series 2000 Plus" but Gari Communications wanted the station to move EWN New Generation Has that been Resolved? And if so when will it be (News Series 2000 plus update) used? Thanks.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

For the time being, the same music that's been used for the past 17 years is going to remain. Changing the music isn't a priority or anything of real importance to the station right now. Their current music is a staple to the station. Station staff likes the music, the GM likes the music, and it works well with the viewers.. ABC 7 is Chicago's #1 news and pretty much has been for much of the life of this music at WLS.

 

 

WLS has rejected some of the updates that have been offered. The "New Generation" music sounds too tacky. WLS agrees that some of the music needs updating; however, not to that extent. The update WLS wants is pretty much keeping the music the same as it is; however, updating the instrumentation and sounds to just be more modern sounding, more realistic sounding, and to sound better sound quality-wise.. Unfortunately, Gari has different ideas. What WLS wants of their music could easily and happily be done with almost any other composer (615, Arnold, Kalehoff); however, it's very doubtful that Gari would release NS2000+ to any other composer for updating.

 

 

An update will come within time. The key is getting the right music. WLS is not going to update their music just to change like most other stations out there do nowadays. WLS wants a piece of music that will last the station another 20 years or so. That's the real key to getting music for the product.

 

 

 

By the way, don't continually ask when new music will come. When it's ready and done, you'll hear it.

[l14dap 1]

I understand WLS' position that they don't want to rush and take the first set of updates that Gari spits out. The NS2K+ music is a huge part of WLS history, and to take crap updates or move altogether to a new package is not in their best interest.

 

But since when did the composer have that much power in telling the station what package they should/shouldn't use? Does Gari offer financial incentives to convince stations (especially those without deep pockets) to adopt certain packages? That's got to be a strained relationship at times for both the station and composer.

[CircleSeven 1944]

I can remember as far back as after my 6th Birthday in 1992 when they changed their music from News Series 2000 to News Series 2000 Plus. The morning theme from NS2000 was kept for another nine years after starting using the Plus (Even though I like the current morning theme I missed that older theme :watch:). At first I didn't even recognized a news theme changed like they did. Hell I didn't even liked the Plus when they first used it, but I love them now. It's been a part of their station traditions for almost 16 years. It's like the most iconic to Chicago, the same way as MCTYW on WPVI in Philly. The theme has surpassed 3 different news sets, 4 different opening graphics, 6 different lower third & OTS graphics and several different talent changes over that 16 year span. And since the management and the viewers who've watched Channel 7 love the music, why would they want to change a theme that's iconic and it has (at least IMO) symbolized the City of Chicago and Channel 7?

 

WLS is only station that has used the same theme longer than their previous themes and longer than the news themes used in other Chicago stations. Hell they've been using the same melody (both 2000 & the Plus) for 25 years!! Why do they need to change? I despise stations when they constantly change their news themes or do it as some would say "just for the sake of change". That line right there pisses me off with a passion. Some stations use a theme for less than 3-5 years. Some less than 9 months. That's a strong lack of station identity. Hell I was overpissed about KWQC dropping Hello last summer for that U-Phonix crap, which they went back to Hello after 8 weeks but why change the theme in the first place? Then there's stations like WJZ, KTVU, WTOC, WCSH and a few others that have been holding on to their packs for more than two decades and their music has been and still is a big part of their stations traditions.

 

Yeah stations can have updates to their current theme whenever is necessary to have a

"fresh" look of their overall news product. But some stations sometimes doesn't hold on to news themes as long as they can. That's why I commend stations like KTVU, WJZ for keeping their music package and changing other elements (graphics & set) on their newscast.

 

Based on this previous thread from last fall, I believe someone from this board wrote WLS's Creative Service Director Tom Hebel and he stated his reasons why he didn't followed the footsteps of all the other O&Os.

 

I understand WLS' position that they don't want to rush and take the first set of updates that Gari spits out. The NS2K+ music is a huge part of WLS history, and to take crap updates or move altogether to a new package is not in their best interest.

 

But since when did the composer have that much power in telling the station what package they should/shouldn't use? Does Gari offer financial incentives to convince stations (especially those without deep pockets) to adopt certain packages? That's got to be a strained relationship at times for both the station and composer.

 

It shouldn't really matter if they don't follow the other O&Os to use the New Generation Themes. WLS is still paying their bills for the current themes they use today. So, why should they care about WLS not joining the EWN Bandwagon? They should be glad that they've been their client for 28 straight years.

[detroittv313 3]

What about fellow ABC O&O KFSN in Fresno? They have been using News One (Versions 1,2, and Mini) by 615 Music since 1994, two years after WLS started using News Series 2000 Plus. Speaking of that, during WLS' morning newscasts, they used First News with NS2K+ Signature. They used that kind of theme since 2001.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

It shouldn't really matter if they don't follow the other O&Os to use the New Generation Themes. WLS is still paying their bills for the current themes they use today. So, why should they care about WLS not joining the EWN Bandwagon? They should be glad that they've been their client for 28 straight years.

 

 

A while back, I was in contact with Gari Communications about some projects I was working on. I happened to ask about WLS's music. Gari has no problem with WLS keeping their current music. From what I was told, the NS2000+ package is a part of the "ABC News Collection" along with the EWN package. If you get one package, you can get the other since the packages are so closely related. It was mentioned that the NS2000+ package is just WLS's custom signature of the EWN package.

 

From the impression I was getting, Gari Comm is just not capable of doing what WLS wants. Gari wants to stick to synthetic instruments that are too "Casio keyboard" sounding. They are just kind of pushing WLS to the "new generation" music to get their heads out of what they really want; however, I know that won't work with the people at WLS. However, if WLS wants to stick with their current music, so be it.

 

 

Something that came to mind a while back is the Gari/Hegner split. If Hegner was still in the Gari mix, I'm sure a really good update could have came to be. Hegner is a "real musical instruments" type of composer that understands the importance of a good melody also sounding good. Just listen to his "News in Focus" and WGN "Chicago's Very Own" 1993-97 package. Plus, Hegner's home and studio is in the Chicago area up in the very far northwest suburbs still in the Chicago market so I'm sure Hegner knows WLS's usage of the music.

 

 

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About the morning theme change in 2001: The main reason was they just needed more cuts and flexibility. The morning theme from the time was from the original NS2000 package and was pretty much 1 repetitive cut used for everything morning related. Plus, the cut was from an original tape reel, not CD, so the sound wasn't exactly the best sound quality-wise.

[Link 3]

I would be really upset as I'm sure many viewers would if WLS changed their theme especially for the EWN package...I don't like it that well and don't know why so many stations use it. WLS needs to be careful even in updating it. WPVI tried in 1997 to update the MCTYW theme and viewers didn't like it and complained and within a week or less the old theme was put back in place.

 

Themes are more important than some think when it comes to identifying with their favorite shows. Take the longtime #1 rated soap Young and the Restless. They have used the same theme since 1973 when it debuted and viewers identify with it, plus the soap is still #1. Other shows have changed their themes throughout the years much to the dismay of viewers and those shows have lost viewers and continue to. Breaking tradition and a lack of familiarity drives viewers away.

 

I think the lack of ending credits on shows has hurt them. I used to like hearing the closing credit theme music on many of my favorite shows and now they don't even do that.

[Que 73]

I think the lack of ending credits on shows has hurt them. I used to like hearing the closing credit theme music on many of my favorite shows and now they don't even do that.

 

I highly doubt this is the reason they are seeing drops in viewership.

[channel2 869]

I highly doubt this is the reason they are seeing drops in viewership.

 

I think the reason that soaps are losing viewers is that the primary audience (housewives) seem to be entering the workforce at an ever-increasing rate.

 

But back on track, I agree with Link that music is an important part of viewers' consciousness. The NBC station here, KUSA, has used the same music since they switched to NBC and haven't changed since. And they're the market powerhouse (that title even survived the set change in April of '04).

[Jess 1110]

Music and graphics are more important to a newscast than many people (and sadly, many station employees) think. Sound and visual are important to any successful branding - and it can last for decades if done right.

 

Of course I need to bring up WPVI. They've used the same theme for three and a half decades. And IMHO it still holds up. That said, I can see someone doing an update to the theme again - but much more of a direct update, ala NS2000, this time. 615 would do a really good job with it (their new topical music is quite nice).

 

But I also should bring up KYW and WCAU. WCAU has used the same basic theme since 1997. People complained when KYW stopped using the Newsradio signature, but they only switched to the "I Love Chicago" theme. Which WCAU used for YEARS before switching to NBC. So they were really trading one well-known theme for another - and it worked out well. Having the excellent News in Focus as the initial theme didn't hurt.

 

I think WLS' approach is a good one. I don't think they should switch theme packages arbitrarily. And I don't think a "New Generation" update would be the best approach - keep the theme fundamentally the same.

[Link 3]

I highly doubt this is the reason they are seeing drops in viewership.

 

It's not the main reason but it is one of many factors. With all the changes they make in graphics and theme music on some of the soaps, they aren't the same traditional shows I grew up with and really have no interest in watching a lot of them today. It is interesting how Young and the Restless has never changed their theme and is the #1 soap.

 

Another example is Price Is Right. They have kept things pretty well the same for over 30 years, the same games, graphics, theme music, and made only minor modifications to the set. The most dramatic change was Bob Barker being replaced with Drew Carey. The show is still #1 and the top daytime game show.

[rtmclaug 43]

I like News Series 2000 Plus. It's been a part of WLS since it was Eyewitness News, and they haven't changed the music since. I hope they don't change the music. It's cool.

[Link 3]

There is absolutely no way in hell that [st]viewers decide what station they're going to watch for news[/st] people quit watching soap operas because of closing credits. If you think that's a "factor" or a "reason" or whatever....you're out of your mind.

 

As a viewer that has posted on soap message boards in the past, all the modern changes networks have done with the shows have turned longtime viewers off. Among those discussed are such things as hiring inexperienced teen actors, changing the openings, theme music, and the lack of closing credits (mainly to hear the theme music)...Did someone turn off their show one day because of no closing credits--probably not...but have they lost interest in their shows because of lack of tradition and a bunch of changes--yes.

[ctmajka 108]

Here's the thing....I have asked my family & friends if they had noticed tht Channel 7 used 2 different variation of News Series 2000 Plus: the Synthesized version(11am, 4pm, 5pm) and the Orchestral version (6pm, 10pm)...all but 2 said they never noticed a difference...nor did they really care. And the other 2 were like "Oh! Hey! You're Right!"...so I HIGHLY doubt WLS will suffer the same fate as WPVI did in the "Music Update" department.

[Link 3]

Here's the thing....I have asked my family & friends if they had noticed tht Channel 7 used 2 different variation of News Series 2000 Plus: the Synthesized version(11am, 4pm, 5pm) and the Orchestral version (6pm, 10pm)...all but 2 said they never noticed a difference...nor did they really care. And the other 2 were like "Oh! Hey! You're Right!"...so I HIGHLY doubt WLS will suffer the same fate as WPVI did in the "Music Update" department.

 

When I first started watching ABC u7 News, I didn't notice this either. Then one day I was like the 6pm & 10pm newscasts use a different version. I mentioned it to a friend of mine and they hadn't noticed either but then did soon after I mentioned it.