Genie Bra Infomercial Makes WLNE Newscast Disappear

Fun story over on TVSpy about WLNE Providence scrapping its 7 p.m. newscast the other night for an infomercial from the Genie Bra. (”No more back fat! No more unsightly top bulging!”) Global Broadcasting’s WLNE is of course on the block, and a new owner may surface in the next few months; final bids are due tomorrow, in fact.

UPDATE: Rival WPRI says buyer is not guaranteed an ABC affiliation as part of the deal. 

Viewers in DMA No. 53 may see more paid programming at 7.

Writes TVSpy:

WLNE plans to air infomercials in place of the 7:00 p.m. news when the station can sell the spots. So, in other words, the newscast is now a back-up in case nobody wants to buy the 7:00-7:30 p.m. time slot.

WLNE news director Dan Fabrizio confirmed to TVSpy that the newscast did not run on Tuesday, however he emphasized that it is not canceled. “The 7 pm newscast was developed as an alternative to expensive syndication in prime access,” Fabrizio said via email. “From time to time, the station sells that time period.”

TVSpy has an extended Genie Bra spot here…Safe For Work? Depends where you work.

In the old days, I would’ve loaded up this post with a half-dozen double entendres playing off the Genie Bra  (WLNE busts out infomercial, you get the picture.). But I’m grown up now. And HR likes me better because of it.

WJAR, for one, must be pleased to hear WLNE going with paid at 7. The Media General station launched a 7 p.m. news last fall.