Fox News on WTVN

[Pete Nice]

I noticed WTVN is now airing 2 minutes of Fox News at the top of the hour newscasts. Just curious on others thoughts on this move.

Why?

I thought the local anchors were doing a fine job. Not to mention that the Fox News people don't deliver a very tight newscast. I've heard the Fox News people play the wrong soundbite in a story numerous times.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

I noticed WTVN is now airing 2 minutes of Fox News at the top of the hour newscasts. Just curious on others thoughts on this move.

Why?

I thought the local anchors were doing a fine job. Not to mention that the Fox News people don't deliver a very tight newscast. I've heard the Fox News people play the wrong soundbite in a story numerous times.

And the station's painfully slow decline continues....

 

[C414B]

I noticed WTVN is now airing 2 minutes of Fox News at the top of the hour newscasts. Just curious on others thoughts on this move.

Why?

I thought the local anchors were doing a fine job. Not to mention that the Fox News people don't deliver a very tight newscast. I've heard the Fox News people play the wrong soundbite in a story numerous times.

Funny you should mention something about this. I thought it was funny that they'd use the Fox News imaging and even actualities from their anchors and not use the newscasts.

It could be that the on-air product wasn't as up to snuff as 'TVN would like but they were forced into using it or dropping the Fox News association.

Thoughts?

 

[meezermizer]

WHLO in Akron does the same thing... Must be a CC thing

 

[columbus radio fan]

I noticed WTVN is now airing 2 minutes of Fox News at the top of the hour newscasts. Just curious on others thoughts on this move.

Why?

I thought the local anchors were doing a fine job. Not to mention that the Fox News people don't deliver a very tight newscast. I've heard the Fox News people play the wrong soundbite in a story numerous times.

And the station's painfully slow decline continues....

Slow decline continues? Then how come they have been up in the high 7's in the last two trends? They are not on the decline.

Second...I have noticed a lot of CC stations are doing this, including WLW in Cinci and WFLA in Tampa. It has to be a CC thing.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

I noticed WTVN is now airing 2 minutes of Fox News at the top of the hour newscasts. Just curious on others thoughts on this move.

Why?

I thought the local anchors were doing a fine job. Not to mention that the Fox News people don't deliver a very tight newscast. I've heard the Fox News people play the wrong soundbite in a story numerous times.

Funny you should mention something about this. I thought it was funny that they'd use the Fox News imaging and even actualities from their anchors and not use the newscasts.

It could be that the on-air product wasn't as up to snuff as 'TVN would like but they were forced into using it or dropping the Fox News association.

Thoughts?

That's what happens when you send your top-notch talent packing, voluntarily or involuntarily.

Some of that talent can be found at CC stations elsewhere, but most are no longer under Clear Channel's employ.

That's where the painfully slow decline is which I referred to earlier. It hasn't shown in the ratings so much because regardless of how the quality is, it's the only game in town as far as news.

But the list is getting rather formidable:

Don Alexander
Robert Bauer
Curt Boster
Steve "Boom Boom" Cannon
Dave Clayborne (not sure of spelling)
Sherry Fisher
Steve Hansel
Shaun Ireland
Dave Isaacs
Scott Kaylor
John Layne
George Lehner
Jane London
Pat Pagano
John Remy
Sterling
The late Sally Wagner

Not a complete list by any means. Only Don Alexander, which Steve Cannon called "The Dean" of radio news, left through retirement. The rest either quit or were fired.

With all of this talent gone, it's no wonder WTVN stopped calling itself "The Giant" a long time ago.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Here's what may be next...if 840 WHAS is the model this is being patterned after. Next will come a state network newcast after Fox News. Then an automated voice will give the time. Next, about 2 minutes of local news. The next step will be the news room & traffic reporting department will be unmanned after noon on Saturday & all day Sunday. And the weather will be a canned forecast from a local TV station. Louisville has no local news on radio on the weekend...I hope for your sake that Columbus isn't next. If they'll do this with 50KW on 840, you bet they'd do it with 5KW at 610...and the decline will roll on. XM is sounding better all the time.

 

[boyphenom]

Here's what may be next...if 840 WHAS is the model this is being patterned after. Next will come a state network newcast after Fox News. Then an automated voice will give the time. Next, about 2 minutes of local news. The next step will be the news room & traffic reporting department will be unmanned after noon on Saturday & all day Sunday. And the weather will be a canned forecast from a local TV station. Louisville has no local news on radio on the weekend...I hope for your sake that Columbus isn't next. If they'll do this with 50KW on 840, you bet they'd do it with 5KW at 610...and the decline will roll on. XM is sounding better all the time.

Basically following the GM Model of creating "look-alike cars" ... and you see what happened to GM after 20 years of focussing more on cost than on product. During the storms a couple of months ago, WTVN was simulcasting 10TV for the weather. But as far as I know, they still do news on the weekends.

On another matter, IBOC is really killing WLW's reception in Reynoldsburg/east Columbus, especially at night. Can a 5kw signal like WTVN's get anywhere at night with all the crap in the airwaves these days?

 

[columbus radio fan]

Here's what may be next...if 840 WHAS is the model this is being patterned after. Next will come a state network newcast after Fox News. Then an automated voice will give the time. Next, about 2 minutes of local news. The next step will be the news room & traffic reporting department will be unmanned after noon on Saturday & all day Sunday. And the weather will be a canned forecast from a local TV station. Louisville has no local news on radio on the weekend...I hope for your sake that Columbus isn't next. If they'll do this with 50KW on 840, you bet they'd do it with 5KW at 610...and the decline will roll on. XM is sounding better all the time.

That will never happen on WTVN because there is the Ohio News Network based at either WBNS TV or Radio (back when it started it was radio). WTVN is no part of that whatsoever, unlike WHAS where the Kentucky News Network is based at (Indiana News Network is based at WIBC/Indianapolis which is moving over to FM).

 

[nmoore6676]

I listen to stations using Fox News and a lot just take the 2 minutes at the top of the hour, others tack on their local weather and news. Others combine it with regional news from a state wide net. Not many stations run local news on their own anymore. Here in LA where I now live KFI does local news from their own newsroom, which also supplies the other stations in the CC cluster. They are a Fox News affiliate but only use stories from the national service as inserts in the local broadcast. In many areas what you think is local news comes from a third party service or combination operations within in the local cluster, which can include adjacent markets.

Miss Ohio in the fall! Go Buckeyes!

 

[Shelloutfalter]

I really don't like getting down on other stations, but this topic has me compelled to comment.

"News Radio" 610-WVTN is a huge misnomer. As far as local news goes, most small market stations blow them out of the water. I'm beginning to think they don't have a news director.

To put it bluntly, their local news coverage sucks.

There's very little in the way of interesting local stories being generated and reported on at WTVN. Unfortunately, we're watching local radio news die at the big market level. Stations continue to cut back their local news coverage more and more, until eventually we're left to listen to garbage like Fox Radio News where a hint of information is all you get.

I know there are mixed emotions out there about ABC Radio Networks, but ABC Radio News offers better broadcast news writing, news coverage and delivery.

Just my $.02

 

[SeanMGilbow]

I really don't like getting down on other stations, but this topic has me compelled to comment.

"News Radio" 610-WVTN is a huge misnomer. As far as local news goes, most small market stations blow them out of the water. I'm beginning to think they don't have a news director.

To put it bluntly, their local news coverage sucks.

There's very little in the way of interesting local stories being generated and reported on at WTVN. Unfortunately, we're watching local radio news die at the big market level. Stations continue to cut back their local news coverage more and more, until eventually we're left to listen to garbage like Fox Radio News where a hint of information is all you get.

I know there are mixed emotions out there about ABC Radio Networks, but ABC Radio News offers better broadcast news writing, news coverage and delivery.

Just my $.02

Case in point:

http://www.akronnewsnow.com

The combined operation of locally owned WAKR (adult standards), WONE (rock), and WQMX (country) has consistently won for Best News Operation in Ohio (medium market) by the Associated Press.

 

[Shelloutfalter]

I really don't like getting down on other stations, but this topic has me compelled to comment.

"News Radio" 610-WVTN is a huge misnomer. As far as local news goes, most small market stations blow them out of the water. I'm beginning to think they don't have a news director.

To put it bluntly, their local news coverage sucks.

There's very little in the way of interesting local stories being generated and reported on at WTVN. Unfortunately, we're watching local radio news die at the big market level. Stations continue to cut back their local news coverage more and more, until eventually we're left to listen to garbage like Fox Radio News where a hint of information is all you get.

I know there are mixed emotions out there about ABC Radio Networks, but ABC Radio News offers better broadcast news writing, news coverage and delivery.

Just my $.02

Case in point:

http://www.akronnewsnow.com

The combined operation of locally owned WAKR (adult standards), WONE (rock), and WQMX (country) has consistently won for Best News Operation in Ohio (medium market) by the Associated Press.

I'm sure they're great in Akron, and I love seeing this sort of thing, but let's face it - winning the Best News Operation category in an era where broadcast news is lacking in so many areas probably isn't that darned difficult.

Modern-day news directors foster the "rip 'n read" mentality. Few of them know what it is to generate a news story from scratch and to do it right. What is happening to commercial radio is very disheartening.

 

[SportsRadioDoc]

I really don't like getting down on other stations, but this topic has me compelled to comment.

"News Radio" 610-WVTN is a huge misnomer. As far as local news goes, most small market stations blow them out of the water. I'm beginning to think they don't have a news director.

To put it bluntly, their local news coverage sucks.

There's very little in the way of interesting local stories being generated and reported on at WTVN. Unfortunately, we're watching local radio news die at the big market level. Stations continue to cut back their local news coverage more and more, until eventually we're left to listen to garbage like Fox Radio News where a hint of information is all you get.

I know there are mixed emotions out there about ABC Radio Networks, but ABC Radio News offers better broadcast news writing, news coverage and delivery.

Just my $.02

Case in point:

http://www.akronnewsnow.com

The combined operation of locally owned WAKR (adult standards), WONE (rock), and WQMX (country) has consistently won for Best News Operation in Ohio (medium market) by the Associated Press.

I'm sure they're great in Akron, and I love seeing this sort of thing, but let's face it - winning the Best News Operation category in an era where broadcast news is lacking in so many areas probably isn't that darned difficult.

Modern-day news directors foster the "rip 'n read" mentality. Few of them know what it is to generate a news story from scratch and to do it right. What is happening to commercial radio is very disheartening.

I'm not defending WTVN's news department or their ND, but the comment about modern-day ND's with rip ' read mentalities? I' think that is too broad a stroke. I think the training and coaching is sub par, so the comfort for the anchor to rip and read is an easy way out. From then on you are right on the $$$. Story generation sucks and so on. My .02 cents

 

[Shelloutfalter]

I'll give you that - coaching a lot of times is to blame for the lazy mentalities in radio news.

I cut my teeth in the world of newspaper, so I know what it takes to put together a good, complex story. BUT I learned how to cut things down when I entered the world of radio.

I also pride myself on, and teach my people to use actualities in a tasteful fashion. Nothing turns me off more than a writer who uses an actuality that repeats what he or she just said, or the people that write one opening sentence and then run a long-winded (20 second or more) actuality that could have been cut down, explained further and had more impact.

 

[nmoore6676]

To Shelloutfalter, love that handle: I'll give you that - coaching a lot of times is to blame for the lazy mentalities in radio news.

When I was in radio and in Columbus the best news operation was WOSU-AM because they got a grant from the CPB and bought what was at the time state of the art equipment that was beyond the budget of the all the others. I just think that radio can provide more up to the minute news coverage because it takes so much less to get it on the air. And while newspapers can do better in depth coverage the need to get it edited and printed make it hard to be immediate in any sense. The days of the newsboys crying EXTRY EXTRY are long past.

TV still need a crew and cameras. Here in LA, where I moved, we have two all news stations both owned by CBS and some news-talk stations. KFI has far and away the best local coverage for the news talk stations, beating even the all news guys at times. The rest are mediocre with KABC being second best for news talk because of the ABC national news. While I don't know about all news and how it would fly in Columbus, I think the State Capital rates A-one news and on radio especially. WTVN aand KFI are both Clear Channel, maybe they should send somebody out to check it out here in LA LA Land.

TV is hampered by the MTV mentality and getting it all in 20 seconds or less. Also they go for the sensational stories, especially during sweeps. Radio is time hampered but can go after the important stuff which you can follow up in the newspaper if you are lucky to have a good one. That would be a natural tie for the "Dispatch" and WBNS. We here have a tie between "The LA Times" and KTLA-5 but no direct radio press hook up.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

I really don't like getting down on other stations, but this topic has me compelled to comment.

"News Radio" 610-WVTN is a huge misnomer. As far as local news goes, most small market stations blow them out of the water. I'm beginning to think they don't have a news director.

To put it bluntly, their local news coverage sucks.

There's very little in the way of interesting local stories being generated and reported on at WTVN. Unfortunately, we're watching local radio news die at the big market level. Stations continue to cut back their local news coverage more and more, until eventually we're left to listen to garbage like Fox Radio News where a hint of information is all you get.

I know there are mixed emotions out there about ABC Radio Networks, but ABC Radio News offers better broadcast news writing, news coverage and delivery.

Just my $.02

Case in point:

http://www.akronnewsnow.com

The combined operation of locally owned WAKR (adult standards), WONE (rock), and WQMX (country) has consistently won for Best News Operation in Ohio (medium market) by the Associated Press.

I'm sure they're great in Akron, and I love seeing this sort of thing, but let's face it - winning the Best News Operation category in an era where broadcast news is lacking in so many areas probably isn't that darned difficult.

Modern-day news directors foster the "rip 'n read" mentality. Few of them know what it is to generate a news story from scratch and to do it right. What is happening to commercial radio is very disheartening.

I would agree with you to a point. In the case of the Akron stations, however, they do gather local news the way it should be done. Their morning anchor and former news director, Larry States, has been with WAKR since 1982. The operation lost a true professional in August when Pat Kennard, who's been with WAKR since 1980, took a position at ODOT.

That's the type of news operation I wanted to work for and is now a rarity--at least in Ohio.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

Here's what may be next...if 840 WHAS is the model this is being patterned after. Next will come a state network newcast after Fox News. Then an automated voice will give the time. Next, about 2 minutes of local news. The next step will be the news room & traffic reporting department will be unmanned after noon on Saturday & all day Sunday. And the weather will be a canned forecast from a local TV station. Louisville has no local news on radio on the weekend...I hope for your sake that Columbus isn't next. If they'll do this with 50KW on 840, you bet they'd do it with 5KW at 610...and the decline will roll on. XM is sounding better all the time.

That will never happen on WTVN because there is the Ohio News Network based at either WBNS TV or Radio (back when it started it was radio). WTVN is no part of that whatsoever, unlike WHAS where the Kentucky News Network is based at (Indiana News Network is based at WIBC/Indianapolis which is moving over to FM).

What CC will do is either put WLW or WTAM canned newscast on TVN if they can all local newscasts on tvn after 12pm on saturday and all day sunday.

 

[ryan rafferdy]

I miss the old days when I was ND at WLOH in Lancaster! With the exception of an intern, I was a one man show. Anchored top and bottom news 6a-6p, did city council meetings, breaking news, etc....It was a thrill to scoop the "big dogs" with the 12 man news staff. We ran 2 minutes of network at the top...3-5 minutes of local news after that.....headlines at :15 and :45...ONN at the bottom for 2 minutes...then another 3-5 minutes of local news. We also had a live, local morning show....

My old NewsRadio station down here in Sarasota did what TVN and WFLA are doing now with the Fox News at the top for 2 minutes...then we did local news from :03-:06...then went back to network.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Shelloutfalter]

If Akron is doing it the right way, kudos to them. That's fantastic! I love hearing about local radio stations keeping the art of local radio news alive. The mega-broadcaster is destroying the art of local radio news and eliminating the possibility of new careers in a very interesting and intriguing field.

I manage two small market stations an hour north of Columbus, but still maintain my presence in the news department. We carry two and a half minutes of local news on our FM at 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 a.m. and then five minutes at noon and five.

On our AM we have two and a half minutes at the top and bottom of the hour from 6 to 9 a.m. Five minutes at noon, two and a half minutes at 1, 2, 3 and 6 p.m. and five minutes at 5 p.m.

I also try, whenever possible, to follow state issues closely and contribute news to ONN.