KVEO (Brownsville) newscasts now based in El Paso?

[silverthree]

It appears ComCorp has replaced KVEO's live local newscast with a newscast that's recorded all the way in El Paso. The anchors and weather lady have been replaced but some of the reporters are still in south Texas. It looks like they dropped sports altogether. This is just weird. And I could've sworn the new lady said "Newscenter 22" at one point. (It's 23 not 22). The following article has ended up being true:

http://elpasotimes.typepad.com/mediabuzz/2010/01/ayoub-and-bettes-now-in-brownsville-sorta.html

 

[fredcantu]

The Fox affil in Waco is doing the same thing with it's news being produced in Tyler.

But I worry about weather once the tropics start heating up. How will they keep up with closures, advisories, etc from El Paso? And what if the situation merits continuous coverage?

 

[azumanga]

It appears ComCorp has replaced KVEO's live local newscast with a newscast that's recorded all the way in El Paso. It looks like they dropped sports altogether.

No doubt matching the news format of producers KDBC, which has no sports on their own newscasts, either.

 

[mmnassour]

My understanding is that they have four reporters left in Brownsville, doing their stories early in the day then sending them to ELP where they record the newscast and then send it back to KVEO.

Of course, nothing ever happens after noon in the Rio Grande Valley :, so this should work quite well! : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

 

[Mediafrog+]

But I worry about weather once the tropics start heating up. How will they keep up with closures, advisories, etc from El Paso? And what if the situation merits continuous coverage?

And aren't parts of El Paso closer to the Pacific Ocean than to the Gulf?

 

[TexasTom]

It appears ComCorp has replaced KVEO's live local newscast with a newscast that's recorded all the way in El Paso. The anchors and weather lady have been replaced but some of the reporters are still in south Texas. It looks like they dropped sports altogether. This is just weird. And I could've sworn the new lady said "Newscenter 22" at one point. (It's 23 not 22).

Not much of a surprise, I wouldn't think -- I don't suspect that KVEO has ever been much of a player in the Lower Rio Grande Valley market, and for many years it didn't even run a newscast. So how many viewers will even notice the change?

 

[radiodog2]

But I worry about weather once the tropics start heating up. How will they keep up with closures, advisories, etc from El Paso? And what if the situation merits continuous coverage?

And aren't parts of El Paso closer to the Pacific Ocean than to the Gulf?

Not to mention El Paso is in a different time zone!

 

[fredcantu]

With the time difference they could do a 5pm and 10pm LIVE without colliding with the El Paso newscasts.

 

[mmnassour]

Yes they could....but have chosen not to. I guess that shows how important the Brownsville station is to the folks making the calls on this thing.

 

[mmnassour]

But I worry about weather once the tropics start heating up. How will they keep up with closures, advisories, etc from El Paso? And what if the situation merits continuous coverage?

And aren't parts of El Paso closer to the Pacific Ocean than to the Gulf?

Actually, El Paso is closer to the Pacific than it is to Texarkana, IIRC.

 

[formeraa]

If it makes any difference, El Paso is halfway between San Antonio and Phoenix!

At least, the company is still doing a newscast and leaving four reporters in Brownsville to file reports. A lot of smaller markets don't even have that!

 

[mmnassour]

But that's the point...this is NOT a small market. OK, so it's not LA ;D. The Brownsville/McAllen market is number 87. And if KVEO was some oddball independent, that would excuse it as well. But this is an NBC affiliate, in a market that's well into the top 100. Granted, it has stiff competition from both sides of the river. But if an NBC affiliate can't make a go of a local newscast under those circumstances, then we're looking at calling into question the entire business plan of affiliates in small markets.

Then again, KVEO has a....colorful...history. It went on the air back in 1981, IIRC. less than two years later, it was effectively bankrupt. My CE at the time told me that there had been a consultant brought in to assess the situation there. He said they found problems all the way from the network link to the tower and that this line was in the report:

The general manager should find another line of work.

So given the history, if any station in Texas is going to have issues, it would be a place like that.

And I'm glad the reporters at least survived the cut. I seem to remember some rumor to the effect from a couple of years back before the latest try at local news there that NBC threatened to pull the affiliation unless there was a local newscast. I guess this is the cheapest way to do one. Hopefully, those El Paso anchors got a raise for doing the extra work (riiiiiiight), and they've learned difference between Boca Chica beach and Boca Chica Blvd...as well as the right way to pronounce WESlaco.

 

[fredcantu]

Hopefully, those El Paso anchors... learned... the right way to pronounce WESlaco.

When I worked in the Valley I recall getting a dub from an out-of-area ad agency.
The tags included wes-LAKE-co for Weslaco and Harlen-gin (HARD G) for Harlingen and car-DAY-nus for Cardenas.