A new Gallup survey shows that although a majority of Americans still get their news from local TV stations, it has declined from the previous year along with many other daily news sources, except cable TV news and of course the internet. Local TV news declined 3 percentage points. Sorry to say, but declining only 3 points in a year I think is a mini victory for local TV news. Digging deeper into the results, a higher percentage of viewers say they watch cable TV news than they do nightly network newscasts for the first time since Gallup started the survey in 1995. I think another one of the problematic issues for local TV news is if viewers don't watch the nightly network newscasts. I feel many local stations put more effort into a 6PM newscast than a 10PM and I really don't understand that. However, local TV stations should still be happy that a majority in the survey say they still get their news from them.
Moonves Foreshadows Network TV's Future? - CBS Chief Exec. Les Moonves said in a Marketwatch article that in 10 years the traditional model of airing new network programing on local affiliates may not exist in favor of offering a feed directly to satellite or cable operators and bypassing those local stations. This doesn't come as a surprise in premise, but it does surprise me that Moonves said it publicly. It definitely shows that local stations must look to diversify and expand its product on other platforms in order to continue to remain viable. -Hal
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Second consecutive post about the so called "death of TV and local news." Next in a line of many. BORRRING! Successful stations and station groups have no problems and will have no problems adapting. The problems are from people like Young (KSN) who have no business owning a station or Gray (KAKE) who can't make money or keep their books right.
BTW: Hal's identity has all but been confirmed. Just think three words and you'll have an idea who he is: Central States Media.
Let's see if he lets this one through the censors. You are all about transparency Hal. Prove it.
Moonves was just talking about what may happen. Truth is without affiliates there can be no local news. Most cities will not have a newspaper in 5 years so it's the only option left. There is not a market out there for web-only local news. Where it's been tried it's failed, especially in this economy.
Also, his post shows how little Hal knows about how newsrooms operate. More effort, time and resources get put into a 10pm show, weekday or weekend, than just about any other show. If you had ever actually worked in a newsroom you'd know that.
Hal means stretch resources even further so quality suffers. Nice plan, NOT!
Anon 1130,
Nice Try on the guess. You are wrong. I don't know the guy, personally, you are referring to, but you are far from the first who has gone down that path before. -Hal
I haven't been on here in weeks, and have returned once to learn that I don't need to be on for weeks more-- if ever. This blog has been overtaken by fools who just can't get over themselves. Hal, start "blogging." All you do is pull a pin on a grenade and run out of the room.
Funny how this is supposed to be about news but it's nothing more than Hal saying TV is over, move on.
Is it true that KWCH reporters are being given lessons on how to operate cameras and edit? And it suppposedly being pitched as just a back-up if photographers are busy. Any truth to that?
KSN must be doing something right. They just hired KAKE's best Director.
Yes, KSN did do something right, they paid him more money. With that being said, it was still smart.
I thought the snow coverage Today on the three stations was a little excessive for just under three inches, however it is the first measurable or plowable (whatever they call it) snow of the season and that always gets people excited. I will give KSN credit at 10PM, once first weather was over, they went right to news of a missing teen's body found in Garden City. After hearing of weather all day it was time to move on. Following that story and a few more, KSN eventually got back to the weather and had some stereotypical video of people moving slowly in snow. The other two all had snow stories lead, with KWCH getting out of it before KAKE and onto the other news. Meanwhile KAKE and Deb Farris had a evening snow story that just seemed to go on forever. In reality, it wasn't any longer than a normal story. It seemed long because this storm was of the 24 hour variety and really had its worst effect last night before the Monday's 10PM shows: a teenage fatality. With the fatality last night leading (and rightly so) the ten newscasts Monday, 24 hours later it felt like it was time to move onto something else, especially for a snowfall under 3 inches. I know places outside of Wichita got more, but we never really saw those spots. We just saw Wichitans complain about 3 inches of snow. Its Kansas, its going to snow!!!! It was clearly time to move on to the other news, even if it wasn't uplifting. -Hal
It is appropriate to have good weather coverage on a day like today. The roads in Wichita are bad. There were numerous accidents last night. Most importantly, this was the coldest air all year so you know everyone is talking about it. Weather wise it seemed all the stations spent a good amount of time on it. KAKE's story did go on a little long. At 5 and 6 it seemed more appropriate since for most people that might be the first newscast they watched all day. KSN had Andrew Kozak live at 5 instead of a reporter which is nice, except I noticed he has ballooned up allot. I hope they have a gym membership deal over there.
Anon 1133PM,
I'm not in newsrooms anymore, but I remember the time I was. The newscasts at 10PM I watch now on all the stations, seem the majority of the time as recues from the stories at 6PM, with a liveshot for the one new story of the night. 6PM, it seems, as if I get 3 and sometimes 4 local pkgs per station. The 10PM newscasts I was apart of and those I was competing against over a decade ago seemed like they truely were the focus of the day from 13 hours earlier when the first assigment meeting began.
Jeff Zucker, who runs the many local stations owned by NBC--says the "model" used for local TV stations is dead. This is a TV GUY. He says the Nets arestruggling, but locals have a SYSTEMIC issue thats much greater than just the downturn we're in.
He says if Local TV does not change radically and soon--it will go the way of Newspapers and Autos.
Local TV CAN and WILL survive, but its going to do it with primarily 1-man bands in ALL markets (Top 10 WUSA just went OMB--and Top 50 Market Providence is going that way)--and fewer people doing things differently.
The terms "reporter, photographer, and producer" simply must become a compound word for one job. If you're a "reporter" and don't shoot or behave like a producer, you'll soon be extinct...or change.
If you're a producer who comes up with a story idea, creates a run-down, and sits in a booth--you'll soon be extinct unless you do more.
News Directors will also be producers/executive producers who spend much of their day on Web Content.
Other "managers" will develop web content thats 100% as good as your present on-air product and 100% accessible 24/7.
What i'm saying is not a "forecast"--its a guarantee.
This is where "TV" is going. It WILL survive, even prosper, but in a way that is RADICALLY different than what you're doing now. The difference between 2011 TV vs. 2006 TV....will be greater than the difference between 2006 TV and 1970 TV.
It's official
Anon 11:30 is an idiot.
Young doesn't own KSN.
Anon 9:37...
Your comment about Kozak was out of line. I can name at least 5 or 6 good reporters from the Wichita stations who could stand to lose a few. But to single him out was not cool. Hal, I am surprised you let that one through.
On the other hand 9:37, I could name two or three Wichita anchors, who actually need to eat something. Why don't you call them out?
If people are doing more than one job, quality ends. You are already seeing it in bigger markets. OMBs are not journalists. They are content producers which are not journalists. There's a big difference. Web content is never as good. It's just rush, quantity over quality.
4:59 really doesn't get it. We do not make content. News is not content. News is news. Content is just something that takes up space. It's ads. It's interactive BS. We are journalists and journalists report news, not "content."
Since when is more better? Usually more is worse.
KAKE is losing people to KSN? It makes me wonder exactly how bad things actually are over on West Street.
KSN is 100% better since the management change. Their 10pm show with the extra segment was very good Wednesday. Stephanie Bergman is one of the best local reporters in town.
In light of the Moonves comments about networks bypassing affiliates-- maybe local shows and production will return, as they existed decades ago. I, for one, am ready for local TV to get back in that game. Admittedly, it's still a long way off.
I'd say it's just about money. Money can make someone go from a No.2 to a No. 4 station as has happened here. Sometimes people go from a No. 1 to a No. 3
7:45 you make an excellent point on "News" vs. "Content".
Personally, I agree with you and I'd sure like to see more of the former and less of the latter.
But this is not PBS. Its ultimately a business. Is there a business model for Journalism as you define it (and many of US prefer)?
Are you trying to hold on to your Veggie and Salad Stand while business is all going to the Mickey D's next door? You and I know we'll all be healthier with veggies and salads rather than Big Macs. But the customer is racing to the Web and the first 6 minutes of our newscast for his content/news. We want him to consumer a nutricious meal. He keeps asking for the Dollar Menu.
I'm not editorializing. I'm on your side (no pun intended). Tell me how Journalism, as you define it (presumably longer form and w/a photog AND reporter), survives. I want to believe.
KSN is your happy meal. No "nutrition." It just tides you over for a few hours. Like KAKE is superficial and shallow.
And 12 is like a bowl of cold oatmeal.
Occassionally, its gets warmed up only to cool down shortly after.
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