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WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
I rarely watch Buffalo TV news these days, but noticed that last-place WKBW has torn a page out of the City TV playbook.
It involves a partially anchor-less newscast, in which stories follow sequentially without any interruption or copy throws. In the case of Channel 7, they begin with a huge graphic that identifies the town where the stories are taking place, (for example, a giant graphic on a blue background slides across the screen reading "Williamsville" or "Niagara Falls," followed by a stand-up from the reporter, explaining why they're there.)
It's a bit disconcerting and it creates a pretty disjointed news show which is oddly unsettling. I'm not sure if this a permanent thing, but ironically, they've adopted it even as City has essentially abandoned it for a more traditional presentation, including an anchor desk. I don't think it's going to do much for their ratings but it is unusual.
- mace
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
I get the impression that WKBW's newscasts have been in last place since Irv, Rick and Tom retired. Do "Pistol Packing Punks" still roam the streets of Buffalo each night?
- newsguy1
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
One of my early radio news jobs was at CKDA in Victoria.
It played top 40 rock and had a weird rock and roll news format.
First of all the newscast was at quarter to the hour. The idea was our news would always be first.
Then we would do the news without saying who the speaker on a clip was. A voice would just start talking with no intro.
The idea there was that it was a waste of time to say things like, "John Smith the president of X company had this to say."
It was weird, but our newscasts were actually quite popular.
- ED1
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
RadioActive wrote:
I rarely watch Buffalo TV news these days, but noticed that last-place WKBW has torn a page out of the City TV playbook.
It involves a partially anchor-less newscast, in which stories follow sequentially without any interruption or copy throws. In the case of Channel 7, they begin with a huge graphic that identifies the town where the stories are taking place, (for example, a giant graphic on a blue background slides across the screen reading "Williamsville" or "Niagara Falls," followed by a stand-up from the reporter, explaining why they're there.)
It's a bit disconcerting and it creates a pretty disjointed news show which is oddly unsettling. I'm not sure if this a permanent thing, but ironically, they've adopted it even as City has essentially abandoned it for a more traditional presentation, including an anchor desk. I don't think it's going to do much for their ratings but it is unusual.
The parent company of WKBW, Scripps, is rolling out the "Scrippscast" method of news production to its other stations.
At WCPO in Cincinnati (where Scripps is HQ'd), 2 anchors are being let go and being replaced with 5 additional reporters. The article below also mentions the drop in audience for several dayparts in the Cincinnati market:
"=18pxMy analysis of May TV ratings from 2018 to 2023 showed that the 11 p.m. local news audience dropped 45%, the 6-7 a.m. local news audience fell 42% and the 6 p.m. local news audience dropped 36%."
- Radiowiz
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
Doesn't WKBW and CityNews Toronto share the same weather person also? Carl Lam on week ends?
Last edited by Radiowiz (April 12, 2024 11:24 pm)
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- zed
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
The parent company of WKBW, Scripps, is rolling out the "Scrippscast" method of news production to its other stations..
In West Palm Beach WPTV NewsChannel 5 was always my go to local morning newscast during my 3 month winter stay for the past several years. This past season I realized I was watching WPBF 25 the ABC station more and more. WPTV is a Scripps station and NBC affiliate. They weren't doing the "anchorless thing' but most of their morning anchors were what I would consider light weight. The main anchor team at 5 & 6pm are pretty solid so I hope they don't try this... guess I'll find out next year
- ED1
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
The parent company of WKBW, Scripps, is rolling out the "Scrippscast" method of news production to its other stations..
In West Palm Beach WPTV NewsChannel 5 was always my go to local morning newscast during my 3 month winter stay for the past several years. This past season I realized I was watching WPBF 25 the ABC station more and more. WPTV is a Scripps station and NBC affiliate. They weren't doing the "anchorless thing' but most of their morning anchors were what I would consider light weight. The main anchor team at 5 & 6pm are pretty solid so I hope they don't try this... guess I'll find out next year
My understanding is that WPBF is now the market leader there (in the 25-54 demo), so Scripps might be rolling out Scrippscast to WPTV on their more weaker newscasts.
- paterson1
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Re: WKBW Tears A Page From City TV's Newscast Playbook
Doesn't WKBW and CityNews Toronto share the same weather person also? Carl Lam on week ends?
Carl was at WGRZ channel 2 in Buffalo but he left last year. He now works freelance at WKYC TV in Cleveland and I believe he still does weekend work for CityNews 680 in Toronto and mid day weather on CityNews 1130 in Vancouver. He also does some work for City TV in Toronto and Vancouver but rarely appears on camera. Mostly voice over weather.