Your Christmas Wish List 2008

[jdcnow 14]

Hello all. A new promotion at my job has taken much of my time, but it’s good to be back here when I can.

 

Now what are your wishes and what would you like to see become of or happen at your local stations for 2009?

 

For me, in the North Texas market, I’ll start with what I feel are the top 3 best stations in terms of a quality news product overall.

 

WFAA – Keep on truckin’, and don’t change a thing. Brett Shipp and Byron Harris are doing a WONDERFUL job with the investigative division, Brett Shipp, especially, for most recently exposing corruption at DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) (See Article: http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/localnews/investigates/stories/wfaa081120_wz_dartdiscrim.1cf94de44.html). In the weather division, I still say that when Troy Dungan retired last year (2007), Steve McCauley got jipped out of the promotion to chief met he should have gotten over Pete Delkus. But I do like Delkus, especially during bouts of severe weather. His willingness to literally, one night several months back, spend the night at the station tracking severe weather says a lot. I also LOVE the “Getting the city started” ad campaign for News 8 Daybreak.

 

Note the checklist at the end:

[yt]dBh-PAW8miI[/yt]

 

My favorite of the bunch:

[yt]FUkAZ7JQrMY[/yt]

 

It’s clever without being overly cheesy, unlike previous years’ terrible idea of marketing the morning show as a breakfast cereal, which just screamed “VELVEETA!”. Watch:

[yt]YLK4tXJSe9M[/yt]

 

Overall, WFAA is generally firing on all cylinders and is doing fine. Keep your edgy, next-generation, yet relevant and hard-hitting style of product, and you’ll be on top practically forever.

 

KTVT/KTXA – What a long way they have come from the Regent Doucas era early last year (2007) (the “first five minutes” era on the late news). Kudos to GM Steve Mauldin for tossing Doucas out on his tuckas. And really, what a loooooooonnnnnnng way KTVT has come from the days of being a start-up CBS affiliate in the mid 90s. Their content has essentially become “WFAA-lite”, but quite honestly, that’s not nessesarily a bad thing. In fact, quite the opposite. Bennett Cunningham, KTVT’s chief investigative reporter, frankly, is just as good as Brett and Byron over at Belo-8. I only hope KTVT realizes the gem they have in Bennett as a reporter and investigator, because he is a keeper. On KTXA, the “morning show in the evening” format (as I can best describe it) works on so many levels. And during severe weather, I like the fact that I can watch them, when the others have commitments to be on network programming. Thank you for giving Kenneth Taylor the heave-ho. Good things are happening at this duopoly. Keep it up, and don't lose what you have.

 

KDFW - For the love of God, mercy, and everything decent, go HD please!!! And a note to KDFW's weather department: (I don't mean this as much of a criticism, as much as an observation) where are the good ol' days of "first on, last off" during severe weather. Overall, this station also is doing well, in terms of a quality news product. Thank you for adding a mini "Viewers' Voice" segment at the end of the 9pm news every weeknight. Keep your longtimers (Clarice Tinsley, Tim Ryan, Richard Ray, Steve Eager, Ron Jackson, Becky Oliver, Scott Wallace, etc.) - they are what give your station credibility, as all of the people I just mentioned have been with the station since the CBS affiliation days.

 

KDAF - For a station that's basically following the Sinclair model of how to run a TV news operation - honestly, not bad. Just a few requests I do have: 1) Bring back a newsdesk of some kind. I don't care if you have to buy a folding table from Sam's Club and drape a vinyl banner over the front, do something! 2) Start a morning newscast. KDFW has no competition from 7am-9am. They know it, and on rare occasions, they've acted like it. 3) An old hand-me-down graphics package from Giant Octopus wouldn't exactly hurt. But I will say to KDAF's everlasting credit: Thank you for staying with Stephen Arnold and not dropping Convergence, when everyone else ran away in droves.

 

Now, on to this market's red-headed stepchild, KXAS:

Channel 5, Channel 5, Channel 5, where to start with you....wait, I know:

[yt]xrXOx3eyoQs[/yt]

 

Here's some of the station's greatest hits:

Lead anchor Mike Snyder - "Do you want some of this?"

[yt]wXdfYDwlU4k[/yt]

 

Lead Anchor Jane McGarry Hears Something:

[yt]leNE1CYeL6k[/yt]

 

Weekend met James Aydelott gets caught with his vocal pants down on a hot mic:

[yt]mYHskbGoFrw[/yt]

(Observation: Thank goodness Todd Wallace had the sense to move on to a much better station as RTV6.)

 

The morning-shift cameraman with bad aim:

[yt]YPFB3QtcfaE[/yt]

 

I rest my case. What was once the station of Harold Taft, Chip Moody and Jack Brown, is now the station that has a segment open for structure/building/house fires. It's now the station that flipped the HD switch on a temp set.

[yt]rPzRhqPTYYg[/yt]

It's the station where late newscasts play like the obituary section of the newspaper. KXAS seriously needs to rethink it's approach to local news.

[DMA 135]

WCBS-Stop being tabloid...

WNBC-Bring back L@5

WNYW-Nothing different

WABC-Make a respectable newscast

WWOR-Die

WPIX-A new early evening newscast.

[Weeters 1811]

WISN-HD News, new set, the new Hearst graphics, more of the Gari Hearst theme.

WTMJ-HD News, new set, get rid of the in-house Renderon knockoffs.

WITI-Lose the FOX O&O package, new primary set. HD would be nice

WDJT-Upgrade whatever equipment is causing the "dirty window" effect on all the video.

[newsie 11]

WTKR: HD, they're probably light years away form that though; new music, I find Interceptor to be annoying

WVEC: HD, NEW SET!!!!!!!. They've become too attached to their current one, it's almost scary.

WAVY: maybe a new gfx package

WVBT: your own set

 

KXAS looks all over the place.

[Bucc 4]

Albany, NY:

WNYT-NBC13:

Get a new set, possibly graphics and new music, but mainly a new set:

 

They have had this fake newsroom set from like 1990. Also, bring back "LIVE LOCAL LATE-BREAKING." As for the news content, start covering more local news, and less national.

 

WRGB-CBS6:

Keep up all the good investigation/consumer help segments! New set & graphics. Turn the 10 @ 10 on the capital region's CW into a full 1/2 hour, and make the am cw news 2 hours not just 7-8; but from 8-9.

 

WTEN-ABC10:

HAVE STEVE SIT DOWN:

& get a new set, duh, and figure out wtf to do with the sports department!

 

WXXA-FOX23

they have improve sooo much this month, so keep working hard. Add a 6pm and noon newscast.

 

*None of my Xmas list will come true thought:(

[TennTV1983 743]

Nashville, TN

WKRN: Seriously, before they do anything else, they need to get new management, and probably new owners (that won't happen), as this station has run itself into the ground.

WSMV: Keep fighting on. With the DIY set, graphics, and HD news, they should be fine for the next few years. Would it hurt to ask that they get an actual news helicopter?

WTVF: No changes. Just hoping that they get some new owners next year that will carry on what Landmark has done for this station.

WZTV: Since they're a Sinclair-owned station, hopefully they will start broadcasting their news in HD sometime next year, in addition to getting a new set.

[Ntropolis 593]

WTEN-ABC10:

HAVE STEVE SIT DOWN:

& get a new set, duh, and figure out wtf to do with the sports department!

 

New graphics too, right? Haven't they been using the open with the camera guy silhouette for at least 5 years now?

[ib-td 1]

WSVN (Miami) Finally to go hd??

WPLG (Miami) hd in new digs

WTVJ (Miami) to get a life and a news dept after PN buyout

WFOR (Miami) like the gfx, but try to do a FL news show

WFLA (Tampa) - lots here

1. get rid of Gayle

2. get rid of Jen Hill

3. get rid of people who are older than god trying to look like they are still 30

4. do a news show for an audience younger than 70'

5. new hd set badly needed

WTSP (Tampa) lots here

1. dump 10 connects logo

2. dump Reg

3. rebuild wx dept

4. get a grip on news harder than a cow farting in east Tampa as a lead story

WTVT(Tampa) go hd and blow off the competition

WWSB (Sarasota) get a life go hd find good news talent and stop thinking of yourself as a VERY small market station

WFTS (Tampa) too many to mention too many staff which need to be replaced

 

for me: a GVG Kalypso in my living room to play

[Bucc 4]

New graphics too, right? Haven't they been using the open with the camera guy silhouette for at least 5 years now?

 

They definitely need new graphics, I forgot to put that, have u seen their lower 3rds..pease!

 

yes, they still use that open It use to be longer I'd say maybe a minute open with "from the news station leading the way in local news coverage on air & and on line, this is news10 @ 6.

 

Now its the same graphics but they just say "Live from WTEN this is news10 at 6, on the news station"

***probably because they don't lead the way in anything, ratings wise, but they are a good channel, but could be soo better

[NewsJunkie247 1]

Since there is not much going on in Western PA, I will do my wish list on the NYC stations.

 

WCBS - Put on new weekend morning anchors and keep Steve and Mary on the weekend evening news. Maybe Sean Hennessey or Magee Hickey with Cindy Hsu?

 

WNBC - adjust the afternoon line-up so they can bring back a full hour of Live at Five anchored by Sue and David and keep New York Nightly News. Also, get rid of the new music and bring back the previous package.

 

WNYW - Find a permanent replacement for Rosanna Scotto on the 5 and 10pm broadcasts. Perhaps Linda Schmidt or maybe even Roz Abrams.

 

WABC - Keep up the good work! They are dominating in the ratings, their anchor teams are solid, the graphics are nice, and the music is awesome. I would not change a thing.

 

WWOR - Where will I begin!?! First, stop using Fox 5 reporters on My 9. If I want to see Fox 5 reporters, then I will turn on Fox 5!! Secondly, have the anchors sit down more. Finally, get a better set.

 

WPIX - Not much to change since they will be bringing back the Circle 11 and they will get rid of the CW branding (THANK GOODNESS!). Kaity and Jim are solid, Mr. G kind of wacky - but in a good way, and Sal is a legend. With the new PIX News at Ten, it will be an excellent newscast.

[jero23 105]

I want Media General to sell WVTM to somebody that actual does care about that station because it is officially a trainwreck. Of all the former NBC O&Os, WVTM looks the worst under MG. The station fails to even compete with others, the website continues to look like crap, and that horrible logo (the old oval logo was much better). NBC should have sold them to someone else or held on to the station until somebody of worth would have did something of substance with the place.

 

It's sad when other former O&Os have better more interactive sites and newscasts that makes the viewer feel as if the product is same if not better. The total opposite has occurred with WVTM, and the fact that WIAT has surpassed them in ratings and product presentation is obviously showing.

[rhombics447 1]

WKYC - Go back to The Tower.

WOIO - Actually report news in a professional way.

WEWS - Stop obsessing over the weather. Locals will know what I'm talking about.

WJW - Nothing I can think of right now.

[HamptonRoadsNews 0]

WTKR (3/CBS) - Get an actual morning anchor; having your weatherman anchor and do the weather is not good in this size market. Make a commitment to your line-up and then stick with it, instead of blowing it up every time a new boss comes in. Make a goal of trying to at least tie, if not beat, Judge Judy at 6pm. Seriously.

 

WAVY (10/NBC) - Hire a few new reporters. You seem to be lacking in this area recently. Also, the HD set looks really nice, but this new "WAVY Web Center" that came about during the election is pretty atrocious. Make it look new and clean like the new set.

 

WVEC (13/ABC) - Get a new evening set. The morning set looks great, but the orange paint job on the evening set was a bad idea. Also, replace your weekend anchors. Neither one are cut out to be anchors in the least. I'd suggest promoting Lindsey Roberts and Brian Farrell to the positions (morning and evening respectively).

 

WVBT (43/FOX) - Work on establishing some FOX 43 exclusive stories. Make yourselves at least a little different than a rehashing of WAVY's 6pm show.

[RetroCirq 148]

My Christmas list:

 

WPLG-Go HD

WSVN-No change. Not even getting rid of Belkys. For now

WTVJ-Be different than 'PLG

WFOR- Make the anchor shots more comfortable. The tight anchor shots looks too nauseating.

[jestbiteme 13]

KDKA: A nice set of Hothaus graphics. And if you won't go back to the Series I of KDKA Prime, buy a decent package from someone else.

[WXmanTim 88]

Nashville, TN

WKRN: Seriously, before they do anything else, they need to get new management, and probably new owners (that won't happen), as this station has run itself into the ground.

 

It would be nice if WKRN could extricate itself from Young's clutches, that will only happen when (no "ifs" only "whens") Young goes completely under.

 

It's sad that their profits are sucked out to help keep the group afloat, but that's the sad fact of Young's current situation. The station does a good job with the limited resources they have available and I'm very proud of my continued association with the station's staff.

 

My Christmas wish has a chance of coming early...if it does, yall will hear about it second (family will first)!

[qunewsguy 376]

My Christmas wish? That myself and everyone I know who works in TV is able to keep their jobs over the next year. That the economy recovers so that nobody else needs to lose their jobs. Until that happens, I could care less about an old set, new music, or if somebody's not in HD yet.

[tyrannical bastard 3471]

I want Media General to sell WVTM to somebody that actual does care about that station because it is officially a trainwreck. Of all the former NBC O&Os, WVTM looks the worst under MG. The station fails to even compete with others, the website continues to look like crap, and that horrible logo (the old oval logo was much better). NBC should have sold them to someone else or held on to the station until somebody of worth would have did something of substance with the place.

 

The same can be said for the rest of their stations, even their better ones. MG really ran them all into the ground in the past year. Let's hope for a sale.

[blueflag 0]

My Christmas wish? That myself and everyone I know who works in TV is able to keep their jobs over the next year. That the economy recovers so that nobody else neds to lose their jobs. Until that happens, I could care less about an old set, new music, or if somebody's not in HD yet.

 

Hear, hear! I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Chief-O 28]

WBAY: Improve the production quality. Get some newer graphics to go with EWN NG. Sell the station to some other company.

WFRV: New graphics. Dump Gordon.

WLUK: Lose the Ignite system. You've been having as much trouble with it as anyone else who has one.

WGBA: Shut down your operation.

 

Anyone [excluding WGBA]: Go HD.

[mbhcity 3]

KCBS/KCAL.... Nothing New...Less Car Chases, Tabloid Reporting..etc.

KNBC... start producing live reports in HD as opposed 480 SD with HD Bars

KTLA... No More Is Your Betty Ready Stories..

KABC... Nothing New.

KTTV/KCOP... Nothing New.

KMEX... Go HD!

[ProButtonPusher 230]

Uhm, I just hope we have clean shows...

 

 

nothing annoys me more then the phrase "go HD"...needless to say, most of these stations already have an DT signal with HD programming, and they upconvert their SD signal to the HD format...you're just wanting them to produce their newscasts in HD...

[WAVY 10 Fan 232]

WTKR (CBS): Get some solid on-air talent, don't run the market's "free agents" off (Les Smith experiment). New music, and please go HD sometime...before pigs start flying

 

WAVY (NBC): They've spent most of the year teasing us with the possibility of new graphics. Now get them. Also, since they've spent much of the last few years in the midst of a youth movement, try to pick up some veteran personnel...oh, and one more thing, I'm tired of hearing "First in high-definition". I think the viewers have gotten that ingrained into their heads by now.

 

WVEC (ABC): Not much except for the main set needs to be retired, the graphics need to be blown up, and digital widescreen is NOT HD, and they need to go HD ASAP as well.

 

WVBT (FOX): Be your own newscast instead of merely a WAVY News 10 at 6 rerun. And please let them have their own set...and same thing about the "high-def" reminders.

[Ntropolis 593]

...oh' date=' and one more thing, I'm tired of hearing "First in high-definition". I think the viewers have gotten that ingrained into their heads by now.[/quote']

 

Dump the "HD" hanging on the side of the screen for the HD viewers, please.

[News4LA 0]

KCBS/KCAL.... Nothing New...Less Car Chases, Tabloid Reporting..etc.

KNBC... start producing live reports in HD as opposed 480 SD with HD Bars

KTLA... No More Is Your Betty Ready Stories..

KABC... Nothing New.

KTTV/KCOP... Nothing New.

KMEX... Go HD!

 

I agree with everything you said except that KTTV (Fox11) needs a new set. Ever since they went HD, it show how dated the set is. The Good Day LA set looks great in HD.

 

Fox 11 10pm set.

 

Oh and since we are wishing, it would be nice if Pat Harvey (KCAL9) & Laura Diaz (CBS2) can switch stations. Pat and Paul Magers have a better chemistry than Paul & Laura.