Sacramento Simulcast

[mrpariot]

CBS' duopoly stations in Sacramento, KOVR-13-CBS and KMAX-31-UPN are, at least for now, simulcasting the first two hours of "Good Day Sacramento," which has been on KMAX mornings for the last ten years-plus. KOVR's dead-last rated "CBS13 News Daybreak" anchor Michelle Kane is joining the "GDS" team for news updates. The two stations split off for commercial breaks and at 7am, when KOVR goes to CBS' "Early Show."

This might not be temporary -- KOVR's newsroom/set, demolished on December 29 and 30, is under active construction at the moment. The facility is being prepared for the full move-in of KMAX this spring, and the two stations are already sharing equipment and personnel.

 

[thewxdude]

> CBS' duopoly stations in Sacramento, KOVR-13-CBS and
> KMAX-31-UPN are, at least for now, simulcasting the first
> two hours of "Good Day Sacramento," which has been on KMAX
> mornings for the last ten years-plus. KOVR's dead-last
> rated "CBS13 News Daybreak" anchor Michelle Kane is joining
> the "GDS" team for news updates. The two stations split off
> for commercial breaks and at 7am, when KOVR goes to CBS'
> "Early Show."
>
> This might not be temporary -- KOVR's newsroom/set,
> demolished on December 29 and 30, is under active
> construction at the moment. The facility is being prepared
> for the full move-in of KMAX this spring, and the two
> stations are already sharing equipment and personnel.
>

This morning, Marianne McClary did say that the simulcast is "temporary," due to the construction going on at KOVR. It's weird though that they're able to broadcast all other KOVR newscasts from the temporary set in West Sacramento. So maybe this is an experiment to see if ratings increase any during February sweeps.

However, common sense would tell you that CBS wouldn't want KOVR to potentially steal viewers away from KMAX's successful morning show. I'd look for Good Day Sacramento to stay on CBS 13.

 

[Stitch]

> However, common sense would tell you that CBS wouldn't want
> KOVR to potentially steal viewers away from KMAX's
> successful morning show. I'd look for Good Day Sacramento
> to stay on CBS 13.

I'd have to agree. Business-wise, it just makes sense, unless they'll try something similiar to the CBS/UPN duopoly in Philadelphia. Then again, the Philly UPN portion isn't produced in-house.

Other models include Miami, where WFOR joins The Early Show at 7am, while sister-station WBFS runs local news from 7am-9am. Boston has WBZ running news from 5am-7am, while sister station WSBK runs news from 8am-9am. Pittsburgh recently joined in, with KDKA-TV News running on sister station WNPA at 7am, while KDKA itself joins the Early Show.

So in other words, you could see CBS 13 running or simulcasting with KMAX from 5am-7am on a permanent basis, with KMAX continuing the show after 7am. Then again, I can't get into the minds of KOVR/KMAX management, who may have different ideas.

 

[TedL]

KOVR: Rebuilding a news department/Shane update (was Sacramento Simulcast)

This morning... (Mon. Jan. 16, 2005) One of KOVR's reporters—who didn't seem too smooth—joined Abbot Dutton at the KMAX news update table for one update, then was conspicuiously absent.

At Noon, KMAX anchor Nick Toma was the solo anchor on the KOVR news.

The anchor desk appears to have been moved into the KOVR production studio, where a temporary newsroom appears to be located.

http://cbs13.com/slideshows/local_slideshow_355234852 has pictures of the newsroom rebuild.

While it's cramped, maybe there's a benefit of "togetherness" in terms of energizing the on-air and off-air news staff??

1/17/06: In today's MediaSavvy column in the Sacramento Bee, News Director Steve Charlier opined "It's more like a Time-Life operator boiler room, with 75 people cramped in a small space. But it's a good team-building exercise."
http://www.sacticket.com/tv_radio/story/14083785p-14914161c.html


The website has finally dropped any references to former anchors Paul Joncich and Jennifer Whitney.

Nowhere to be seen on either air or website is former KCRA/MSNBC anchor Sam Shane, touted in a Sacramento Bee story as the new lead anchor for the evening and 10p weekday newscasts.

He's been living in nearby Davis for a while now after leaving MSNBC.

To paraphrase the nursery rhyme:

Oh, When, Oh, when will Sam Shane be on air?

1/17/06: The Bee reports he and his yet-to-be-named co-anchor will be debuting at the same time as the new news set... "Expect Shane either the last week of January or early February."


Ted.


> > However, common sense would tell you that CBS wouldn't
> want
> > KOVR to potentially steal viewers away from KMAX's
> > successful morning show. I'd look for Good Day Sacramento
>
> > to stay on CBS 13.
>
> I'd have to agree. Business-wise, it just makes sense,
> unless they'll try something similiar to the CBS/UPN duopoly
> in Philadelphia. Then again, the Philly UPN portion isn't
> produced in-house.
>
> Other models include Miami, where WFOR joins The Early Show
> at 7am, while sister-station WBFS runs local news from
> 7am-9am. Boston has WBZ running news from 5am-7am, while
> sister station WSBK runs news from 8am-9am. Pittsburgh
> recently joined in, with KDKA-TV News running on sister
> station WNPA at 7am, while KDKA itself joins the Early Show.
>
>
> So in other words, you could see CBS 13 running or
> simulcasting with KMAX from 5am-7am on a permanent basis,
> with KMAX continuing the show after 7am. Then again, I can't
> get into the minds of KOVR/KMAX management, who may have
> different ideas.
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by TedL on 01/17/06 06:53 PM.</FONT></P>