Station to Station
Station to Station covers the odds, ends, ups and downs of the local television business across America
Who's the Real Revenue Leader in Cincy?
We’ve got a profile of the Cincinnati market this week, where the Bengals look like they’re for real, Issue 3 related to casino gambling was passed, and the revenue race between WCPO and WKRC really could not be any closer. I wrote of WCPO: “Scripps’ ABC affiliate won an extremely close revenue race in 2008, according to BIA Financial, its $41.28 million just nosing out ...... Read More
Comments (0)You May Have Heard--It's Sweeps
Yes, that autumnal bacchanal known as November sweeps kicked off last night. I’ve got an interesting story on sweeps and stations in Monday’s issue. I hear a lot about how sweeps are a thing of the past for many–with detailed ratings info available each day in a growing number of markets, it’s sweeps every day, they say. So I asked a big bunch of general managers: does ...... Read More
Comments (1)Happy Pat Harvey Day!
To some of us, October 30 is Halloween Eve. To others, it’s Mischief Night, the scourge of the suburban homeowner. But for still others in the #2 DMA, today represents Pat Harvey Day. The Los Angeles City Council has proclaimed today “Pat Harvey Day”, in honor of the longtime KCAL anchor. Friends, family and co-workers in tow, Pat will receive the proclamation in the City Cou ...... Read More
Comments (5)Allbritton Plans Local DC News Site
Allbritton, parent company of The Politico website and newspaper and WJLA Washington, aims to launch a well-staffed news site covering local news in the #9 DMA. Details are sparse, but the New York Times says the as-yet unnamed operation will have around 50 staffers and will share content with its Allbritton media brethren when appropriate. The top dog will be Jim Brady, previous exec editor ...... Read More
Comments (0)WGCL 'Zones' Out Sports
Meredith’s WGCL has outsourced its sports to local sports radio, reports Atlanta Business Chronicle. All on-air content related to sports will come from Sports Radio 790/The Zone. Says the paper: Under a new deal announced Wednesday, The Zone now provides all on-air content and hosts for CBS Atlanta newscasts and original sports programming including Sportsline, the SEC Wrap-Up Show a ...... Read More
Comments (0)Who's the Best General Manager in America?
I’m happy to report that the nominations for our second annual Station General Manager of the Year are pouring in, and that’s not overstating the reaction we’ve gotten since announcing the nomination process was open a few days ago. We’re saluting a GM from markets 1-25, 26 to 50, and 51 and up. We’re also naming the Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year, awarded ...... Read More
Comments (0)'Hawaii Now' Debuts in Honolulu
The merged KHNL-KFVN-KGMB news operation in Honolulu made its debut yesterday. Reports the Honolulu Advertiser: The new format will be branded as “Hawaii Now,” replacing the “Severe Weather Station” moniker at KGMB and KHNL’s “live, local, late-breaking news” slogan. It also promises to field the largest television news operation in the state. Besi ...... Read More
Comments (4)Score Major Points With Your Boss--GM of the Year Nominations Now Accepted
Broadcasting & Cable is now accepting nominations for Station General Manager of the Year in markets 1-25, 26-50 and 51-plus, along with a new category–Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year, which can either be an individual or a station. Which station GM out there did the best job of not only weathering the awful economic storm in 2009, but actually came up with some fresh ideas to gro ...... Read More
Comments (0)Honolulu OTA Viewers May Lose KGMB
Over the air viewers may lose their KGMB signal when the CBS affiliate swaps channels with KFVE, reports Honolulu’s Star-Bulletin. Over the air viewing is about 2% in Hawaii, according to the article. The out-going KGMB chief engineer said the loss of KGMB for those viewers might be for “a couple weeks”; another source said it might be considerably longer The channel swap is ...... Read More
Comments (1)Media Scrum Getting Testy at Camp Heene
A KDVR Denver photographer got chased by a furious neighbor of the balloon-launching Heene clan in Fort Collins, before the irate Area Man began pummeling another man who came to the photographer’s defense. And it’s all caught on YouTube, thanks to the AP! TVSpy identifies the camera man as Byron Stewart, who got the fired up area man even more fired up by filming the man as he atte ...... Read More
Comments (7)Fox Taking 'Leadership Position' on Retrans
The retrans front has been relatively quiet of late, but some storms appear to be brewing for the coming months. Last month, while receiving his Broadcaster of the Year award, Nexstar boss Perry Sook challenged the networks to work with him on retrans. “I struggle to understand why certain networks all of a sudden feel that they are entitled to a piece of this revenue when they had no hand ...... Read More
Comments (1)Balloon Boy's Dad Called KUSA
After learning that his flying saucer balloon–and, he thought, his son–had taken flight yesterday, Falcon Henne’s father called Gannett’s KUSA Denver, reports the Denver Post. The call was placed around 11:30 a.m. yesterday. Reports Joanne Ostrow: A panicked father reported that his homemade helium balloon was aloft with his son inside and asked the station to send a he ...... Read More
Comments (1)
