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Best television stations

B

bpatrick

Below is a thread on the worst television
stations you ever saw. That's more fun
to talk about, I'm sure, but what do you
think are the best stations you've seen?

My vote goes to WFAA/8 Dallas/Ft. Worth
in the late '70s and into the '80s, with
its front four of Tracy Rowlett, Iola Johnson
(anchors), Troy Dungan (weather), and Verne Lundquist
(sports, of course). Plus every reporter covered one
and only one beat, making him or her an expert on that
beat. Belo put the $$$ into Ch. 8 then, something
I don't think they're doing now.

I also like WHAS/11 Louisville, also a Belo station,
especially because they're one of the few stations
that really covers state government; I guess Mark
Hebert is still their Frankfort correspondent. I
wish they hadn't stopped streaming their newscasts.
(They also fed WTVD the UNC-Louisville blowout a few
Saturdays ago.)
 
Well here's mine...

ABC affiliates:
WISN-12/Milwaukee
WTAE-4/Pittsburgh
WCVB-5/Boston
KSAT-12/San Antonio
KXLY-4/Spokane
KITV-4/Honolulu
KMGH-7/Denver
KTVX-4/Salt Lake City
KOMO-4/Seattle
WOI-5/Des Moines
KODE-12/Joplin, Mo.
WBAY-2/Green Bay
WVNY-22/Burlington
WFTS-28/Tampa
KTGM-14/Agana, Guam
KGTV-10/San Diego
KXTV-10/Sacramento
KOTA-3/Rapid City
WJCL-22/Savannah
WSB-2/Atlanta

CBS affiliates:
WKBF-4/Rock Island
WREG-3/Memphis
WLKY-32/Louisville
KCOY-12/Santa Maria
WJTV-12/Jackson, MS
WDEF-12/Chattanooga
WTKR-3/Norfolk
WPRI-12/Providence
WIVB-4/Buffalo
KFVS-12/Cape Giraradeau
KWCH-12/Wichita

Fox affiliates:
KTBY-4/Anchorage
WFLD-32/Chicago
WTXF-29/Philadelphia
KTRV-12/Boise
KTVU-2/San Francisco
WSVN-7/Miami
KPTV-12/Portland, Or.
KASA-2/Albuquerque
XETV-6/San Diego

NBC affiliates:
WBAL-11/Baltimore
WXII-12/Winston-Salem
WYFF-4/Greenville
KSEE-24/Fresno
KSBW-8/Salinas
KJRH-2/Tulsa
KPNX-12/Phoenix
WESH-2/Orlando

UPN affiliates:
WDCA-20/Washington, DC
KCOP-13/Los Angeles
WNLO-23/Buffalo
KTXH-20/Houston

WB Affiliates:
KWGN-2/Denver
KTTV-4/Indianapolis
WTWB-20/Greensboro
WIWB-14/Green Bay

Independents:
KTVK-3/Phoenix
KVOS-12/Bellingham

CBC stations:
CBLT-5/Toronto

CTV stations:
CFCF-12/Montreal
CIVT-32/Vancouver

CHUM Group stations:
CITY-57/Toronto
CKVR-3/Barrie

Global/CH stations:
CHCH/Hamilton
CHAN(Global BC)/Vancouver
 
> Well here's mine...
>
> ABC affiliates:
> WVNY-22/Burlington
> WFTS-28/Tampa

Yeah, right. WVNY dumped its newscast a couple of years ago, and becamemore reliant on infomercials. WVNY should belong in the worst station category, especially the early years.

As for WFTS, they're not the worst, but they're not the best, either, especially since they gave up on local identity and is also addicted to infomercials, especially on weekends.
>
> CBC stations:
> CBLT-5/Toronto
>
The only thing CBLT sets itself apart from the rest of the CBC is the local half of "Canada Now". Other than that (and ads), every other CBC O&O share the same schedule.

> CTV stations:
> CFCF-12/Montreal
> CIVT-32/Vancouver

Before or after becoming just "CTV"? CFCF has a solid newscast, but most of its schedule is the same as all other CTV stations.

>
> CHUM Group stations:
> CKVR-3/Barrie
>
Before or after becoming "A-Channel" (a name that belongs in Alberta, not Ontario)?

> Global/CH stations:
> CHCH/Hamilton
> CHAN(Global BC)/Vancouver
>
I concur on both -- CHAN (still called "BCTV" by most of its loyal viewers) has the best local newscast in North America. CNN patterned its news set after BCTV's. And when Global started its national newscast, it chose Vancouver and BCTV as its nerve center.

CHCH is also a solid operation as well, still concentrating on Hamilton (though it has several trannies throughout Ontario). Wish they kept "Rainbow TV Bingo", though (best bingo show I ever seen).
 
> Yeah, right. WVNY dumped its newscast a couple of years ago,
> and became more reliant on infomercials. WVNY should belong
> in the worst station category, especially the early years.

When I used to live in Montreal, I used to watch the station because of the cartoons, so I don't think it was all bad.

> As for WFTS, they're not the worst, but they're not the
> best, either, especially since they gave up on local
> identity and is also addicted to infomercials, especially on
> weekends.

Well I have mixed feelings about that, but having seen the station while visiting Florida in 2004 it was decent enough for me to watch.


> The only thing CBLT sets itself apart from the rest of the
> CBC is the local half of "Canada Now". Other than that (and
> ads), every other CBC O&O share the same schedule.

Well I was going to pick CBMT-6/Montreal and CBUT-2/Vancouver, but CBLT struck me as a good station, based on watching the station alone.

> > CTV stations:
> > CFCF-12/Montreal
> > CIVT-32/Vancouver
>
> Before or after becoming just "CTV"? CFCF has a solid
> newscast, but most of its schedule is the same as all other
> CTV stations.

Try both. CFCF had more of a independent streak back in the day, but I agree the only thing solid there is the newscasts.

As for CIVT, I like them better as a independent, but they seem to do good too as a CTV station.

> > CHUM Group stations:
> > CKVR-3/Barrie
> >
> Before or after becoming "A-Channel" (a name that belongs in
> Alberta, not Ontario)?

Before, as in CBC affiliation and as a independent.

> > Global/CH stations:
> > CHCH/Hamilton
> > CHAN(Global BC)/Vancouver

> I concur on both -- CHAN (still called "BCTV" by most of its
> loyal viewers) has the best local newscast in North America.
> CNN patterned its news set after BCTV's. And when Global
> started its national newscast, it chose Vancouver and BCTV
> as its nerve center.

> CHCH is also a solid operation as well, still concentrating
> on Hamilton (though it has several trannies throughout
> Ontario). Wish they kept "Rainbow TV Bingo", though (best
> bingo show I ever seen).

Thanks. I think Canwest has done a good job with both stations, especially CHCH.
 
> Independents:
> KTVK-3/Phoenix

KTVK has some of the strongest syndicated product available, but also some of the weakest as well (Your New House, Recipe TV, P. Allen Smith Gardens, and a couple of their Saturday afternoon E/I programs). They seem to pull some good numbers with the low-budget programs though (scheduling them next to newscasts helps too).

> KVOS-12/Bellingham

I've looked at their schedule, and I'm definitely not impressed. Clear Channel isn't putting as much money into this operation as its previous owners did.
 
> Below is a thread on the worst television
> stations you ever saw. That's more fun
> to talk about, I'm sure, but what do you
> think are the best stations you've seen?

1990 to late 1993 was a great period for KNXV-TV "Fox 15." Very creative promos and a solid programming schedule made this station the one to watch over the two other Phoenix independents at the time (KPHO-TV 5 and KUTP 45 - Fox wasn't considered a major network back then).

KPDX "Fox 49" in Portland, Oregon was also an innovative station in the mid-'90s as well, from what I saw of it on vacation in 1994.
 
>
> As for WFTS, they're not the worst, but they're not the
> best, either, especially since they gave up on local
> identity and is also addicted to infomercials, especially on
> weekends.
> >

I visit the Tampa area a couple of times a year and I would say that WFLA-8, WTSP-10 and WTVT-13 are much better than WFTS. I would not put them in the worst category however I would not put them in the best either.


Here are some of my favorites:


WCVB 5 Boston (ABC)
WSYR-TV 9 Syracuse (ABC)
WAVY 10 Portsmouth/Norfolk (NBC)
WESH 2 Daytona Beach/Orlando (NBC)
WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (NBC)
WTSP 10 St Petersburg (CBS)
WUSA 9 Washington (CBS)
WMUR 9 Manchester, NH (ABC)
WSB-TV 2 Atlanta (ABC)
 
> > Yeah, right. WVNY dumped its newscast a couple of years
> ago,
> > and became more reliant on infomercials. WVNY should
> belong
> > in the worst station category, especially the early years.
>
>
> When I used to live in Montreal, I used to watch the station
> because of the cartoons, so I don't think it was all bad.
>

Trust me, despite running cartoons in the 80's, it has always been the worst station in this market. The little inhouse station at Lyndon State College blew them away 15 years ago in production.
 
Since this is a classic Tv board, I will name my favorite TV stations from the past. Keep in mind that my frame of reference is that of a child of the 70s growing up in central NJ.

WKBS channel 48 in Philadelphia (Best lineup of kid's programmming back in the day)

WNEW channel 5 in New York (Mostly because of Wonderama)

WPIX channel 11 in New York (The whole 11 alive idea was great.)
 
> Well here's mine...
>
> ABC affiliates:
> WJCL-22/Savannah

Having lived in the Savannah market for more than five years, I have to say I snorted out loud when I read this. "WJCL" and "Best" in the same paragraph, much less sentence?? Okay, compared with cable 7's "Town Crier", then maybe.....

WJCL's graphics and production values are passable, and their weathercaster is decent. But overall their newscasts strike me as something out of a university cablecast. The 'happy talk' transitions remind me of 20-year-old sorority girls during rush.

WSAV-3 (NBC) has made the most improvement over the last year; Media General seems to have invest a lot of money in the station.

The leader over here is, was, and always will be WTOC-11 (CBS). Logo and news theme relatively unchanged, I understand, since 1987. They have some truly good personalities (Jody Chapin, Patrick Prokop), but the main 6 PM anchor goes out of his way to be Mr. Folksy. WTOC is real big on doing stories about church suppers and other small-town news ... "Well, the First Baptist Church in Guyton had themselves a picnic dinner on the grounds Sunday afternoon ... and there I am, chowin' down on some fine chicken. Well, Pat Prokop is here with the forecast -- Pat, it's some great weather for eating a drumstick ...."

But Savannahians love it. They're #1 by a mile.

> CBS affiliates:
> WREG-3/Memphis

For years their newscast was mired in third place (NBC station WMC-TV 5 usually leads), but back in college (mid '80s) 3 was my favorite of the Mempho stations for a three-word reason: All Night Movies. WREG used to maintain the largest film library of any local TV station. Toured the station in 1984 - when they escorted us into the vault, my heart began skipping beats. Dozens of rows of canisters, all arranged by studio, then alpha. Literally thousands of movies, possibly every film made before the early to mid '70s.

In 1986-87, they had a 3-5 PM block of vintage comedies - "Andy Griffith", "Leave it to Beaver", etc. - under the umbrella title "3 IN THE AFTERNOON."

Yeah, WREG was a good station.

> KFVS-12/Cape Giraradeau

Prior to 1979, when the station was locally owned, it was a no-frills, basic and staid beacon. And served its area extremely well. Today, it's a top-notch smaller-market station - and people in Cape take great pride in 'their' station (as well they should). KFVS' main news anchor, Mike Shain, has been doing their local news since 1972! But the top patriarch of KFVS was Don McNeely. He was there on day one, doing announcing, news and eventually became chief metereologist. Don had a very distinctive voice, one you could never mistake for anyone else. His voice WAS Channel 12.

When Don retired in the late '90s, KFVS named their main studio in his honor. That's class.

Another "best station" nod I'd have to add is:

WSFA-12 (NBC) Montgomery, Ala. -- despite having 75-80% of the newscast market, they don't act like it. They've always been a class act, and a station very proud of its history (WSFA-TV went on the air just in time for the Montgomery bus boycott, bringing more-than-usual attention to WSFA's news directior and chief anchor, Frank McGee. NBC took notice, and the rest is history). During their anniversary years, they run station IDs which have all their logos from past to present in fast succession. I'm a sucker for that. :)
 
The best I've seen is WCIU-TV's low power sister station

WWME-CA Channel 23, They bill themselves as ME-TV (Memorable Entertainment TV)

From the "retro-mericals" the run. To their ads, to their songs between programs the channel is awesome, to their mini-marathons saluting recently deceased people (like Don Adams)

They always put songs with the word ME in it. Like "Rock ME Gently," "Me and You And A Dog Named Boo" etc etc. between shows.

The choice of programming is awesome and I love the retro-mercials, From Gracie Allen talking about "contented cows" (Carnation Milk) to the John Travolta, Farah Fawcett commerical before they were stars. It's pretty much the best I've ever seen

The only thing bad is they have no cartoons. They used to run Bullwinkle, Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo

It is how TVLand SHOULD look<P ID="signature">______________
Once I figured out the meaning of life....Then I forgot to write it down.</P>
 
If I had to choose a "Best station" of the past award It would be a tie between

KYW-3-till 1966
WEWS-5 Both Cleveland

They had a lot of local talent hosting shows-More I think than other similar size markets. Lots of excellent News Talent with Bud Dancy and Bill Jorgenson on Channel 3 Tom Field and Dorothy Fuldheim on 5 (Field had worked at 3 and Jorgenson on 5 at one time)..Of course WKYC-3 had Virgil Dominic, Wally Kinnan (Weather)and Jim Graner sports together from 1966-73..I watched WJW 8 less but you had Joel Daly (Later of WLS-7 Chicago) and Doug Adair Martin Ross, Dick Goddard Weather (had been on 3 as well).
Lately when I had Dish Network I liked WFAA 8 in Dallas WSB-2 Atlanta and KTLA 5 Los Angeles mostly for their newscasts. Locally I like Fox 8 news followed by WKYC-3 and WEWS-5 Though they are close in quality
 
> > CBC stations:
> > CBLT-5/Toronto
> >
> The only thing CBLT sets itself apart from the rest of the
> CBC is the local half of "Canada Now". Other than that (and
> ads), every other CBC O&O share the same schedule.
---------
The original poster has GOT to be kidding us. CBLT was Toronto's bargain basement station in the 80s. They still used film for reports as late as 1985. And, what do they have today other than the half-hour newscast at 6:30? Other CBC O&Os were far better quality, from what I've seen.

> > CTV stations:
> > CFCF-12/Montreal
> > CIVT-32/Vancouver
>
> Before or after becoming just "CTV"? CFCF has a solid
> newscast, but most of its schedule is the same as all other
> CTV stations.
----------
CFCF back in the 80s was a pretty solid station, full of local programming. True, they did produce some lousy shows for CTV and for syndication (Super Pay Cards, The New Chain Reaction, Snow Job) but they deserve a salute for their attempts at other better local shows such as Nightlife and their morning show. As for CIVT...give us some proof, as I don't see anything about that station that sets it apart, particularly in CHAN's market.

> > CHUM Group stations:
> > CKVR-3/Barrie
> >
> Before or after becoming "A-Channel" (a name that belongs in
> Alberta, not Ontario)?
----------
Before August 2, 2005, they belonged on this list. Now they belong on the "worst" list, as they are pretending to be a Toronto station now.<P ID="signature">______________
From WNBC-TV New York this is Liiiiive at Fiiiiive!</P>
 
>
> WSFA-12 (NBC) Montgomery, Ala. -- despite having 75-80% of
> the newscast market, they don't act like it. They've always
> been a class act, and a station very proud of its history
> (WSFA-TV went on the air just in time for the Montgomery bus
> boycott, bringing more-than-usual attention to WSFA's news
> directior and chief anchor, Frank McGee. NBC took notice,
> and the rest is history). During their anniversary years,
> they run station IDs which have all their logos from past to
> present in fast succession. I'm a sucker for that. :)
>
I nominate WSFA's sister station---WIS/10/NBC in Columbia, SC. The heritage of this station is remarkable, and they have not forgotten their responsibility to not just Columbia but to the entire state of South Carolina. Thusly, they are loved by just about everyone from one end of the state to the other (they are on cable everywhere, except the Greenville and Charleston metros). Going back 30 plus years, WIS, in a low-key way, did a lot to promote racial harmony. They were first to have significant African AMerican news staff, and to this day, that staff is very representative of the state's population. All of their on-air staff obviously love and are proud of the state. Many are home grown, or, if not native, clearly have no intention of leaving. The station reflects the state in a very positive way, while still reporting its very numerous blemishes. Hopefully, the impending purchase of WIS (along with WSFA and other Cosmos/Liberty stations), by the less than stellar Raycom, will not interupt this tradition of service.
 
> I nominate WSFA's sister station---WIS/10/NBC in Columbia,
> SC. The heritage of this station is remarkable, and they
> have not forgotten their responsibility to not just Columbia
> but to the entire state of South Carolina.

Ah yes, (W)onderful (I)odine (S)tate. WIS and WSFA have always been sisters. WIS was supposedly the model WSFA was shooting for when developing its news department.

It's remarkable just how alike in culture and 'heritage' both stations are. They've even had the same logos, off and on, over the years.

> Hopefully, the impending purchase of WIS (along
> with WSFA and other Cosmos/Liberty stations), by the less
> than stellar Raycom, will not interupt this tradition of
> service.

About the worst you can expect is a barrage of commercials for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama.

From what I understand about Raycom, the company started out as a sports network out of Montgomery, but suddenly developed an appetite for buying TV stations.

Going by how I've seen them run some of their stations (the former AFLAC-owned KFVS-12/Cape Girardeau, Mo., WTVM-9/Columbus, Ga., WAFF-48/Huntsville, Ala., WTOC-11/Savannah, Ga.; former Scripps-Howard WMC-TV 5/Memphis), I don't think they've allowed them to coast and/or rot.

One of Raycom's major owners/investors is the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA), which also owns ... yup, you guessed it ... Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a network of golf courses scattered all over the state.

Cosmos/Liberty has always been one of my most-admired TV groups. Very high standards, even for the smaller stations (what they did to previously-slipshod KAIT-8 in Jonesboro, Ark. is nothing short of amazing). We can only hope those standards will be maintained.

My big concern is with WSFA, where Raycom is HQ'ed. It's always been a highly-respected and much-acclaimed news organization; becoming a ward of RSA, what amounts to an organ of state government, bears watching and worrying. Any concerns about any conflicts-of-interest are well-founded .... in the mid '80s, RSA actually tried an unsuccessful run at buying WSFA.
 
My vote is WPVI, Philadelphia. For pure domination of a top 10 market, it's tough to rival their track record. Action News remains the standard in the city, regularly downing the competition, even in years when ABC's primetime lineup is a dismal failure. It's a model of consistency in a world there that's increasingly rare.

Then there's the syndicated fare--from one generation to the next, they have consistently scheduled the strongest programs to fill their time periods. Now, of course, much of that comes through corporate parent Disney, but long before being part of the mouse house, they were getting the cream of the crop, and finding the new hits others missed. They were one of the first stations in the country to sign on for a little game show called Wheel of Fortune. (Hard to believe the last show to run at 7:30 p.m. before Wheel was the long-gone Joker's Wild.)

They're also a fair model of community programming. Though it was sad to see a local hour on the schedule give way a few years ago, the commitment to carrying parades and community events is exemplary. They've taken the Thanksgiving Day parade in Philly to a new level.



> Below is a thread on the worst television
> stations you ever saw. That's more fun
> to talk about, I'm sure, but what do you
> think are the best stations you've seen?
>
> My vote goes to WFAA/8 Dallas/Ft. Worth
> in the late '70s and into the '80s, with
> its front four of Tracy Rowlett, Iola Johnson
> (anchors), Troy Dungan (weather), and Verne Lundquist
> (sports, of course). Plus every reporter covered one
> and only one beat, making him or her an expert on that
> beat. Belo put the $$$ into Ch. 8 then, something
> I don't think they're doing now.
>
> I also like WHAS/11 Louisville, also a Belo station,
> especially because they're one of the few stations
> that really covers state government; I guess Mark
> Hebert is still their Frankfort correspondent. I
> wish they hadn't stopped streaming their newscasts.
> (They also fed WTVD the UNC-Louisville blowout a few
> Saturdays ago.)
>
 
> Well here's mine...
>
> WTKR-3/Norfolk

Are you talking about today or years ago? WTKR is horrible now, their newscasts finish behind reruns of sitcoms on the UPN, WB, and Independent stations here.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ntropolis on 10/29/05 02:36 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> > Hopefully, the impending purchase of WIS (along
> > with WSFA and other Cosmos/Liberty stations), by the less
> > than stellar Raycom, will not interupt this tradition of
> > service.
>
> About the worst you can expect is a barrage of commercials
> for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama.
>
> From what I understand about Raycom, the company started out
> as a sports network out of Montgomery, but suddenly
> developed an appetite for buying TV stations.
>
> Going by how I've seen them run some of their stations (the
> former AFLAC-owned KFVS-12/Cape Girardeau, Mo.,
> WTVM-9/Columbus, Ga., WAFF-48/Huntsville, Ala.,
> WTOC-11/Savannah, Ga.; former Scripps-Howard WMC-TV
> 5/Memphis), I don't think they've allowed them to coast
> and/or rot.
------------
Raycom can be a funny company. Their "19 Action News" on WOIO/WUAB in Cleveland still has low ratings, but they are growing rapidly from my understanding. They did no favours for WUAB by calling it "UPN 43 The Block", which had a stupid looking logo.<P ID="signature">______________
From WNBC-TV New York this is Liiiiive at Fiiiiive!</P>
 
> Below is a thread on the worst television
> stations you ever saw. That's more fun
> to talk about, I'm sure, but what do you
> think are the best stations you've seen?

WNBC-TV and WABC-TV in New York from the mid-70s to the late 90s; heavy local news commitment, top shelf talent. WNBC had anchors including Tom Snyder and Chuck Scarborough and a state of the art on-air look for its day...plus the best overall prime time lineup of the time. It had to be good, because the competition was tough, especially from WABC-TV, with Roger Grimsby and Bill Beutel fronting the Eyewitness News team and daytime programming including the launch of Regis and Kathie Lee as a local show (it wouldn't go national until 1989).
New York TV viewers were lucky.
 
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