Has WBZ news staff been affected by cutbacks?

[jk111]

Listening to Dan Rea in the last hour I noticed CBS news airing at 11 followed by afternoon anchor Diane Stern with an obviously recorded local update,I always thought 11 was last local live news followed by CBS toh news 12-4a with recorded update from night anchor which apparently was not staffed tonite.

 

[jlehmann]

I noticed this at 10 as well... This is getting bad.

 

[raccoonradio]

Who do they think they are, WRKO? What's next, Metro Shadow News Update on WBZ...

 

[Garrett]

Of course, this is just a guess, but I have a feeling it is no longer vital nor profitable to have live news updates in the middle of the night. I remember in the 1980s when there was the great Larry Glick, it was a very different time. Much of Boston wasn't wired for Cable, and there wasn't much on TV in those hours (if there were any stations on, I remember only WBZ TV being on all night long). But now, with 200 + channels, I bet people are just not up listening to 'ole WBZ, which probably means they aren't selling ads at that hour, or for a good rate, which probably doesn't make it logistical to keep a paid staff working all night.

Consider this: Out here in West Texas, recording news breaks during the day have been routine for YEARS. In the overnight, they don't even bother, and just take feed from the networks atop the hour. And why not? If you know that you can get live updates from CBS, ABC and Fox, who needs local updates, unless there's an emergency?

I know I sound like an apologist, but I have to think that with all the money that the broadcasting companies are losing, they can't afford (or be expected) to bankroll the handful of us radio enthusasiasts awake at 2am.

I wish this what the old days, but it's not, times have changed

 

[12 In a Row]

Of course, this is just a guess, but I have a feeling it is no longer vital nor profitable to have live news updates in the middle of the night. I remember in the 1980s when there was the great Larry Glick, it was a very different time. Much of Boston wasn't wired for Cable, and there wasn't much on TV in those hours (if there were any stations on, I remember only WBZ TV being on all night long). But now, with 200 + channels, I bet people are just not up listening to 'ole WBZ, which probably means they aren't selling ads at that hour, or for a good rate, which probably doesn't make it logistical to keep a paid staff working all night.

Consider this: Out here in West Texas, recording news breaks during the day have been routine for YEARS. In the overnight, they don't even bother, and just take feed from the networks atop the hour. And why not? If you know that you can get live updates from CBS, ABC and Fox, who needs local updates, unless there's an emergency?

I know I sound like an apologist, but I have to think that with all the money that the broadcasting companies are losing, they can't afford (or be expected) to bankroll the handful of us radio enthusasiasts awake at 2am.

I wish this what the old days, but it's not, times have changed

It's tragic when someone loses their job and you are correct.
500 TV channels, the internet, and many more radio stations has changed everything.

For decades, evenings and overnight radio has been the least desirable times for the folks writing the checks.
90%+ of advertisers won't pay for overnights.

A tip of the hat to BZ for keeping it going, long after other stations gave up the overnight ghost.

 

[caprinegirl]

I don't know what has been affected and what hasn't, but I do think you are all right. We have many more outlets for the news, but we are getting so much less new...we are getting scripts that are suppose to be the news. I"ve listen so I noticed, now I don't listen. It would seem that radio has gone the way of print news and TV nightly news. Newspapers are on their way out! It is so sad, so much technology that is wasted on crap.

I see or should I say heard Dan and Jordan performed their carefully scripted roles last evening. Dan didn't vere from his careflly chosen topic and Jordan clearly stated any changes in programming were not his doing,there would be no discussion, and the new guy was just so terriffic! Then he spent the rest of his 5 hours on his crafted infomercials! I am so sick of scripted news where the lives of actors and actresses pass as news, infomercias and bizzare trivia games passing for intelligent talk radio. Boston has lost its voice. Boston has been silenced . The sounds of silence...Paul and Art got it right

 

[ChrisNH]

-

All you need to do is listen to the class of advertising that WBZ is taking. A couple years ago--the last time I ever really listened to WBZ routinely--Gil Santos would do a ONE-MINUTE SPOT ON PURINA CAT CHOW. I kid you not! It was the most embarrassing thing I've ever heard, but it points out the depths to which radio advertising has fallen. I'll bet they'd promote upcoming garage sales for the price of a Happy Meal. The spots they run are oftentimes 'low-rent' ones...even during peak periods. The thing of it is (and radio stations know this), they can't just 'ride this out' and wait for the 'magic day' when they can raise their rates to where they were 'before.' This is their new reality, and the low price for a radio spot invites all comers because the medium becomes much more affordable for the 'low-rent' advertisers.

 

[Blackroc]

A tip of the hat to BZ for keeping it going,

Well it's easy to "keep it going" when you've got the best signal on the East Coast.

I forget which female was doing the PM sports for Tom but they called the US v.Canada WJC hockey game "college hockey." I didn't hear much of Dan Rea the last few days. I hope he's cemented in, and not vulnerable.

 

[spt87]

If WBZ has decided it doesn't want to provide the programming New England needs, I highly recommend picking up an XM Radio subscription. Channel 210 gives you traffic and weather for Boston continously 24 hours a day. They also blow the FM band away with music selection (and these aren't just automated jukebox channels either, many of them have pretty good DJ's, the 60's on 6 is a good example - awesome morning show).

Tons of news and talk as well. About he last thing keeping my interest in the AM band was WBZ, that is over with.

 

[spt87]

"I know I sound like an apologist, but I have to think that with all the money that the broadcasting companies are losing, they can't afford (or be expected) to bankroll the handful of us radio enthusasiasts awake at 2am."

I think this is not a valid statement in Boston. There didn't seem to be much trouble getting listeners or callers. Probably because of the long tradition of this time slot on WBZ and the continuity of local programming so people knew the show was there. Tons of people in Boston are up late either working, night owls/insomniacs or getting up early (at 3:30 or 4am) to beat traffic and get to work early. These are all former Steve Leveille listeners.

If you ever listened to the entire show (I have especially when I had premature new born twins to tend to all night) you would notice that the only lull in callers appeared to occur in the 3am to 4am hour. I figured this was because many of the night owls had gone to bed. At 4am you could tell a new type of listener had come on board - the get up for work early crowd. The calls picked back up from 4-5am and people had a more lively tone.

I seriously doubt WBZ is losing money. They are probably making some pretty good margins. If CBS is having problems, then nuking WBZ with cost cuts may help in the short run, but in the long run they station will fail leaving them with nothing.

Now here is a thought, if money is that tight, instead of killing the programming (which brings in the revenue), why not kill the IBOC and save paying the rights fees?

 

[Peter The Great]

The problem isn't if WBZ is losing money but if CBS radio is losing money.