News a Primary Focus on Secondary Stations

The duopolies in Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto have put a robust news stamp on the secondary stations. Hearst TV’s KQCA rebranded to My58 and offers a lively lineup of local news, including 7-9 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 10-11 p.m. seven nights a week. The 10 p.m. news got a 1.5 household rating and 0.6 in viewers 25-54 in May. 

Elliott Troshinsky, president and general manager of KCRA-KQCA, said it makes sense to extend the market’s most trusted news brand. “People who watch My58 have an appetite for local news and information,” he said. “We continue to believe in the strength of local news in the local marketplace.” 

On CBS-owned KMAX, Good Day runs 4:30-10 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 to 11 a.m. on weekends. The station also does a 6:30 p.m. newscast during the week.

Good Day used to be Good Day Sacramento, but the shortened name better reflects the vast market. It turns 25 next year. “It’s a truly hyper-local show, not just news, weather and traffic,” said Justin Draper, VP and general manager. “It focuses on what’s going on in our DMA.”

UniMás-aligned KTFK, for its part, has a 10 p.m. network news program that debuted earlier this year. Enrique Acevedo and Patricia Janiot anchor.

It’s a healthy amount of news for these sidebar stations. “There’s an appetite for it, definitely,” Draper said.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.