CNN Radio scaled down several years ago. At that time the Headline News audio feed ended, all sports and business reports ended, and the top of hour cast went to 2 minutes (of news). But they still required affiliates to run 2 minutes per hour of barter 24/7. WSDE switched to ABC Info shortly after that move.
This "debut" appears to be a cost cutting move "dressed up". Westwood/DG has had a 1 min NBC Radio News product for the past several years. And no, it has nothing to do with the NBC product from the 70s and 80s. That product was completely terminated and affiliates were rolled into CNN, which was non-market exclusive by the way. For several years there was no NBC news product at all except Dirk Van's first light 5am show which remained branded as "NBC Radio" until recently. NBC News Radio had been only like 6a to 8p, and just a one minute feed. (You can see exactly what it was at the link in one of the above posts, as Dial Global has not yet updated the NBC information on their site to include the new format.) All they have done is added one minute to this existing network, and terminated the contract with CNN. Everything else is the same. It's the same format at CNN, same barter requirements, and even on the same satellite channel. They made it so stations that didn't bother to mess with it, now get the "new" NBC feed without making any changes. But it still remains a 2 min cast with 2 min per hour of barter! Hardly worth it when you consider all that CBS offers for the same amount of barter.
By the way, why did DG ever keep that name when they merged with Westwood One. When people hear the name, they think it has something to do with a telephone and international calling.
This "debut" appears to be a cost cutting move "dressed up". Westwood/DG has had a 1 min NBC Radio News product for the past several years. And no, it has nothing to do with the NBC product from the 70s and 80s. That product was completely terminated and affiliates were rolled into CNN, which was non-market exclusive by the way. For several years there was no NBC news product at all except Dirk Van's first light 5am show which remained branded as "NBC Radio" until recently. NBC News Radio had been only like 6a to 8p, and just a one minute feed. (You can see exactly what it was at the link in one of the above posts, as Dial Global has not yet updated the NBC information on their site to include the new format.) All they have done is added one minute to this existing network, and terminated the contract with CNN. Everything else is the same. It's the same format at CNN, same barter requirements, and even on the same satellite channel. They made it so stations that didn't bother to mess with it, now get the "new" NBC feed without making any changes. But it still remains a 2 min cast with 2 min per hour of barter! Hardly worth it when you consider all that CBS offers for the same amount of barter.
By the way, why did DG ever keep that name when they merged with Westwood One. When people hear the name, they think it has something to do with a telephone and international calling.