Most syndicated talk shows intended for AM news-talkers have started at six minutes past the hour since the 1980's. With network news spot obligations, that leaves a minute or two for local news after the network finishes the top of the hour. That sponsored local newscast becomes someone breathlessly running through a minute of headlines before the commercial. Who needs a local news department for that? Would radio news be in better shape today if syndicated shows started at seven or eight past?
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Syndication clocks killing local news?
- Thread starter smedge2006
- Start date
Maybe, but it's not going to happen. News generally does not generate much revenue - compared to talk. How many people tune in to hear Joe Blow reading the news at the top of the hour? No one. The anchor is fungible. But people DO tune in to hear Hannity, Rush, Ed Shultz or whomever. That's why a news anchor gets $35,000 in a lot of markets and a talk show host gets a whole lot more.
Having six minutes is not really a problem anyway, unless your PD or GM insists on carrying a network feed. I vastly prefer a local newscast at the top of the hour with the local anchor determining the lead story, whether it's local or national. You can always use material from your network at your discretion. Assuming you do that, you can have a 3 minute newscast with traffic and weather and still have room for three spots. It can be done - and is.
Having six minutes is not really a problem anyway, unless your PD or GM insists on carrying a network feed. I vastly prefer a local newscast at the top of the hour with the local anchor determining the lead story, whether it's local or national. You can always use material from your network at your discretion. Assuming you do that, you can have a 3 minute newscast with traffic and weather and still have room for three spots. It can be done - and is.
That's why a news anchor gets $35,000 in a lot of markets and a talk show host gets a whole lot more.
If you broke down the barter deals, that talk host is probably worth less than 35K in most markets. Syndication is usually more about cheaper than better. Most of its talents would have had a hard time holding down a major market gig in say, 1986. Tell me why the show has to start at :06.
How many people tune in to hear Joe Blow reading the news at the top of the hour? No one.
If it's one minute of headlines, no surprise -- hard to tell it's even there.
I believe Dave Ramsey begins his show at :07. At the same time, he pushes it all the way to :59:50.
The talk stations around here dump out of the network news at :03 which gives them a little longer for local news. Nights and weekends they're more likely to take the full five minute network cast.
Then there are a few that seem to go as long as they want then dump into the show in progress.
One station running Rush on a tape delay some years ago would start him at :08 or :09, run the local breaks as long as they wanted, then right before the top of the hour they faded out, ran a liner with Rush saying "that's all the time we have for excellence this hour" and into the legal ID! That stopped when CC bought the station.
Then there are a few that seem to go as long as they want then dump into the show in progress.
One station running Rush on a tape delay some years ago would start him at :08 or :09, run the local breaks as long as they wanted, then right before the top of the hour they faded out, ran a liner with Rush saying "that's all the time we have for excellence this hour" and into the legal ID! That stopped when CC bought the station.
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WTUX
Guest
I am one of those who does listen for the both local and national news at the top of the hour. What is burning me these days is news readers who do not know enough to include the weather at the end of their report.
And what is the problem with the syndicated show starting at :07 rather than :06? The syndicate host will get just as much money. Implying that the additional minute is worth a ton of money is a bit strange.
And what is the problem with the syndicated show starting at :07 rather than :06? The syndicate host will get just as much money. Implying that the additional minute is worth a ton of money is a bit strange.
You can always buy equipment to time shift shows and squeeze an extra 3-5 minutes an hour out, allowing you to start at :07 or :07:30. Also, not all networks require the inventory to be run adjacent to the cast. I have always wondered about CBS, because, last I checked, the TOH cost is 4 minutes... I forget if there is a cutaway at :03.
I personally prefer to have a local cast at the top of the hour. jh is right; go all local during whatever hours you are paying someone, and go all national (maybe with a pre-recorded 1 minute local headline cast) after hours. This way, you can start your local cast whenever you want; in some major markets, it's at :57:50 or :58:50, going all the way to :06 or later. If your local news guy isn't good enough to rip some national copy from ABC's, CNN's, CBS' website, and download an actuality or two, why is he working for you?
Dave Ramsey and a number of other hosts start at :06:30; all WW1 news/talk shows start at :06:40. Also, I have wondered about the BOH casts, but I think because the bigger networks run them at odd times (Fox is :30:30, CBS and ABC are :31), local stations just say screw it. Some of the 3rd tier ones just run spots and don't have any news. I say this because it seems those stations running CNN, which does have a cast exactly at :30, usually run the BOH cast.
I personally prefer to have a local cast at the top of the hour. jh is right; go all local during whatever hours you are paying someone, and go all national (maybe with a pre-recorded 1 minute local headline cast) after hours. This way, you can start your local cast whenever you want; in some major markets, it's at :57:50 or :58:50, going all the way to :06 or later. If your local news guy isn't good enough to rip some national copy from ABC's, CNN's, CBS' website, and download an actuality or two, why is he working for you?
Dave Ramsey and a number of other hosts start at :06:30; all WW1 news/talk shows start at :06:40. Also, I have wondered about the BOH casts, but I think because the bigger networks run them at odd times (Fox is :30:30, CBS and ABC are :31), local stations just say screw it. Some of the 3rd tier ones just run spots and don't have any news. I say this because it seems those stations running CNN, which does have a cast exactly at :30, usually run the BOH cast.
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