I know this isn't a radio radio post, BUT---I've noticed a big slide in the quality of the WCNC news programs in the last year or so. I used to think they were the best, though I know the ratings were never all that great. Never as sensationalistic as 3 and 9 (esp. 9), 36 really worked hard to produce a good program. Now their talent is gradually leaving (or being fired, like Terri Bennett) and not replaced. Their new set looks horrible---no HDTV in CNC's future, it would appear. Or am I wrong? Is 36 still competitve?
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is WCNC news going down the tubes?
- Thread starter fortmill
- Start date
Terri Bennett & another legendary host (forget their name) gone within the past few months?
WCNC "Carolinas' News Connection" in "Charlotte North Carolina" must be having human "connection" issues w/their employees.
WCNC "Carolinas' News Connection" in "Charlotte North Carolina" must be having human "connection" issues w/their employees.
When they take the second string sports guy and make him their main anchor, you got to know something's up. Losing Chuck Howard didn't help either.
I've become a regular viewer of WBTV over the past few months. But, I'm up to here with their "breaking news" approach. A couple of years ago, it's musical chairs on the set with 3 or 4 anchors and off-stage announcer (Charlie VanDyke) with teasers throughout the newscast. That was maddening, but this "breaking news" stuff is about to drive me away. Every little fire or traffic accident is not "breaking news" in by book. (I'm sure some TV consultant is behind this!)
Couple that with nothing but back to back car dealer commercials from six to six thirty...well, you get the idea. It's almost unwatchable!
I've become a regular viewer of WBTV over the past few months. But, I'm up to here with their "breaking news" approach. A couple of years ago, it's musical chairs on the set with 3 or 4 anchors and off-stage announcer (Charlie VanDyke) with teasers throughout the newscast. That was maddening, but this "breaking news" stuff is about to drive me away. Every little fire or traffic accident is not "breaking news" in by book. (I'm sure some TV consultant is behind this!)
Couple that with nothing but back to back car dealer commercials from six to six thirty...well, you get the idea. It's almost unwatchable!
WBTV
I like the fact that WBTV has a 7pm newscast. I don't always get home in time for the 6pm.
About a year ago I went to see a friend of mine at WBTV and he took me around. Everyone there couldn't have been nicer. Eric Thomas and I had a great chat about computers. For that and other reasons I'm partial to WBTV. If only they had a better off the air signal.
I like the fact that WBTV has a 7pm newscast. I don't always get home in time for the 6pm.
About a year ago I went to see a friend of mine at WBTV and he took me around. Everyone there couldn't have been nicer. Eric Thomas and I had a great chat about computers. For that and other reasons I'm partial to WBTV. If only they had a better off the air signal.
Call Me Sherlock said:
DITTOS!! And, isn't "breaking news" something that should be happening OUTSIDE the regularly scheduled newscast? It seems that WBTV always leads (at least everytime I'm tuned in), with "breaking news". Let's give "breaking news" a break; or let's literally BREAK it, so it cannot be used anymore. The ONE thing I am glad that WBTV has dropped over the past month or so is that annoying 1 second "duh-dul-unt" sounder followed by the lower volume intro, opening every newscast.
Breaking news is something that just happened, whether it is inside a newscast or not. What we used to call a news bulletin.
I agree that the "Breaking News" theme should be abandoned, using it in this fashion dilutes its' importance by turning it into an every day event.
I still watch WBTV news daily, as it is a habit acquired in the 4th grade when I moved to NC. I have been giving thought to changing lately though partly because of this, because they are not in HD yet and apparently have no plans to start anytime soon, and also because of the declining professionalism on the air and behind the scenes.
I posted here several weeks ago about them interrupting network programming with local commercials twice in an hour. I wrote them an email about that, but still have no response. of course they have no email addresses on their website except for the generic one I wrote to.
I agree that the "Breaking News" theme should be abandoned, using it in this fashion dilutes its' importance by turning it into an every day event.
I still watch WBTV news daily, as it is a habit acquired in the 4th grade when I moved to NC. I have been giving thought to changing lately though partly because of this, because they are not in HD yet and apparently have no plans to start anytime soon, and also because of the declining professionalism on the air and behind the scenes.
I posted here several weeks ago about them interrupting network programming with local commercials twice in an hour. I wrote them an email about that, but still have no response. of course they have no email addresses on their website except for the generic one I wrote to.
fortmill said:
I am very surprised at this development about HDTV with WCNC, as they were one of the pioneers in HDTV testing when it first started. I would have thought they would also be one of the first to utilize it. That may be the difference in ownership though, since they were still owned by the Providence Journal when they were a testing pioneer, and now are owned by Belo.
WBTV has all these annoying sound effects and graphics. Forget it.wncc said:
I do like Eric Thomas, but he won't make me happy if he doesn't tell me the low and the high for the day. Terri Bennett did that, usually.
WSOC-TV lost me ten years ago because of all the crime news and increasingly annoying sound effects. I like Steve Udelson's personality but he won't tell me the low and the high. How can you have a weather report that doesn't include the low and the high?
Re: WBTV
I've just given up TV news. I get most of the national/world news I need from radio. "ABC News, IIIIII'm Doug Limerick!" (Is this the same guy who used to be on WBTV many years ago?) "Good morning, Americans ... Paul Harvey, good day!"
Hey, I just made this about radio! I can add one more thing.
I can't listen to my Dial Global station at 5 (see the standards board; there's a whole thread about it) because of a simulcast of WSOC-TV. At least they go back to music before 5:30 now.
I have no use for anything except 6:00 and all these extra ones are redundant. Actually, I'm either not at home or busy at 6 these days. And when I say busy, I mean I have no intention of having an annoying newscast on in the background just so I can know when the weather starts. Even WCNC got on my nerves with too much noise for "Live" (a meaningless concept) or breaking news.Mike Sheridan said:
I've just given up TV news. I get most of the national/world news I need from radio. "ABC News, IIIIII'm Doug Limerick!" (Is this the same guy who used to be on WBTV many years ago?) "Good morning, Americans ... Paul Harvey, good day!"
Hey, I just made this about radio! I can add one more thing.
I can't listen to my Dial Global station at 5 (see the standards board; there's a whole thread about it) because of a simulcast of WSOC-TV. At least they go back to music before 5:30 now.
Agreed WBTV is by far the best, despite the problems mentioned above. WSOC is hopeless---I just can't deal with all the affectations of their anchors, man they're so full of themselves. And that's not even taking into account their TOTAL emphasis on crime and gore. Another pet peave, the continual teasers/riddles at the end of each news segment--they spend more time with teasers than actual news content. Now, what about the real joke in Charlotte TV news, WCCB.
Re: WBTV
Yes it is the same guy, He is originally from Shelby, and Doug Limerick is only an air name. I used to know his real name but have forgotten it over the years (CRS ??? ). His father used to be the head of the Chamber of Commerce there. ( don't know if he was the elected president, or the employed director. )
I met Doug in 1970 when he was taking a hiatus from Radio and selling Yellow Pages ads. He stopped by WLNC for a visit and a sales call. We talked him into doing a news cast for us. Now my voice is fairly low, but next to his mine on the station ID sounded like a mouse squeaking!
Anyway, Right after that newscast, the station owner, George Phillips called and wanted to know who that was, and offered him a job on the spot. Doug politely declined but he stayed around town a few days and visited a couple more times. I think he had the hots for the secretary. Not too long after that, he showed up at WBT and WBTV.
Since he subs for Paul Harvey, he may wind up being Paul's replacement when the dreaded day of his retirement rolls around.
vchimpanzee said:
Yes it is the same guy, He is originally from Shelby, and Doug Limerick is only an air name. I used to know his real name but have forgotten it over the years (CRS ??? ). His father used to be the head of the Chamber of Commerce there. ( don't know if he was the elected president, or the employed director. )
I met Doug in 1970 when he was taking a hiatus from Radio and selling Yellow Pages ads. He stopped by WLNC for a visit and a sales call. We talked him into doing a news cast for us. Now my voice is fairly low, but next to his mine on the station ID sounded like a mouse squeaking!
Anyway, Right after that newscast, the station owner, George Phillips called and wanted to know who that was, and offered him a job on the spot. Doug politely declined but he stayed around town a few days and visited a couple more times. I think he had the hots for the secretary. Not too long after that, he showed up at WBT and WBTV.
Since he subs for Paul Harvey, he may wind up being Paul's replacement when the dreaded day of his retirement rolls around.
Perfect timing for this discussion! On YouTube now is a clip of WBTV from 1991, back when it was doing news updates around the clock, beyond the normal 6 and 11 pm newscasts. Seeing Bob Inman and Sara James reminded me how good it was and how awful it's gotten at WBTV. I can't stomach any of the newscasts anymore. I only check the first few minutes of the newscasts to see what everyone's leading with. Then I wait for an hour and head over to "The Newshour with Jim Lehrer" to see the grown-ups do the news.
Sara James told me Richard Nixon died. That means she was with NBC in 1994.generation_behind said:
I STILL haven't seen the ending of that Perry Mason movie.
To follow up, Mark Washburn had an article in today's Charlotte Observer (12/01/07)----WCNC's news audience has plunged in the latest ratings. Some newscasts are down as much as 20%. The news director attributes the loss to lower NBC ratings, but we know the real reasons. WCNC responded to the challenge by firing another long-time anchor--the guy who does the midday and 5:00PM newscasts. BTW, the excellent WCCB 10 o'clock is way up---just shows that quality always wins!
I liked Larry Sprinkle. He and Chuck Howard were why I started watching them in the first place.
If I can learn to watch WCCB for weather at 10 (all I need is to tape their weather on one of my VCRs, which means they have to time it just exactly) I have no use for the station any more. I get my weather FORECAST from radio, but finding out what actually happened (something Brad Panovich, capable only of giving people vertigo with technology that adds nothing to the information he could supposedly give us, doesn't understand) requires TV.
Speaking of which, when was the last time anyone heard a weather forecast on a major FM station? I get my weather from three small stations, primarily a local AM that has the Fox 8 guy doing the forecasts numerous times each hour.
One hazard of that approach: on a small FM several years ago they did the same forecast over and over even though it had drastically changed. The guy used to be on WXII and on one of the Charlotte stations but still does an hourly forecast on the one local station, even though he's not in the area any more.
If I can learn to watch WCCB for weather at 10 (all I need is to tape their weather on one of my VCRs, which means they have to time it just exactly) I have no use for the station any more. I get my weather FORECAST from radio, but finding out what actually happened (something Brad Panovich, capable only of giving people vertigo with technology that adds nothing to the information he could supposedly give us, doesn't understand) requires TV.
Speaking of which, when was the last time anyone heard a weather forecast on a major FM station? I get my weather from three small stations, primarily a local AM that has the Fox 8 guy doing the forecasts numerous times each hour.
One hazard of that approach: on a small FM several years ago they did the same forecast over and over even though it had drastically changed. The guy used to be on WXII and on one of the Charlotte stations but still does an hourly forecast on the one local station, even though he's not in the area any more.
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