A management company run by a Tribune Co. executive has taken over WNEP, Jerry Lynott of the Times Leader reports. The station was sold by The New York Times Co. last year to some rich guys at a private equity firm.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Tribune Co.-run company takes over management of WNEP
A management company run by a Tribune Co. executive has taken over WNEP, Jerry Lynott of the Times Leader reports. The station was sold by The New York Times Co. last year to some rich guys at a private equity firm.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
41 comments:
New counters, same beans. Only rampant greed--the complete gutting and/or dismantling of WNEP, ala WBRE/WYOU--could seriously cut 16's ratings. In a race to the bottom 22 and 28 have a huge head start.
It could happen--anything's possible--but it's not likely.
To remember the days when all three stations were locally owned and operated by people who cared.
Friendly competition amongst some of the best TV reporters in the country, all trying to do their best. Then the dominoes started to fall. It's sad really.
WNEP would have to 24/7 for years to "catch" WBRE/WYOU, whose numbers COMBINED amount to a third, and in some cases a quarter, of WNEP's audience.
Bill Mecca, there is a blast from the past...80's WYOU reporter...was part of the new team as WYOU started to ramp things up...
LOL I was part of the old team under the WDAU banner as well. There were exciting times in the Electric City. Great news town at the time. When I arrived the courthouse was abuzz with Frankie Cardamone, the HBO kid, the triple murder in Throop (Frank, Victor and Angelina Lunario) and who could forget Mayor McNulty and Steamtown!
That was just about the time that a company bought the station from local family, changed the calls and started adding staff and adding new gear. Wasn't WDAU still shooting film for a time in the 80's?
DAU/YOU was a better station after the locals sold it off. The Baltimores had no clue as to what to do with BRE. NEP has been under new ownership for nearly one year. Where's the gutting some people speak of?
Different company name, but the same corporate guy is still in charge of WNEP and the other former New York Times stations.
Randy Michaels quit his job with the equity firm, became part of the company that bought the Tribune operation and worked out the deal to manage (again) the Local TV LLC stations.
How has WNEP been affected by changes in the last year? The news director and webmaster left and haven't been replaced. A few other positions were eliminated.
Some viewers find fault with WNEP on consistency and quality of news coverage. Just read Talkback on their website. Maybe the mighty 16 isn't what it once was, but who can say if that's because of the ownership change?
I started at WDAU in 1983, yes the 16mm film gear was more reliable than the TK76 and 3/4" decks we had.(WBRE was still shooting film at that time too) Even though the leader in the processor would break at times sending off alarms. LOL and God only knows what we were breathing in while cutting film down in the basement.
Scranton Broadcasters was looking for a buyer and not investing in the station. Northeast Broadcasters (I think that was the name, Gene Bohi was GM, a bit brusque but a good and knowledgable guy) bought it for a song, invested in some Industrial level Panasonic cams and decks, dressed up the set (remember the casket set?) and tripled their money in about 18 months.
Diviersified Communications came in, changed the call letters, and with them a new set (same as their Gainesville station) new News Director (Jim Church replaced Larry Stirewalt, who (I mean Larry) imho was one of the best ND in the biz. what he could have done with all the new gear! but alas he never got the chance)They brought us the Bell Jet Ranger Chopper 22, Spacelink, and Sony gear that worked!! And then Jim DePrury as ND. He was a do nothing. I left in 1989, and am always amazed at how screwed up the market is now, and the fact that the building on Lackawanna Avenue is gone. Heck I can't even go back and visit! LOL
It was a great time to be working in news in Scranton, there was a lot going on, and I did a lot of livin in those 5 years and look back fondly.
Anyone remember the 2's at the end of the newscast? then under DC we had to tag our stories "I'm Bill Mecca, with you, in Old Forge." etc, how goofy was that?
Nexstar gutted Channel 50. There’s not much left but very average talent with equipment that hardly works. It’s an absolute mess. They’ve got a kid running the newsroom with a WNEP leftover at his side.
Let’s face it people. Broadcasting is a business and I’m sure someone at Tribune or Local TV is saying, ‘we’re spending how much to beat the competition?’
It won’t be long before they ground the helicopter and cut some of their higher priced talent.
‘Big changes are on the way,’ as Aunt Lou has been known to say.
I've been out of the area for a while, can someone clue me in, what is channel 50?
in my day there was 16, 22, 28, 38(wolf-tv) and 44.
Bill:
22 and 28 don’t exist anymore. They have a combined morning show that is simulcast, just different commercials. The ratings are pathetic. There’s a longstanding rumor that they will simulcast the evening newscasts, but there are technical issues. The idea was talked about in the beginning, but CBS apparently wouldn’t allow it to happen. It’s a combined newsroom that shares everything, even reporters and anchors.
22 + 28 = 50
The term was actually coined by former Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom McGroarty.
No, "The Channels 50" was first used in a memo to the WNEP staff by Paul Stuber when he was news director at 16. He later had to hang his head when he went to work for 28.
Love the Tom McGroarty reference. This place makes me happy.
Thanks about the Channel 50.
I knew about Pennsylvania Morning or whatever, and the noon cast. I am in touch with Dave DeCosmo on occasion. funny how he was our Wilkes-Barre Reporter and now can't leave Lackawanna County.
I have to admit I am amazed the FCC hasn't stepped in with the BS of "buying news service from Nexstar" crapola. Like I said earlier it's really sad, what was a good news market is now a joke.
I still have family in the area and try to keep up through them (one of whom used to do the promos at 22) and other friends close to the biz.
Paul "we'll do live shots til our eyes bleed" Steuber is still ramblig round those parts? that and the hand held live shots used to crack me up. their photogs would have the cam on the tripod while waiting for the shot, then it would go handheld during the shot... "more real" or some such garbage.
One comment about 50 being gutted with "...equipment that hardly works" same could have been said when I started there in 83. LOL
Just curious, but why was Mehalshick holding a WYLN mic during his interview with the mother whose infant died?
I think we have to add some numbers to channel 50. What's WYLN number on the dial?
Bill Mecca--
Do you date back to the days when Jim Church had 22's reporters following 16's around town, copying WNEP's stories shot-for-shot?
WBRE and WYOU now have an agreement to "share" video with WYLN.
I worked at WDAU/WYOU from 83-89 and worked during Jim Church's entire tenure there. I have no idea what you are talking about following 16's reporters around.
We all did cover a lot of the same stories, and hell even helped each other out from time to time. This was pre- Church, but I remember Kathi Belich, Brigid Cusick and I covering press conferences we would hold each other's mics when one couldn't reach in far enough. but copying stories shot for shot? I don't think so, but again that could have been an individual reporter thing. Church did hire some potted plants to "beautify" the newsroom during that time.
I will tell you I do remember when Our Asst ND Bill Williams got burned for copying some school closings off NEP's crawl in the morning, I can't remember the name now, but 16 suspected something like that was going on, and used one of the Tech staff's names for a school. wound up on our air. He was an idiot and I had more than one disagreeement with him over news coverage.
Bill:
I worked at WYOU at that time, the school name was SW Tech. Story goes that 16's ND came up with the school name from Stu Wilson who worked at 16. But as I remember, Jim Church was the one who put it on the air, not Bill Williams.
12:48,, Stu Wilson!!! that's it. We seem to remember it differently. I remember BW being the one watching the crawls and jotting things down. They were both Journalistically challenged. But it was 20 years ago! LOL
Drop me a line sometime and let me know who you are be good to connect with some old colleagues.
I have to say this anonymous posting stuff is annoying.
It was "S. Wilson Tech," short for "Stu Wilson, Technician." I think the "theft" made the front page of one of the papers, but was quickly forgotten.
The incident did make the front page of the TL at the time.
Probably written by Jean Torkleson
Is channel 16 ever going to hire a news director? I think the position has been vacant for a year.
Hiring a news director would cost money. Why spend $$$ when everyone in the place knows how to follow the old (OLD!) game plan? Besides, isn't Marissa Burke really running things there anyway?
That's "Mistress Marissa, Princess of Pain" to you.
An evening anchor is acting as the news director for a big station like 16? Is that normal in tv?
Evening anchors routinely serve as ND in smaller markets.
With the lack of competition in the market today there really seems to be no need for a News Director at 16. They don't need to break new ground, or "keep ahead of the competition." What competition? They can just keep the status quo, or even less, and still dominate the ratings and bring in the ad $$. And that is what it's all about.
I'll repeat my mantra: "It's a real shame."
I think it is really dangerous for an operation the size and importance of WNEP to operate without a News Director. Granted they don't really have to worry about 28 or 22, but sometimes the problem that brings down an operation like 16's starts inside and isn't caught in time. The couple of bucks they are saving today aren't worth the overall investment in brand and public trust.
A tv news guy told me years ago a #2 or #3 station rarely does anything to topple #1. The biggest threat to a top station is itself, either by what it does or doesn't do.
It doesn't seem likely that WBRE or WYOU could get the big ratings here, but you never know. WBRE is claiming exclusives and WNEP seems to be cutting its coverage area. Not like the old days when WNEP advertised Newswatch 16 is everywhere!
Newswatch 16 is everywhere!! and they were. At times the Assignment desk would tell Tim Keegan the Scranton News Photog to drive around and be visible if his reporter was out and they didn't have anything happening.
Claiming exclusives means nothing. only those already watching know about it, so you're preaching to the choir. and when it comes to ads, its the demos that matter.
years ago there ws a station in Atlanta, number 3 inthe overall ratings, but made a killing because they had bigger numbers in select demographics that high priced businesses like Diamonds, BMW,s Jaguar etc coveted and paid top dollar for.
But you're right, number one will topple itself, but only in number 2 and 3 are doing something, if they're all sinking it doesn't matter.
Hey NEPA MEDIA, why aren't you reporting this? I'd say this is BIG NEWS !!!!!!
WBRE-TV announces midday news scheduling changes
01/22/2008
Email to a friendPrinter-friendly
WBRE will move its midday newscast to 11 a.m. effective Monday, Jan. 28, the station announced. The 11 a.m. WBRE news show will be anchored by Mark Hiller, with Kristi Capel on weather. WBRE will no longer share the simulcast of PA Midday with WYOU effective Jan. 28. WYOU will continue with its noon newscast broadcast from the WYOU set.
This move also brings changes in WBRE’s syndicated programming. WBRE News at 11 a.m. will be followed by “Judge Joe Brown” at 11:30 a.m. “Martha” will shift from its 3 p.m. time slot to noon. “I Love Lucy,” moves to 3 p.m. “The Oprah Winfrey Show” will remain at 4 p.m.
The stations said the changes were made to meet viewer needs and respond to consumer trends.
“We are very excited about branding our stations separately,” said Lou Abitabilo, general manager of WBRE. “We look forward to growing our news presence, while offering our community solid choices and options for their daytime viewing.”
Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc. owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to 49 television stations in 29 markets in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama and New York.
Wonder if changes at channel 50 are being made to cut costs or an attempt to report the midday news first. After a decade of shared services between 28 and 22, I have to question if that project had an impact on the viewer. Something tells me know.
When it comes to the number of viewers, I think a lot has to do with the talking heads. Those at 16seem to be more likeable than those at 28 and 22. At 28 and 22, it seems new reporters come and go. Their best reporter in years, Amy Bradley, left in May 2007. She wasn't respected by the higher-ups at Nexstar. Does anyone know the reporters at 28 and 22? But I must say 16 has hired new reporters, but reporters tend to stay at that station longer.
Amy Bradley a good reporter?
WYOU--new newscasts, new anchors??? Anybody going to actually report for 22?
Go to the WYOU section of PaHomePage and there's only one full-time WYOU reporter, David DeCosmo.
And on the WBRE side, Jill Konopka is now the "senior" reporter.
Frlm
Friday's CV:
_______________________________
WNEP-TV has a news director after the position remained vacant for more than nine months.
Erik Schrader, a former news director at two Missouri television stations, is taking the top news job at the local ABC affiliate, WNEP vice president and general manager Lou Kirchen said.
“We wanted to make sure we found someone with the right skill sets and in our particular position, it’s not always easy,” Kirchen said.
Schrader succeeds Dennis Fisher, who left WNEP-TV last February to become news director at WHTM-TV, the ABC affiliate in Harrisburg.
Schrader, who most recently worked in Savannah, Ga., spent part of his childhood in suburban Philadelphia, the station reported.
perusing the site again, since I'm out of the area, what has happened wtih 22's news at noon. according to a post here, the simulcast was supposed to end jan 28, but 22 would continue to do a noon news from it's own set. Did they? who's eanchoring (since they shared the show before did they hire new or put a potted plant on the set?)
You might want to check out a newsworthy item on eBay. Under the heading "weird items". A man is selling photos or something from the planet Mars at a price of twenty-one million dollars. Is this for real??? Sounds fascinating but not quite sure how to take this. Has anyone Seen this?
You might want to check out a newsworthy item on eBay. Under the heading "weird items". A man is selling photos or something from the planet Mars at a price of twenty-one million dollars. Is this for real??? Sounds fascinating but not quite sure how to take this. Has anyone Seen this?
Post a Comment