Voices & Faces - Jax News Media

[John FL]

I had an opportunity to listen to WOKV-FM on a recent trip back to Jax. The station has been re-imaged and I believe re-branded. Noise and hype are annoying and distracting to me but in many ways I understand why it is being done. Cox Media is successful overall in making impressions on listeners. The move to the bigger and better signal brings with it pressure to perform even better. There are some things that I believe are out of their control. The public's appetite for news is changing. Jacksonville is also changing. We are now considered a battleground city in politics. Conservative talk across the country is not as big as it once was. It's certainly not dead in Jax but it's not as hot as it used to be either. Perhaps, this explains some of the recent WOKV image changes.

On this and other boards the overwhelming focus is on music programming and music formats. News/talk must also respond to changing times. I see a general public that is becoming more and more disengaged from the news of the day. Ever see those shows where a reporter/entertainer asks the basic of news questions and it's deer in the headlights? There’s a lot grabbing the public’s attention too and, people do tend to have very limited attention spans.

The focus at WOKV has shifted to news. It’s News 104-5. It’s telling listeners 3 big things they need to know every 15 minutes. When it’s not reporting the news, it’s talking about the news. “News” has replaced “News/Talk.” There’s a 10 minute newscast at 6PM. In the middle of their news broadcasts, there is a sweeper like announcement informing listeners the news continues. Booming voice - distracting if you ask me. It almost reminds me of those “More Music” jingles that segued between songs eons ago.

Perhaps research is telling Cox, there are people who tune into Jacksonville’s Morning News who don’t get into talk and/or conservative talk. I often wonder who the typical Jacksonville Morning News listener is. I have a feeling they are average people who don’t trust politicians period regardless of party. They aren’t totally partisan. So, WOKV pounds the message in that if you tune in later in the day, you’ll hear news features. It may prove an effective strategy but it isn’t an easy one with news access at everyone’s fingertips today.

I wonder if increased numbers of people do as I do. Before running out of the house, I’m on the computer. I follow a number of news outlets. In a matter of a few clicks I have a feel for what is going on to include the weather. I usually watch Ch 4’s The Morning Show or just listen to it in the background. (More on Ch 4 later) I don’t need to listen to news radio UNLESS something really big is happening and I want to keep up to date. I want to be entertained when I’m in the car and I have choices. Listening to terrestrial music radio in Jax is at the bottom of those choices and honestly it’s very rare I do.

Yes, there is increased competition for music radio. The same holds true for news. There’s a lot more fluff and entertainment value in TV news. I wonder where Jacksonville is heading with Cox being in the TV news business here too.

I’ll follow up with TV news in Jacksonville and do a little comparison to South Florida. Honestly, I hope we stay as we are being more down to earth and folksy. There’s a news/talk station there - WIOD. The difference between WOKV and WIOD is like night and day. I’ve always been impressed with PD Mike Dorwart. He’s run a helluva an operation over the years. Quality was in the center and it’s long been a bright spot in Jacksonville radio. I hope that tradition of excellence continues even in a changing environment.

I have long been someone who doesn’t like noise and hype and so much of radio is turning into that all over the dial. Again, I understand perhaps why there is need to change some things, especially if there are ratings challenges that can lead to revenue concerns. There’s AM 690 that simulcasts. Is that necessary or should there be some separate programming? Changes are coming to Cox’s Action News. The possibilities are endless. Will quality be a metric goal?

Winning often involves a different approach or strategy. I don’t have to agree with it. At any rate, this string is off the ground. I may touch on additional WOKV comments but TV news in Jax deserves a look. We still have a lot to be proud of in local news coverage. Stay tuned

 

[beachguy3b]

WOKV is a smaller market clone of WSB/Atlanta. That is a very good thing. And WOKV is a very good station. They've got a strong, quality formula in play on both signals.

One of the things too many conservative hosts have forgotten is strident anger runs off listeners. That's one reason progressive talk failed- it was about anger and attack, not entertaining while informing.

WIOD is a typical CC station, though in fairness, they have a live morning show, and a live lead-in to Rush with Rick Sanchez. I like their morning host, Jimmy Cefalo. Low key, relaxed, personable. In many ways, he reminds me of WSB's Scott Slade.

 

[John FL]

You raise interesting points. Jimmy Cefalo is a long, established South Florida personality and IMO a phenomenal sports broadcaster. Rick Sanchez too has roots in being in the anchor chair at WSVN Ch. 7 years ago. I’ll give Clear Channel props for live and local in the mornings. But IMO, it’s not enough.

Cox made investments over time. A critical move was simulcasting on the FM at @106.5. The conservative talk lineup in Jax served WOKV well. Radio is a business and it’s not about what worked well years ago. If Cox feels expanding the news in favor of talk will enhance their news product and ultimately revenue, they’ll do it.

Conservative talk has been a death sentence for WIOD. It makes no sense in a market like South Florida. The station has been adrift for quite some time. It’s a shame. I have many fine memories of WIOD especially Mike Ranieri who I thought was a hoot. Someone told me Mike worked in Jax prior to South Florida.

I’ve digressed a bit. I’ll get back on track. However, I do believe the new and improved Action News will impact WOKV in some way or ways. Cox is aggressive. You can depend on it!

 

[John FL]

Presenters have embraced technology. The sets are more like something from a sci-fi movie and weather reporting looks like a geek fest. Everybody is trying to outdo the other with the latest and greatest. It’s more important to provide an accurate forecast but the bells and whistles seem to be winning out and are the priority.

When I’m in South Florida, I describe local news there as glamorous because it truly is. Female anchors and meteorologists dress like they are going to a ritzy party on South Beach. There’s a weather gal on mornings on WSVN who literally looks like her dress is painted on her. Ultra high, high heels, the side pose…I think you get the picture. Maybe the diversity of that community demands that sort of thing. I’m not sure. But could Jacksonville be headed to more tech, exotic sets and glamor?

Favorite television news programs are similar to radio stations in that people prefer one over the other. Ratings have improved for Cox’s Action News but they are not the ratings leader by a mile.

Compared to radio, it’s like there are two well established stations in the format and you’re the third to join the fray. How do you get noticed? How do you change long-established behavior? I would think a big part is to differentiate yourself from the others.

There have been a number of occasions I sampled Action News. Personally, I don’t care for it. Mine is a personal preference. One of the many hats I wore in my lifetime was in journalism. Hands down, I believe WJXT Channel 4 is an absolutely superior newscast on many fronts. Being a local station, they have the resources and without network commitments they can stay on stories while other stations cannot.

Channel 4 is as close to a hard news organization as it gets in this day and age. The presenters are credible as are the reporters. There’s a lot of longevity there and knowledge of the market. Their Morning Show is very well produced and it acts more like a Top 20 market program. It really is extremely well done if you haven’t seen it. Honestly, it’s better than anything I see in South Florida in early morning.

Joy Purdy is a new addition to the team and I consider her hiring an incredibly smart move. She’s a serious presenter yet her personality shines through without being over the top. I’ve chatted with her a number of times in social media and I find her very interesting. She's a smart lady. There’s a great team at Channel 4 and I believe Jacksonville is very well served by that news organization. From my own observations, no one goes in depth on stories as they do.

My overall perception of Action News in its’ current state is there is no warmth and no personality. There seems to be a rush in presenting the stories. Bam! It’s like bullet points. There’s just a few details and then it’s moving on. Perhaps the feeling is most people get bored quickly and maybe they’re right. Maybe Ch 4 attracts older viewers like me because they don’t talk as fast. Still, I have to call it as I see it.

How does Action News compete? How do you overcome many decades of serving the community? You can throw First Coast News into the mix too. They aren’t bad either. Mike Prangley’s rising star in the weather arena has placed him on the 6 O’clock news. He’s warm, friendly and engaging and doesn’t rush. All positives IMO. He’s very much into social media too interacting with viewers.

For Action News, perhaps they will take a WSVN approach as it has been very successful in South Florida. They start their evening newscast at 4PM. The anchors are young and Entertainment Tonight-ish. There’s glamor. Everything is high tech. The set has two levels with an almost spaceship kind of look. I wonder if there would be any merits for them to simulcast a 2.5 hour evening news block on their AM to offer separate programming while promoting their news product. Maybe we’ll see something like that.

Really, anything is possible. A tough situation, especially given the fact younger folks don’t seem too interested in watching the news. It probably explains the rise of an Inside Edition approach I’m noticing more and more in news broadcasts.

When it comes to news presentation both on the radio and television, I truly believe Jacksonville does an outstanding job in that end. WOKV is a bright spot, perhaps just about the only one in radio along with WAPE, in the market. For television, both News4Jax (Channel 4) and even First Coast News provide coverage that I feel exceeds expectations.

Action News will find a niche. What that will be could prove interesting. I’m certain technology will play a big part along with glamor presentation. Maybe too, a few hours of talk each day on WOKV will be replaced with news simulcasts. I hope that happens. I used to be a huge talk show lover. Today, I have no idea how anyone can listen to most of it especially hour after hour of the same thing over and over.

Well, that's my news critique in Jacksonville. Thoughts?

 

[bclark71.]

My overall perception of Action News in its’ current state is there is no warmth and no personality. There seems to be a rush in presenting the stories. Bam! It’s like bullet points. There’s just a few details and then it’s moving on. Perhaps the feeling is most people get bored quickly and maybe they’re right. Maybe Ch 4 attracts older viewers like me because they don’t talk as fast. Still, I have to call it as I see it.

I can speak to Action News on one front: They just acquired John Bachman from sister station WSB-TV Atlanta. Bachman is a rising star who was on the second-string because WSB has too many stars. WSB is far and away Atlanta's #1 news station (and shares resources with WSB/WSBB Radio). John is a heck of an anchor and he will lean more old-school than the (remaining) team at Action News Jax. He's looking to be the number-one man somewhere, and WAWS-WTEV certainly needs the hands on deck.

 

[upstate29651]

The future of Cox TV in Jax....

Go look at what WSB & WFTV are doing. That's what 47/30 will be doing, minus helicopters. Cox TV stations all operate on the same formula. Not sure why one would think 47/30 would emulate 'SVN. They're owned by Sumbeam, very Fox'esque whizz-bang graphics & presentation. Not Cox like at all.

G