(Editor’s Note: The following are from two comments that were posted over the weekend. The first Anonymous poster seems to take issue with what appears to be budget cuts at WICU News and its effect on quality of content. I can't help having the suspicion that both posts are from the same place...but that is just the suspicious me. Perhaps the kettle talking to the pot?)
The second Anonymous post is signed as WICU News Management. The way their response was written, leads me to believe that it is legitimate and probably from the hand of WICU News Director Phil Hayes or John Last)
The second Anonymous post is signed as WICU News Management. The way their response was written, leads me to believe that it is legitimate and probably from the hand of WICU News Director Phil Hayes or John Last)
Since later in the week, EMGR will be writing more about the growing importance of local news for local stations both as image and as a profit center, I thought the below comments were relevant. It seems this subject created a great deal of interest with Mark Guy Findlay’s comments in the Erie Times-News last week)
Anonymous #1
Speaking of WICU: have you noticed that Channel 12 has stopped doing some live broadcasts during the news? No more "Band of the Week" Live from CHAMPION Ford Friday nights at 11pm. No more "Where in Erie is Julie Coates" during the WICU Morning News.I know the almighty dollar rules in TV, but why drop these? They were popular and people liked watching them. Did it REALLY cost that much? I mean I heard WICU is still paying on its FIRST live truck (purchased 1996) but this is ridiculous!
Anonymous
Friday, 06 October, 2006
Anonymous Post #2
Interesting comment posted about WICU.
Anonymous
Friday, 06 October, 2006
Anonymous Post #2
Interesting comment posted about WICU.
There is only so much money available in a budget. There are 4 primary areas: Engineering, News, Programming and Employee Salary & Benefits. One can only do so much with what one is allowed to spend.
We do not have a bottomless pit of money from which to spend. We do the best with what we have. We do not decide what we have to spend. That is up to corporate management.
If the discretionary budget runs out in October then we are pretty much finished for the rest of the year.
There is so much more to being a news manager/director than just deciding which stories get on the 6 o'clock news. Preparing a budget (and managing said budget) takes up a good portion of my day. Add to that breaking news, personnel issues and general newsroom operations and you can see how easy it is to get burned out.
We enjoy your blog. Thank you for the forum.
--WICU News Management—
Saturday Oct 7, 2006
(Editor’s Post Script. If you read carefully between the lines, these two posters are not really that far apart. Both bemoan the changing face of local TV news and the quality sacrifices they have to accept in the name of increasing the profit margin even more. "I guess we got to get that dollar back to California where it will do the most good."
What disturbs me most about the WICU post is that news management should be concentrating its efforts on the news…not a spread sheet. That traditionally has been the job of the GM and the station comptroller . They should be the ones monitoring expenses and advising the various divisions of where they stand. That really is the primary job of the bean counter.
I agree every department has to live within a budget and news is no exception. When the budget and budget monitoring issues take up a good portion of news management’s day, it becomes disturbing and alarming. Their primary job of selecting and managing the on-air content that results in the image of the station itself can become compromised.
When the content is compromised, profits are also eventually compromised. And so the cycle continues into the vast wasteland known as broadcasting today.
It is my hope that the repeated rumors of 2007 news budget cuts will not happen. You will see more profits if you invest more…not less. That’s what the national figures show.)
"Congress passed a law on February 1, 2006, setting a final deadline for the DTV transition of February 17, 2009. Most television stations will continue broadcasting both analog and digital programming until February 17, 2009, when all analog broadcasting will stop.." FCC http://www.dtv.gov/
HDTV..Quality Local News Spell P-R-O-F-I-T-S!
21 comments:
These developments at the mighty VHF goes to the conclusion I've made a while ago about Erie and small market broadcasting: cash flow to corporate trumps all. To think that what should be a SPONSORED remote is canceled because of a few extra man hours for an engineer, shooter, and talent is beyond me. Our brothers and sisters in management are dealing with the demands of net operating cash being sent to the west coast (or wherever it goes) on a monthly or even weekly basis. I got a glimpse of this years ago when talking with a Viacom Radio market GM, complaining about having to send $200,000 to NY to fix cash flow for the division because MTV had a bad month! That means "discretionary cash" that you thought you had for promotions or overtime just vanishes. Remember, we just finished a quarter...those investment bankers want to see a strong balance sheet, good Cash On Hand. That means less Cash In Erie. Corporate TV and radio management in Erie deserve some empathy; they're not in an easy job.
I have a difficult question for the WICU-TV News Director: "Why have you chosen not to have a Sunday Evening 11pm Newscast after Football???"
I have done some checking (through the magical power of the internet) and discovered that Erie's WICU-12 is one of only 5 NBC affiliates in America not to have a Sunday 11pm newscast after football.
I have also discovered (through the "net") that some large NBC affiliates have their primary (Mon - Fri) anchors working the Sunday 11pm Newscast (after football) for extra exposure of their respective stations' newscasts. That is called Marketing your product - AND VISION! (That usually equals increased profit!)
What does Erie have? "The George Michael Sports Machine!" Since WICU automated studio camera operations the only expenses Channel 12 would have are the following: 1-Director/switcher, 2-Audio/Studio Robotics and 3-Master Control/Ingest Tape Playback. THAT'S IT!!! WICU is saving the salary of only 3 UNION EMPLOYEES. We're probably looking at a total savings of only $200 to $300 dollars once you factor in the news team.
The public has a right to be outraged at the shoddy quality of Erie news. I am in complete agreement with Mr. Findlay's remarks. I dare even say the state of Erie TV has proceeded to the point of no return. We are now staring into the abyss.........
Jo Jo:
I think you're missing a key point here. You are correct that Erie corporate management has a tough job, but I do believe that while the staff goes sometimes without even a cost of living increase in annual wages, these poor, stressed managers (none of whom have a clue about the high quality of Erie TV "before" deregulation) each get a generous bonus from the corporate office for keeping a handle on the "bottom line". So, while these manager post on this forum about all the tough, painstaking decisions they are forced to make each day, they do so while deciding which options they'd like on their new lexus!!!
I went to tune into news on channel 12 last night after the Steeler game and guess what? No news! A post on another thread mentioned that they have dropped news on Sundays after football to save money. Well, I'm going to start watching WJET. They have news, even after late network programing. Better yet, I'll make an effort to avoid those businesses that advertise on 12. Do you think "that" will help them save money?
A: You do make an excellent point...I'm not condoning their practices, I'm just saying that this is the world we now live in. Sometime ago SOME corporate officers drew a line on the Nielsen DMA listing and said "no major investment in markets 50+, or 75+," or whatever they could get away with. The small market stations exist to generate corporate cash with minimum investment. Jack's point proves true: better news coverage, stronger investment translates into more profits, not less. We simply need operators in Erie that believe this.
BTW, I'm so old-school that I remember the cars of the local owners who did pay both their people and themselves a decent wage. JK's Jag was especially sweet.
Here's what I see happening down the road. Erie will become like many other markets...even a large market like Detroit...where one of the major network affiliates has NO local news presence. At 6 and 11 it's syndicated/re-runs. My guess is that it will be 35 that will cease all local news operations once the whole shooting match moves to 3514. I pray that I am wrong in my prediction...but I fear that I will be proven correct.
I too watched the Steelers game but on WFMJ out of Youngstown with their recently upgraded HD signal. I then for some reason turned on WICU for Erie news & forgot that the "Number One Rated Newscast" wasn't on after "Sunday Night Football." The other NBC stations I can pick up at my place near Cochranton all had news. WFMJ in Youngstown, WPXI Pittsburgh (Mostly Sad Steelers News), WTOV Steubenville, & WJAC Johnstown. Erie is definitely a One News TV Station Town.
The last "anonymous" post got me to thinking. What if WSEE decided it no longer wishes to have a 6 and 11pm newscast? What if WICU produced and edited together a pre-recorded brief 5 minute news summary along with a weather forecast for the next day?
What if this "news brief" was anchored by either Kevin MacDowell or Amanda Post? What if WSEE then ran an infomercial from 11:05 to 11:35pm...just in time to "hit" the net at 11:35 for Letterman.
Like the last poster, I hope I am wrong. However, if I were a betting man I would bet that's what's going to happen!
BTW, Radio Free JoJo, remember MJ's Rolls-Royce? That was quite a car! SWEET!
Bommai...
I hate that choice but if a gun were put to my head (and I know a few would like too) and had to make I choice, I would choose the HD.
In reality, I think there are some programming options that WSEE could consider that would preserve news and increase their numbers. I plan to lay out my ideas on that next week.
Hey...nothing else works.
Where was the Sunday Night news on Channel 12? I'm new to this thread but I understand several people have asked this question. I thought 12 News was "The #1 Rated Newscast in Northwest Pennsylvania"??
I would think Channel 12 would want to improve their news exposure after NBC's popular Sunday Night Football? I guess saving a dollar is more important than ratings!?
I would think Erie TV viewers would like to have a choice for news other than Action News 24? As it stands our only choices are: Action News 24, Otters Insider (UGH!), George Michael (TV-12) and whatever is on FOX at that hour.
I guess I am one of those many saps out in Erieland that thought one group owning multiple stations in a market would be a good thing? The FCC took a system that worked and completely blew it all to hell! I really hope the Digital and High Definition issues work themselves out in Erie. This region needs to move forward. One way to move forward is by having the latest in technological advancements.
People will actually want to move to Erie because of this. It can be a great positive for the region. Here is hoping the pursuit of the almighty dollar doesn't screw things up??
I see where WICU is still advertising for a Weekend Weather Anchor. The position has been open for 2 months and in that time they cannot find a suitable replacement??? That speaks very loud and clear about the turmoil at WICU!
Is Shannon Solo the same person that does the DJ on Froggy? I wonder why WICU uses him? Didn't he also do weekend wx on WSEE? Is he that cheap that WICU isn't going to find a real meteorologist?
Far too many unanswered questions for my taste. I hope this isn't a sign of impending doom (aka "The SJL Shuffle!") of next year's budget cuts?
"The fault dear brutus lies not in the stars but with ourselves."
Oddly for me...I am not going to pick on any one station. However, I do want to add that the Sunday late local news was one of the highest rated newscasts of the week. It was a great deal for adverisers and Lisa Adams has always been a professional in the many years I have known her.
Handing that over to WJET has to be a blow to the WICU organization.
"What if this "news brief" was anchored by either Kevin MacDowell or Amanda Post? What if WSEE then ran an infomercial from 11:05 to 11:35pm...just in time to "hit" the net at 11:35 for Letterman."
Fella...that is a very scary thought, but like Spock used to say. "It is logical."
Been awhile since I watched 12News on the weekend. Didn't even realize Rachel Frank had left until I saw Shannon Solo one night doing the weather.
But this bio shows she has moved to the eastern side of the state near Jersey.
http://www.wfmz.com/bio/frank.html
I like the part where she said that she's glad to get away from the lake effect snow.
I'm with ya Rachel!!!!
In reality, she's probably glad to get away from Channel 12?? LOL.
I think a lot of people who used to work at WICU are glad to get away from Channel 12!
That quite a website for the Allentown station Rachel went to work for, and they aren't a big network affiliate, but an indy and locally owned. Major news investment both on-air and online:
http://www.wfmz.com
WFMZ just spent alot of money on their brand new set and studio which debuted back in April. They cater to the North-Eastern part of Pa which the Philly stations ignore. Since they are my local news station I can say Rachel is a great addition to the weather team.
If you like to see a forecast from Rachel at her new job you can go here: http://wfmz.com/view/?id=21344
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