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Observation on KPRC-TV vs. its sister stations

T

texasboy

Hey everyone, this is my first post after lurking around for months. I'm a third year university student interested in eventually going into TV news, so what I've read so far in these forums regarding the inner workings of news stations, ratings, etc., has been quite helpful and interesting. So on to an observation I've had...

KPRC-TV here in Houston has basically been in third place (sometimes fourth) for many years now. From what I've seen over the past three years, their newscasts tend to be more on the tabloidy side compared to it's competitors. Looking at Post-Newsweek's 2009 Annual Report, all of it's stations (minus KPRC) are performing well ratings-wise in their respective markets.

Moreover, I've watched some YouTube clips of these stations' newscasts (and actually watched a WPLG-TV newscast when I was in Miami a few weeks ago) and the quality of the newscasts seems superior to what KPRC delivers. I realize NBC is down in the ratings, but KPRC could certainly improve their newscasts (i.e., less "If it bleeds, it leads" type stories, more local, state and national news). And let's not get started with the constant "Go to Click2Houston.com" utterances every few minutes, and the cheesy (sometimes in poor taste if it's a murder story) props reporters sometimes use in live shots. I think Channel 2 has some very good on-air talent who deserve better.

So why are KPRC's newscasts not up to par with those of its sister stations? Why the constant fluff pieces? I realize what one perceives as "quality" is all relative, but generally speaking its sister stations appear to pump out a decent product. Sorry if I'm ignorant about something. Now off my rant. Go easy on me :)
 
It has been known for years that NBC is far less tolerant of NBC preemptions and poor ratings in their affiliates. And Houston is in a Top 10 Market. NBC's Other 9 stations in the top 10 markets do well, and most of them are owned by the network....

1 New York - WNBC, NBC O&O
2 Los Angeles - KNBC, NBC O&O
3 Chicago - WMAQ, NBC O&O
4 Philadelphia - WCAU, NBC O&O
5 Dallas - KXAS, NBC O&O/LIN TV Joint Venture
6 San Francisco - KNTV, NBC O&O
7 Boston - WHDH, Sunbeam
8 Washington, DC - WRC, NBC O&O
9 Atlanta - WXIA, Gannett Inc.
10 Houston - KPRC, Post Newsweek

Personally I think NBC should make an offer to Post Newsweek to purchase KPRC-TV. Then it would become NBC 2.
 
While it may have been true several years ago, the bulk of the NBC O&Os are not ratings superstars anymore. Look at the huge drops at WNBC and KNBC especially. KNTV was never strong to begin with ... it was a move-in signal after they failed to get KRON. WXIA (Gannett) is in far worse shape than KPRC, too.

I'm no KPRC cheerleader, but there are many, many companies out there that are far worse than Post-Newsweek. Post-Newsweek's problems in Houston are likely linked to keeping the GM and ND they brought in after buying the station around for far too long. They were both there about a decade ... and there were no significant long-term ratings gains. Instead they just played musical anchors every few months. The morning and late newscasts are somewhat competitive now, under a new leadership team. The 11 a.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. shows ... not so much.

Post-Newsweek's bigger immediate problem is WKMG in Orlando, where they are just barely above hashmarks. The 6 p.m. news tied with the local 24-hour cable news channel in the most recent ratings period. That's bad. Really, really bad. Combine that with the awful Florida economy and you'll see why that station has had a couple rounds of layoffs.
 
wild949austin said:
Personally I think NBC should make an offer to Post Newsweek to purchase KPRC-TV. Then it would become NBC 2.
Click to expand...

Not going to happen. Comcast, which is in the process of buying NBC Universal, is the major cable system operator in Houston. Current rules prohibit cable/broadcast crossownership, and the broadcast competitors in the market--Disney, Fox, Univision, Belo, and Tribune, to name the biggies--will probably make sure it stays that way.

NBC already owns Houston's Telemundo station, KTMD, which will have to be spun off, unless a waiver is granted (Univision would raise a fuss over that.)
 
Mediafrog+ said:
wild949austin said:
Personally I think NBC should make an offer to Post Newsweek to purchase KPRC-TV. Then it would become NBC 2.
Click to expand...

Not going to happen. Comcast, which is in the process of buying NBC Universal, is the major cable system operator in Houston. Current rules prohibit cable/broadcast crossownership, and the broadcast competitors in the market--Disney, Fox, Univision, Belo, and Tribune, to name the biggies--will probably make sure it stays that way.

NBC already owns Houston's Telemundo station, KTMD, which will have to be spun off, unless a waiver is granted (Univision would raise a fuss over that.)
Click to expand...

Well I wonder what's going to happen to the NBC affiliates in Chicago, DC, Miami and Philly then, since Comcast is the cable operator in those markets as well.
 
mr.ric said:
Well I wonder what's going to happen to the NBC affiliates in Chicago, DC, Miami and Philly then, since Comcast is the cable operator in those markets as well.
Click to expand...

They (or the local cable franchise) would have to be spun off as well. The rules say you cannot have a broadcast station and own the cable company in the same market. A bit of history. KTBC-- now Fox 7-- in Austin used to own Capital Cable, and sold the cable system when the rules were adopted.
 
The forced use of props by the KPRC reporters often borders on the ridiculous and makes their news hard to watch. And that "Wheel of Justice" certainly is hokey -- and it must be fixed, since they run commericals teasing about which criminal will be on the "wheel of justice" on the upcoming news.
 
mr.ric said:
Well I wonder what's going to happen to the NBC affiliates in Chicago, DC, Miami and Philly then, since Comcast is the cable operator in those markets as well.
Click to expand...

The FCC will probably give them a waiver for awhile, then it'll get extended through the years to the point where no one cares anymore :)
 
The questions the anchors ask the reporters -- which are clearly scripted -- drive me up the wall. Let's see the reporters squirm when they let the anchors ask whatever pops into their heads.
 
wild949austin said:
Personally I think NBC should make an offer to Post Newsweek to purchase KPRC-TV. Then it would become NBC 2.
Click to expand...

I've been ranting and raving about that for the last 5 years but the Comcast deal may lead to a massive sell off of O&Os to the point that NBC will be once again a trailblazer. First they disband their radio network, liquidate their radio stations and now their TVs and possibly disband the network. Comcast sees the programming library as the asset to be gained, not the distribution model. In their eyes, the distribution model is antiquated and geared towards free OTA distribution dating the infancy of commercial radio when the majority are already hooked up to a wire somehow.
 
KTN Corp said:
wild949austin said:
Personally I think NBC should make an offer to Post Newsweek to purchase KPRC-TV. Then it would become NBC 2.
Click to expand...

I've been ranting and raving about that for the last 5 years but the Comcast deal may lead to a massive sell off of O&Os to the point that NBC will be once again a trailblazer. First they disband their radio network, liquidate their radio stations and now their TVs and possibly disband the network. Comcast sees the programming library as the asset to be gained, not the distribution model. In their eyes, the distribution model is antiquated and geared towards free OTA distribution dating the infancy of commercial radio when the majority are already hooked up to a wire somehow.
Click to expand...

Disbanding the NBC TV network would lead to mass chaos in television. Imagine WDIV getting courted by CBS or Gannett flipping NBCs en masse to another network! Think of the horror it would cause for KIEM! There IS room in American television for four networks but not much more...removing a Big Four network (especially a Big Three network) from American television would be complete and utter craziness because all the newly available stations would be courted by networks in markets with weak affiliates of one network or another (the WGCLs, KNXVs, etc. of this world). Can you imagine WXIA being forced from NBC to CBS or KPNX becoming an ABC affiliate? All the brand equity lost and washed away!
 
wild949austin said:
It has been known for years that NBC is far less tolerant of NBC preemptions and poor ratings in their affiliates. And Houston is in a Top 10 Market. NBC's Other 9 stations in the top 10 markets do well, and most of them are owned by the network....

1 New York - WNBC, NBC O&O
2 Los Angeles - KNBC, NBC O&O
3 Chicago - WMAQ, NBC O&O
4 Philadelphia - WCAU, NBC O&O
5 Dallas - KXAS, NBC O&O/LIN TV Joint Venture
6 San Francisco - KNTV, NBC O&O
7 Boston - WHDH, Sunbeam
8 Washington, DC - WRC, NBC O&O
9 Atlanta - WXIA, Gannett Inc.
10 Houston - KPRC, Post Newsweek

Personally I think NBC should make an offer to Post Newsweek to purchase KPRC-TV. Then it would become NBC 2.
Click to expand...

I've been saying this for a while now that NBC should make an offer to purchase KPRC-TV, that way they can be in Houston as well as DFW. But with Comcast in the market that would be impossible once they take over NBC Universal.
 
Raymie said:
Disbanding the NBC TV network would lead to mass chaos in television. Imagine WDIV getting courted by CBS or Gannett flipping NBCs en masse to another network! Think of the horror it would cause for KIEM! There IS room in American television for four networks but not much more...removing a Big Four network (especially a Big Three network) from American television would be complete and utter craziness because all the newly available stations would be courted by networks in markets with weak affiliates of one network or another (the WGCLs, KNXVs, etc. of this world). Can you imagine WXIA being forced from NBC to CBS or KPNX becoming an ABC affiliate? All the brand equity lost and washed away!
Click to expand...

I think you're probably right. Of course Comcast could care less about causing mass chaos, as long as it makes them a few extra bucks....

OTOH it might help a bit in underserved markets. KTEN would probably flip (back) to ABC, giving Texoma residents an ABC affiliate for the first time in years.
 
JHBrandt said:
Raymie said:
Disbanding the NBC TV network would lead to mass chaos in television. Imagine WDIV getting courted by CBS or Gannett flipping NBCs en masse to another network! Think of the horror it would cause for KIEM! There IS room in American television for four networks but not much more...removing a Big Four network (especially a Big Three network) from American television would be complete and utter craziness because all the newly available stations would be courted by networks in markets with weak affiliates of one network or another (the WGCLs, KNXVs, etc. of this world). Can you imagine WXIA being forced from NBC to CBS or KPNX becoming an ABC affiliate? All the brand equity lost and washed away!
Click to expand...

I think you're probably right. Of course Comcast could care less about causing mass chaos, as long as it makes them a few extra bucks....

OTOH it might help a bit in underserved markets. KTEN would probably flip (back) to ABC, giving Texoma residents an ABC affiliate for the first time in years.
Click to expand...

They did that back in May...added an ABC digital subchannel.
 
Raymie said:
They did that back in May...added an ABC digital subchannel.
Click to expand...

Whoops. I seem to remember reading about that here, but had forgotten until now.

Well, if NBC were to go away, at least they could put ABC in high definition (but I'm really straining to find a bright side now).
 
KTEN 10.3 / ABC Texoma is in HD - 720p. Both KTEN and KXII multiplex their signals: 1 1080i, 1 720p, and 1 480i (NBC, ABC, CW for KTEN, CBS, Fox, MNT for KXII)... Technically it's in HD, but...
 
Jim said:
KTEN 10.3 / ABC Texoma is in HD - 720p. Both KTEN and KXII multiplex their signals: 1 1080i, 1 720p, and 1 480i (NBC, ABC, CW for KTEN, CBS, Fox, MNT for KXII)... Technically it's in HD, but...
Click to expand...

OK, OK, at least ABC would be in real HD :D

I realize the one bright spot I saw was never that bright to begin with, but it's been growing even dimmer every day ::)
 
fredcantu said:
Wiki says KTEN's ABC is 720p , but only 4:3.
Click to expand...

I suspect that's a mistake - I've never heard of anyone using that combination, and Fox Texoma (KXII's 720p subchannel) is 16:9 - but I can't get KTEN to check for sure.
 
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