WBZ has a promo running announcing a one-hour interview program hosted by anchor Joe Mathieu called "News Watch". It is scheduled to every Thursday from 11:00 am to 12:00 Noon.
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SMALL ALTERATION OF WBZ'S ALL DAYS NEWS FORMAT
- Thread starter Early Byrd
- Start date
Unfortunately WBZ is becoming more like a News-Talk station rather than the all-news station Boston should have with the addition of this, the nightime talk shows, and the weekend infomercials and talk shows. 
I was listening on-line this morning to the new all news station CBS has launched in Washington, D.C. and that is the type of station I wish Boston had on the air. I have not listened to any of the new Merlin Broadcasting all-news stations in NY or Chicago but at this point, I wish they were able to buy a full market FM in Boston to launch one here. Maybe if that became reality, WBZ and CBS would go back to what they should be doing and that's delivering the news.
I was listening on-line this morning to the new all news station CBS has launched in Washington, D.C. and that is the type of station I wish Boston had on the air. I have not listened to any of the new Merlin Broadcasting all-news stations in NY or Chicago but at this point, I wish they were able to buy a full market FM in Boston to launch one here. Maybe if that became reality, WBZ and CBS would go back to what they should be doing and that's delivering the news.
WBZ has always done talk programming over night - traditionally from 7pm to 5am and for the last few years 8pm to 5am (so news gained an hour). Given that no other stations have a commitment to local talk at night I'm glad they continue with this (and they do have new updates hourly and cut in with breaking stories - like when Whitey Bulger was captured and Steve Leveille was the first to report it on Boston radio).
Not much news happens overnight to justify all news in Boston at that time. From what I've heard in other markets, I think many of the all news stations run taped repeats of a lot of things overnight anyway.
Now, what they've done on weekends with the infomercial blocks I have an issue with. They do it during the mornings and evenings, maybe other times. I essentially never listen to WBZ on the weekends at all anymore because I've turned on so often and heard that garbage I just don't bother checking anymore. Also airing the CBS evening TV news - not sure how well that works on radio and they do it right in prime PM drive time. I'd rather they keep their regular news going during that half hour.
Not much news happens overnight to justify all news in Boston at that time. From what I've heard in other markets, I think many of the all news stations run taped repeats of a lot of things overnight anyway.
Now, what they've done on weekends with the infomercial blocks I have an issue with. They do it during the mornings and evenings, maybe other times. I essentially never listen to WBZ on the weekends at all anymore because I've turned on so often and heard that garbage I just don't bother checking anymore. Also airing the CBS evening TV news - not sure how well that works on radio and they do it right in prime PM drive time. I'd rather they keep their regular news going during that half hour.
If I were running WBZ, I'd have it as an all-news station running 5-10 2 anchors, 10-3 two anchors, 3-8 two anchors, 8-1 two anchors, and 1-5 one anchor. It have at least one short interview, Newsmakers style, during each shift (running around 5 minutes in length) and play all of those back overnight. Newsmakers interviews could add the spice they need. Also, I'd use 98.5 The Sport s Hub Headline people to do the sports. That way they could cross promote the stations. I'd can as many infomercials as possible on weekends. It would be a true 24/7 all news station.
If I were running WBZ,...
Thankfully you are NOT. You have absolutely zero idea of the costs that
would be involved. It would be a terrible ROI (return on investment)
and financially irresponsible. This is what happens when civilians
(those not in the broadcast business...) play armchair quarterback.
Even if they have many thousands of posts, they have no clue about
real life broadcasting...
Thankfully you are NOT. You have absolutely zero idea of the costs that
would be involved. It would be a terrible ROI (return on investment)
and financially irresponsible. This is what happens when civilians
(those not in the broadcast business...) play armchair quarterback.
Even if they have many thousands of posts, they have no clue about
real life broadcasting...
L
Laurence Glavin
Guest
You're bordering on saying that the corporations and executives who own and run radio stations should be exempt from criticism. Many of these people are like the captain of that cruise ship in Italy, making decisions that are almost certain to be wrong. And it's not only radio geeks who could give them good advice. Members of the population at large might have a suggestion ot two that might be of value. In Marc Fisher's book, "Something in the Air", he tells the story about attempts at using focus groups by radio stations, but the execs seemed to hew to the practices they were used to following regardless of the input from people they interviewed.
WBZ does well in ratings and billing though of course they have made mistakes--remember replacing David Brudnoy with a syndie show (Tom Synder), and the replacement of Leveille and Dyett, etc. with Jon Grayson? (Hey, who knows, Grayson's national syndication may do well and who knows, if Red Eye
Radio is run into the ground maybe RKO could consider it). Yes they usually know what they're doing but
sometimes not. They're not exempt from criticism. Of course their eyes are on the bottom line and sometimes they'll screw a station up in an attempt to make more money or save a dying AM outlet, say.
Given their power, heritage, and reputation WBZ is doing just fine, though. But yes, criticism can be
warranted.
I have that book btw; a Christmas gift from years ago.
>>It would be a true 24/7 all news station.
Hey, maybe they could simulcast the 11 pm W-B-Z-tv newscast, etc.! Heck they already (by order of CBS
corporate) simulcast CBS Evening News (want local traffic and news, even though it is drive
time? Why would you want that...?) I'm kidding of course. Dan Rea: "We'll be back in a half hour
right after we present the Ch 4 news to you"...Could happen.)
Radio is run into the ground maybe RKO could consider it). Yes they usually know what they're doing but
sometimes not. They're not exempt from criticism. Of course their eyes are on the bottom line and sometimes they'll screw a station up in an attempt to make more money or save a dying AM outlet, say.
Given their power, heritage, and reputation WBZ is doing just fine, though. But yes, criticism can be
warranted.
I have that book btw; a Christmas gift from years ago.
>>It would be a true 24/7 all news station.
Hey, maybe they could simulcast the 11 pm W-B-Z-tv newscast, etc.! Heck they already (by order of CBS
corporate) simulcast CBS Evening News (want local traffic and news, even though it is drive
time? Why would you want that...?) I'm kidding of course. Dan Rea: "We'll be back in a half hour
right after we present the Ch 4 news to you"...Could happen.)
WBZ makes a lot of money with their current format. No need to change it. Boston is not New York with news all night. Even the T closes at like 12:30 or 1 in the morning.
Also, nice to have a warm human being on overnight with patter and calls, who is also able to flip to hard news if there is a weather emergency or some other breaking news story. WBZ "live" overnight is like the only all-night drugstore open in the city. Glad to know they are there. As a matter of fact, I am willing to bet that they are the only live overnight service in the whole state. Luckily, you can hear them in the whole state.
In Nov of 06 (think that was the year) right after WRKO laid off their news staff and went with Metro Shadow, WBZ was able--with the help of listeners calling in--to cover the middle-of-the-night blast
in Danversport (which I had seen from Rt 128).
Someone on Free Republic started a thread about it and one poster said they called WBZ radio etc.
in Danversport (which I had seen from Rt 128).
Someone on Free Republic started a thread about it and one poster said they called WBZ radio etc.
I wonder if WCRN 830 runs CBS news at TOH? Maybe certain hours.
L
LowellRadio
Guest
BZ overnight is the best. Don't change anything 12am-5am
MassMusicMan
Banned
charlestondxman said:
Bingo. Boston is a nice city, but let's not pretend we're on the same class level as New York or Los Angeles and are entitled to 24/7 news on the radio.
L
Laurence Glavin
Guest
Will said:
When you're discussing WBZ-AM's coverage area, you're talking about Metropolitan Boston with about the same population as the City of Los Angeles. Where's the cutoff below which a Metropolitan area CAN'T support a 24/7 news station? One is apparently being tried on a compromised (ie pretty powerful, but not so powerful as its competitors) FM near Houston, TX.
L
Laurence Glavin
Guest
TSBench said:
According to the US Census, the CITY population is 3,792,621 people. Radio-info's own ratings page has the market at a skosh over 4 million.
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