20. Post-Newsweek
By BroadCasting & Cable Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/21/2001 7:00:00 PM
6 stations/7.30% of U.S.
Post-Newsweek has been shopping for new product to shore up its daytime and late-night schedules. Many of its stations have been looking for replacements for Dr. Laura.
The group picked up Rendez-View for WKMG-TV Orlando, Fla., WPLG(TV) Miami; and KPRC-TV Houston and Ananda for WDIV (TV) Detroit. And some stations are considering Crossing Over With John Edward and Caroline. Those shows could air in daytime or late night, says Post-Newsweek Stations President Alan Frank.
Frank says he's worried about the talk-show format. "I think the whole industry is looking at a downward trend in talk shows. It's certainly not going to go away. But there aren't going to be a great number of new talk shows," he notes. He was pleased to see Oprah come back. "We have it in two of our markets," he says. "I think it's good for business. Her ratings are down, but she's still Oprah; it's a good show."
He sees the court genre as doing okay, "but, unless you have Judge Judy, you don't have a big hit on your hands." Post-Newsweek carries Judge Joe Brown and Curtis Court in several markets and is sticking with those shows.
The group has delayed some of its programming decisions, waiting to see more final product from syndicators. This year, Frank notes, many of the shows are coming out later as broadcasters wait to see which programs get New York and Los Angeles clearances. "Under barter arrangements, they need to have big markets cleared," he says. "Sometimes it's a self-defeating prophecy because you clear the big markets but you get either not good stations or not good time periods or both. The show gets bad numbers. It's a difficult situation."
Post-Newsweek is not planning to make any adjustments in access. The group airs a mix of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Frasier, Hollywood Squares and Inside Edition.
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