RNN's 8 pm Newscast - WTF?

[DToTheJ]

Last night, as usual, I checked out RNN's nightly 8 pm newscast, "NewsCenter Now Prime Time" - or at least I was expecting to, anyway.

Apparently, the newscast is now known as "NewsCenter Now Long Island".

Yes, Long Island. Never mind the fact that RNN is based in Westchester (though with its availability on area cable systems, the point is kinda moot). But a Westchester-based news organization doing a full nightly half-hour newscast geared toward Long Islanders, is like having Mike Bloomberg do a call-in show for people in New Jersey.

I mentioned in a previous thread that the RNN 8 pm newscast is one of the most comprehensive that I've seen. Now their retooling of it makes the "regional news network" look more bipolar than it already is (let's not forget the two nightly political programs that makes it look like Fox News' weak stepbr -- no, MSNBC ).

I mean, what exactly is it that RNN is trying to do with an L.I.-oriented newscast? Are they hoping to beat WLNY 55/10 in certain areas of news coverage? What are they trying to prove?

And do they know for a fact that this is the right direction to go? Have they polled their viewers, took a survey, or just saw that a great number of stories came out of Long Island and decided to roll with it?

Did they see a greater opportunity in making this move and risk its viewers (like myself) abandoning it in its current (former) form? I mean, I know they brand themselves as a "regional news network" but after your 5-7 pm newscast geared toward your home location of Westchester ("powered by LoHud.com", an area news website), to turn your 8 pm newscast which focused on all the other "regions" into one focusing on just the Island seems a little foolish.

And I could tell the anchors last night were likely not pleased with the change. I could see it in their delivery. At one point, Andrew Whitman threw it to break by saying, "You're watching RNN, *truly* your regional news network." I read some dark humor in that statement. Sure, in the old 8 pm newscast, maybe it was a little tacky for them to have a live shot on 5th Avenue in New York City, but in that phase, they were doing all the other regions a favor. Now they just left New Jersey viewers who tuned into RNN out in the cold.

The fact that they made this change without any advanced notice is quite strange. I wonder if it's a desperation move, or perhaps the first step in the eventual extinction of RNN. Roughly 3/4 of their schedule consists of infomercials and home shopping fare, including even more home shopping programs (see: RNN being "bipolar").

 

[Julius Leonard Marx]

Why not have Bloomberg take calls from New Jersey? City actions affect the entire metro area (including North Jersey). People who commute to the city from Jersey pay non-resident taxes (without representation).

According to their website, they run both "News Center Now" followed by "News Center Now - Long Island." Under must-carry rules, don't they get carried on Long Island? They wouldn't be the first suburban news operation serving multiple communities of interest to find it worthwhile to schedule targeted newscasts.

 

[MyCatKnight]

Under must-carry rules, don't they get carried on Long Island?

I'm not positive about that, but we just dumped Cablevision for faster, clearer, and CHEAPER Verizon FIOS (more channels and options). Since RNN is on my Channel 6 here on LI, it makes perfect sense to position some service as a News 12 substitute ("ONLY on Cablevision"). After Cablevision jacked up our monthly triple-play rate (TV, internet, and phone) from $103 to $150 without adequate explanation beyond "that promotion ended"... we left. THEN they said they "misbilled us" upon our departure. We just got a mailer lowering their price below $90 if we come back. Their phone reps are programmed to counter FIOS' speed with "it's only a blink faster," and then plug News 12. They pushed the wrong button when they pitched Channel 61 (News 12 Traffic and Weather), which often ends up like this: voice - "as you can see here, traffic is jammed", while their own camera shows an occasional car or two, flying at well over the speed limit). I hate Verizon, too, but at least I am no longer contributing to the Dolans' incompetence and Isiah Thomas' paycheck.

 

[DToTheJ]

I'm not positive about that, but we just dumped Cablevision for faster, clearer, and CHEAPER Verizon FIOS (more channels and options). Since RNN is on my Channel 6 here on LI, it makes perfect sense to position some service as a News 12 substitute ("ONLY on Cablevision"). After Cablevision jacked up our monthly triple-play rate (TV, internet, and phone) from $103 to $150 without adequate explanation beyond "that promotion ended"... we left...

Much like I also received the same "promotion ended" notice and bill hike, I'm sure eventually VZ FIOS subscribers will see a bigger bill as years go by, and I'm not defending Cablevision - it just comes with the territory, no matter who the provider is. And might I add, Cablevision is gung-ho about that Triple Play promotion. I have cable TV + internet and every two weeks I'd get a call from them asking me to get Optimum Voice. I just don't trust that service enough that I'd choose it over the more-experienced VZ for phone service. I had to choose their "do not call" option in order to get them to stop calling me about it!

Anyway, getting back on topic, I had no idea RNN was carried on such prime channel position on the Island on FIOS, and that must speak for how many subs VZ is getting in that area for RNN to make the change in their 8 PM newscast. Yet in my view, their old format was done relatively well and to change without warning (actually I missed the final Friday of the old format so I could be wrong) or any advanced notice made me feel a little betrayed. So is it true that RNN's high position on VZ FIOS' cable system is the main catalyst for them switching format at 8 PM?

btw I just did a search on http://www22.verizon.com/Content/FiOSTV/Channel+Lineup/Channel+Lineup.htm for the local channel lineups, one random from Westchester and one random from Long Island, and the main broadcast channels are identical, even with New Jersey stations listed in them. FWIW...

 

[MyCatKnight]

... Cablevision is gung-ho about that Triple Play promotion... I just don't trust that service enough that I'd choose it over the more-experienced VZ for phone service

For about $29/month unlimited everything on US calls, I'd roll the dice, bro. Our last 2 homes had near perfection from Optimum Voice, though dear friends had worse luck (then again, they never complain to companies: just to us). Do it quickly and lock in a rate if you can, though: our Verizon friends say Cablevision is about to be taxed just like Verizon is (so it must be true ).

 

[ansky212]

btw I just did a search on http://www22.verizon.com/Content/FiOSTV/Channel+Lineup/Channel+Lineup.htm for the local channel lineups, one random from Westchester and one random from Long Island, and the main broadcast channels are identical, even with New Jersey stations listed in them. FWIW...

If by "New Jersey stations" you mean WFME, WMBC, and NJN - those are all NYC market TV stations even though they broadcast from NJ. So that is why you would see them on all channel lineups throughout the metro area. I live in NJ and it is common to see WLNY and WLIW from Long Island on satellite/cable for the same reason. In fact, Directv even carries WSAH from Bridgeport on its NYC area channel lineup.