Newscast Beached

WFXB(TV) Myrtle Beach, S.C., is ending its half-hour newscast after a little more than a year. Insiders say sales and ratings never took off for the JME Media-owned outlet, which was competing against established local stations. Seven people have been laid off. News Director Joel Allen said news will continue in the form of a five-minute update. Allen has been anchoring the brief newscast. But even that may not last, as Allen himself is pursuing other business opportunities locally.