Been three weeks now since the big announcement about streaming and newscast replays on 13. Any verdicts yet from readers? I have seen some good notifications on my phone, but that's all I can attest to. I haven't watched a full newscast except the state news show at 6. Anybody noticing replays or watching?
I think the initial fully live airing of Seattle News Tonight at 4pm is a okay newscast that gets the job done. However, the banter between David Rose and Hana Kim that now follows most reporter packages varies from being good to bad. They really need to cut back on how much time they devote to this banter. Some of it is fine, especially if it can add good insight or perspective to the package that just aired. But some of it just turns into commentary and opinion, which isn't labeled as such, and feels inappropriate for what is supposed to be a down-the-middle, focus on the facts sort of newscast.
ReplyDeleteThe live A-block of Seattle News Tonight at 5 is fine and does feature new content, but I haven't watched much past the A-block since, thanks to your fine reporting, I know its just a replay of what already aired at 4pm, and every time I've caught the 5pm A-block so far, I'm coming off of watching at least a portion of the 4pm hour, and haven't had the time to watch the entire 4pm and 5pm hours back to back to see what changes from the 4pm live hour to the 5pm replay.
The Washington News Wrap at 6pm is a great concept, but its poorly executed. More coverage from news across the entire state delivered by dedicated correspondents stationed across the entire state to provide on the ground coverage would go a long way to enhance the program, but thats an expense Fox 13 isn't likely to take on. They do seem to be shying away from news about Seattle during the show, which is a plus.
I haven't caught any of the later hours of Seattle News Tonight yet, but its only my to-do list.
A 4pm live show is too early to be the station's signature newscast, when you consider how many people are not available to watch, being stuck in gridlock. It is the BASE show for the replay. People who tune in at 5 likely have no idea it is partially a replay and that's the trick of it. I gave up on the 6. Nice try, but why would you push a show in Seattle that avoids any Seattle news and skims the state. It'a a gimmick, nothing more.
DeleteI agree that 4pm is too early for a flagship newscast. 5pm would work better, and 6pm would be better still, given our region's horrendous traffic.
DeleteI said that the Washington News Wrap at 6pm shying away from news about Seattle is a plus because news about Seattle gets so much airtime during other newscasts. Its nice to see other areas of our region and state garnering mentions. That being said, since Seattle is the economic and cultural hub of our state, the show probably should cover a few more Seattle stories. Not too many, as that would take away from the statewide focus of the show. But just enough to make sure that Seattle is included.
DeleteCompartmentalize at Seattle segment...short and sweet. I will say it again, the producers and managers don't know how to create a newscast.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the state of local tv news is pathetic. Why do they keep running stories from other Cities, because it’s cheap? I want more news less entertainment
ReplyDeleteRich
They don't have the staff to fill all these hours of news with local material, so they go nation and world because the video comes in from the networks and you just lay anything and everything into the show rundown to feed the beast.
ReplyDeleteI am sure Uncle Walter is turning over in his grave to know that a newscast (even on a local level) is "pre-taped". I do think CBS and NBC have two editions of their network newscasts, one being a "Western Edition" that has updated information for those of us viewers out here. Either way, it goes without saying and pardon me for using the old adage that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". With all the newscasts that each station puts on the air, who knows the kind of manpower it actually takes without getting burned out. I do think there is a rotation between producers and directors, but then again, no one (on the viewer end or even a newscast producer) is going to sit around repeating the same thing over and over and over again. Crime and legislative will always go at the top in the A-block. If that is the case, they might as well do a newscast for TV in Spanish and have Mireya Garcia do that since they already do a newsbreak-version on their station's website. KING5 also does this as well. I am old school and still like the hour-long morning newscast at 6a, an hour-long mid-morning newscast at 11a, a half-hour afternoon newscast at 5p, an hour-long early evening newscast at 6:30p and late evening half hour newscast at 11:00p. I know that times have changed, but unless you want to keep the state news show, I would suggest to do it on a weekend Sunday morning akin to NBC's "Meet The Press", ABC's "This Week" and CBS's "State of the Union" with a repeat that evening following the weekend's early evening newscast. Its no wonder why so many are leaving TV news: Hours, pay, health, etc. Those are my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteSorry for that, I meant CBS' "Face the Nation".
DeleteWhen i got into TV news, there were only 7:25 and 8:25 a.m. five minute cut-ins in the morning. DIfferent era and, I should note, Walter has rolled over and over and over. Honestly, I think they should have stuck with Jeff Glor and coached him up and pushed the staid format a lot more. He might have made it. I think he was better than Tom Llamas and has a better look than Muir FWIW. I don't think he has resurfaced despite rumors he was going back to local anchoringin Buffalo, his hometown.
DeleteLast I heard, Glor had talked with both WIVB and WGRZ in Buffalo about joining them as an anchor, but nothing seems to have come of it. Such a shame. I was just warming up to him when CBS threw him off the evening news, and would have stuck with him. He then went on to do quite well anchoring and reporting for CBS Saturday Morning before CBS laid him off. He is still missed on that show.
DeleteWalter was always on tape delay here on the West Coast. They'd have Terry Drinkwater in L.A. do the Western Edition update. So I don't that that would have him rolling in his grave. For that matter, I think the very first use of videotape replay by CBS was a Douglas Edwards newscast. What's old is new again...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting historical perspective.
DeleteThat name is taking me back to Richard Threlkeld, Don Kladstrup, RIchard Roth, Robert Schakne and other great CBS reporters.
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