I may be way off base here but I seem to remember that WCAX-3 went thru some cutbacks a while ago and now there's scuttlebutt about the same at Fox44. Apologies to all if I've got some bad info but if it's correct, what's the deal? Is it a media-wide thing in the market with advertisers cutting back TV, radio, print, etc buys; is it too much TV for the market to handle; is it the economy in general? And if it's the economy there in general, how's that affecting radio? With some 12 to 15 statons showing up in the ARB's, there's a lot of slices coming out of the pie. How's it looking up there - some belt tightening or business as usual?
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Burlington TV fading?
- Thread starter MisterBilge
- Start date
Totally the econonomy and advertising dollars for the most part. Channel 3 being the highest revenue producer, allowed them to invest heavily into their news department in which they got their return.. I give Fox 44 credit for their starting and growing a news department in not the best of economic conidtions. If you read some of the other pages, you can read about the bloodletting that's going on in larger markets.. Smaller markets are used to running lean and mean as opposed to the larger and major markets. Newspapers are in the same boat if not worse, though who is buying papers except for older readers these days when you find it all online ?
MassMusicMan
Banned
Gee, I wonder if there's a New England TV forum...
Good news, Will! Yes! There's a New England TV Forum. It's the first option under "Television States," in the "Jump To..." box. More specifically though, my question was: "And if it's the economy there in general, how's that affecting radio? With some 12 to 15 statons showing up in the ARB's, there's a lot of slices coming out of the pie. How's it looking up there - some belt tightening or business as usual?" I seem to recollect that you have some Vermont roots (might be wrong tho) so perhaps you have some thoughts on how radio's making out in this economy given that another medium seems to be cutting back in that market. Thanks in advance...
T
the professor
Guest
The Professor also has TV contacts. They tell me 7 staffers were let go plus people making $45K and under took a 5% pay decrease and those making over $45K took at 10% pay decrease. Interestingly enough they didn't cut out their news department as was the speculation.
Honestly, I think we could see the end of B&P television within 10 years. There is really no reason for us to have our own affiliates here. I would much rather see Boston or Albany TV here. Burlington TV sucks and we all know it. At the very least, there is no need for as much local news as we have here.
MassMusicMan
Banned
Right, because if Jim Douglas had a heart attack, we should have to wait until we look on the Internet instead of Channel 3 breaking the story. Why would Burlington TV stations (at the very least, the Big Four affiliates) go away?
The news in Burlington is almost unwatchable! Slow paced and litered with technical screw-ups in every broadcast. There are a few talented people, but for the most part Burlington news people are awful and should be scooping up crap off of the side of the road somewhere. Fox 44 needs a lot of work, but it's the closest thing to "watchable news" that we have here. Burlington news needs to shape up or close shop!
MassMusicMan
Banned
Of course it's slow paced...it's Vermont. The people make the news. It's not the TV station's fault that Vermont has a low crime rate and competent public officials. They can only report what actually happens. They can't be WHDH.
As for technical screw-ups, this must be a new thing. I find most newscasts that I've seen on 3 and 5 to be as technically proficient as anything I've seen.
Finally, your ultimatum comes across as juvenile and makes no sense.
As for technical screw-ups, this must be a new thing. I find most newscasts that I've seen on 3 and 5 to be as technically proficient as anything I've seen.
Finally, your ultimatum comes across as juvenile and makes no sense.
I'm actually amazed that there are as few mistakes in the newscasts as there are, especially considering the entire news production facilities have been flipping to new gear to prepare for the digital transition over the past months.
You talk about one newscast being slowpaced - think about audiences, Fox44 has Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad - they cater to that audience. WPTZ and WCAX are legacy stations in this area and have an older demographic. That's why we have the remote - so you can watch the one you prefer. It doesn't reflect poorly on them that you simply don't like it.
You talk about one newscast being slowpaced - think about audiences, Fox44 has Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad - they cater to that audience. WPTZ and WCAX are legacy stations in this area and have an older demographic. That's why we have the remote - so you can watch the one you prefer. It doesn't reflect poorly on them that you simply don't like it.
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