New Season, New Local Programs

Our new cover story on stations “controlling their own destiny,” as several sources put it, and launching local programs this fall, spotlighted several such programs. But certainly not all.

Others include Fox O&O KMSP Minneapolis launching Fox 9 News: Morning Buzz at 9 a.m. September 14, and of course WNBC New York debuting its LX New York show at 5 p.m. that same day. (Here’s the promo for the latter.)

Then there are a 4 p.m. on KEYE Austin as well as WDSU New Orleans, a 7 p.m. at WTVR Richmond, a 9 p.m. at KNVA Austin, and a 10 p.m. at KOIN Portland, among others. Most are Foxes, but some are not. Most new shows are newscasts, but some are lifestyle-oriented, such as KVVU Las Vegas’ More at 4, and others focus on high school football, such as WXIX Cincy’s Fox19 Friday Prep Rally.

Despite the miserable economy, most sources said it actually made economic sense to produce their own shows–they can keep the ad inventory and, as several GMs said, stations will live or die based on how strong their local content is.