sowny.net | The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum


You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

June 23, 2021 11:40 am  #1


New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

This used to matter a lot more than it once did, but a new local evening newscast debuting on WUTV in July won't actually have many of its participants in the city of Buffalo itself. 

It's the first time in the station's history it's doing its own newscast, instead of relying on a competitor (it had been WGRZ) to provide the show. When the station first signed on 50 years ago, it tried a two minute "Good News" segment, fronted by a long-forgotten anchor who would always end the nightly thing by saying, "And a special hello to all those of you who are alone." In that case, Good News was no news and it didn't last long. 

Now owner Sinclair is planning to take over the 10 PM slot after Fox programming ends, but as Buffalo News columnist Alan Pergament notes, almost everyone connected with the show will be in either Syracuse or Rochester. (I think it's interesting that the meteorologist who will be doing the weather is a heart transplant survivor.)

WUTV's new newscast will rely on news, weather and sports anchors outside of Buffalo

And what happens to the longtime WGRZ newscast that was in that timeslot? That station is keeping the show, but moving it to 9 PM on their Antenna TV 2.2 subcarrier - although the first two nights will be on the main channel just to get it launched.  

 

June 23, 2021 12:46 pm  #2


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

RadioActive wrote:

This used to matter a lot more than it once did, but a new local evening newscast debuting on WUTV in July won't actually have many of its participants in the city of Buffalo itself. 

It's the first time in the station's history it's doing its own newscast, instead of relying on a competitor (it had been WGRZ) to provide the show. When the station first signed on 50 years ago, it tried a two minute "Good News" segment, fronted by a long-forgotten anchor who would always end the nightly thing by saying, "And a special hello to all those of you who are alone." In that case, Good News was no news and it didn't last long. 

Now owner Sinclair is planning to take over the 10 PM slot after Fox programming ends, but as Buffalo News columnist Alan Pergament notes, almost everyone connected with the show will be in either Syracuse or Rochester. (I think it's interesting that the meteorologist who will be doing the weather is a heart transplant survivor.)

WUTV's new newscast will rely on news, weather and sports anchors outside of Buffalo

And what happens to the longtime WGRZ newscast that was in that timeslot? That station is keeping the show, but moving it to 9 PM on their Antenna TV 2.2 subcarrier - although the first two nights will be on the main channel just to get it launched.  

CBS uses this model as well for CW stations in limited cases, except in these cases the newscasts are anchored from a whole another state. Notably, WKBD in Detroit has a 10pm newscast that is anchored in Fort Worth, TX by CBS O&O KTVT. KSTW in Seattle doesn't have news, but has a nightly weather and sports segment at 11pm that is produced by KPIX in San Francisco, something they don't even try to hide as the sports anchor has KPIX right in his Twitter handle that is displayed.

In WKBD's case, its co-owned CBS station doesn't have a news department, and in KSTW's case they're in the rare situation of being owned by CBS, while the market's CBS affiliate is owned by another company.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (June 23, 2021 1:11 pm)

 

June 23, 2021 2:47 pm  #3


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

I remember the good news broadcasts on channel 29.  If I recall correctly, it often featured simultaneous sign-language translation from someone at the St. Mary's school for the deaf.  I can't remember who the anchor was but based on the slow, deliberate delivery, I keep thinking it was Stan Jasinski, the founder/owner of the station.  

As for shout-outs for the shut-ins, I also remember Ron Morrier on All-Star Wrestling out of BCTV offering special greetings to shut-ins who were watching the show.

(The thing that stick in your mind.  Absolutely fascinating.  Now if I could only find my glasses...)
 

 

June 23, 2021 3:00 pm  #4


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

You remember the Good News report. And you remember the Ringo Starr record skipping in the same place (see earlier post about WBEN-FM.) I thought I was the only one who recalled either of those two very specific, completely unrelated and incredibly unimportant incidents. So I have to ask: did we happen to have parallel childhoods? 

Wow. I'm really amazed that someone else has this useless detritus stored in their memory bank somewhere. 

Oh, by the way, here are your glasses..

     Thread Starter
 

June 23, 2021 3:42 pm  #5


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

Was the WUTV host/anchor Penny Wolfgang?  I remember she also hosted a weekly public affairs show on WUTV.

She then went on to become an Erie County Judge. 

 

June 23, 2021 4:20 pm  #6


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

It was definitely a man. I remember he had thick horn-rimmed glasses and short hair, a style that was common for older men in the early 70s.

     Thread Starter
 

June 23, 2021 5:27 pm  #7


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

RadioActive wrote:

You remember the Good News report. And you remember the Ringo Starr record skipping in the same place (see earlier post about WBEN-FM.) I thought I was the only one who recalled either of those two very specific, completely unrelated and incredibly unimportant incidents. So I have to ask: did we happen to have parallel childhoods? 

Wow. I'm really amazed that someone else has this useless detritus stored in their memory bank somewhere. 

Oh, by the way, here are your glasses..

Ah, got 'em.  Just where I put them so I wouldn't misplace them.  Thanks. 

It really is crazy how we can hang on to some absolutely pointless bits of trivia.  I was born in '63 but my creaky old bones would argue that.  I once told my parents that my earliest memory was being rolled in a baby carriage down Mansion street in Kitchener when I was 3.  They didn't believe me until I started describing the carriage in detail.

I totally remember the theme for "A Special Place" that aired on CHCH and even remember the "Go Go Trudeau" election campaign commercials (albeit vaguely) on TV.

There's a bunch of other stuff I'm sure I remember if my memory is jogged appropriately.  I'm by no means one of those people with a photographic memory.  I'm terrible with faces.  

But the question is WHY?  I mean really!  What value is there in remembering a skip in a record or the theme to a lost forgotten TV show.

And I even remember Penny Wolfgang! 
 

 

June 23, 2021 5:38 pm  #8


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

Wolfgang is STILL around and currently hosts The Big Picture, WBBZ-TV's main public affairs show.

As far as the main subject of the thread: Miss me with that. I REFUSE to deal with Sinclair newscasts in any way, shape or form.

Last edited by ckg927 (June 23, 2021 5:39 pm)

 

June 23, 2021 5:59 pm  #9


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

I remember the '29 News Capsule' in the early 70's. Anchor was John Bray. They even did a promo that ended with him being locked out of the studio.

 

June 24, 2021 12:58 am  #10


Re: New Buffalo TV Newscast Won't Have Any Anchors In Buffalo

Here's a WUTV news capsule from 1980, with Brad Steiger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ujcyLRgVyg


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram