7 News At 10...On 7NBC?! WHAT?!

[dotcomeditor]

1. I wouldn't watch Leno at 10 pm or any other time. I'll stick with the much smarter Letterman.
2. I wouldn't watch amateur-hour news on Ch. 7 or 56 anytime. It's horrible.

I've watched WBZ-TV news for better or worse since I was a kid in the 1960s. But now I am migrating more to WCVB. I can't stand Jack Williams guffaws and senile comments after every story. Sorry, but he has become a complete embarrassement. Too bad, cuz Lisa Hughes is very watchable.

[salamano]

Resumes go to what will have been known as 'Telemundo'?

NBC sources are adamant the network will be victorious in its surprise standoff with a rebelling Boston station that's refusing to air Jay Leno's talk show in the fall.

The station's contract, they said, is clear: WHDH cannot opt out of a regularly scheduled hour of primetime programming.

"He cannot do it," one source said of station owner Ed Ansin. "He could request a one-off exception, and that only happens for very unusual situations."

And even if WHDH manages to thwart NBC's efforts to compel it to air Leno, NBC threatens to strip the station of its affiliation and create a new NBC carrier using its Boston-area Telemundo station.

"The station has 96% market penetration," a source claimed.

Or NBC could align with yet another station.

"We have received unsolicited phone calls from three stations in the Boston market that have expressed interest in affiliating with us," the source said.

As NBC TV's John Eck is putting it in a statement: "Jay Leno fans will not be disappointed. Make no mistake. The new Leno show will air at 10 p.m. weeknights in the Boston market on NBC.”

[dcohen726]

I know I'm new here, but this really caught my attention. Ed has them backed into the corner and NBC would be performing a risky move to switch affiliations in Boston. My loyalty to fox aside, simulcasting the news on 7 and 56 is a huge mistake. Its just a cheap way to get viewers for the news. If nobody is watching the news on 56 now, what really makes him think news on 7 at 10 is going to help? At least get some more syndication of shows from 10-11 on 56 if you're going to put news at 10 on 7.

I think its a shame of NBC even thinking Leno will do good at 10 in the first place. Sure there's more viewers at 10 but I cant see Leno out performing local news, and shows on CBS and ABC.

And yet honestly. I can't see myself turning to channel 27 (i think?) for NBC if they do pick up telemundo or Channel 60 maybe. Here's the problem I forsee with that, and I know it applies to me. Many people like myself, who still have rabbit ears with or without the converter box, have made it so our tv or converter box won't recognize the Spanish language channels. So when the switch comes, assuming Ed doesn't allow it to be advertised on 7 or 56, NBC is virtually going to be unknown in Boston until word gets around.

Does anyone think comcast would put Telemundo is a more common number where 4 5 and 7 are should NBC change affiliates? Ultimately though, the network is right to threaten the change.

[bostonmediaguy]

Apr 4, 2009 3:11:24 GMT -5 dcohen726 said:

And yet honestly. I can't see myself turning to channel 27 (i think?) for NBC if they do pick up telemundo or Channel 60 maybe. Here's the problem I forsee with that, and I know it applies to me. Many people like myself, who still have rabbit ears with or without the converter box, have made it so our tv or converter box won't recognize the Spanish language channels. So when the switch comes, assuming Ed doesn't allow it to be advertised on 7 or 56, NBC is virtually going to be unknown in Boston until word gets around.

Does anyone think comcast would put Telemundo is a more common number where 4 5 and 7 are should NBC change affiliates? Ultimately though, the network is right to threaten the change.

NBC would pay Comcast to position Channel 60 in the lower range. They would also have to have a media advertising blitz (radio, billboards, newspaper, street teams (?) to inform viewers).

I shared this on Radio-Info...

Sunbeam would move the CW affiliation to Channel 7 and add MyNetwork TV to WLVI. CW and My both upgrade to larger affiliations in a top ten market. WZMY continues as a MyNetwork TV affiliate, but Boston now gets an HD option as WZMY's HD is not offered (and there's doubt it is available over-the-air outside of Derry, NH).

NBC utilizes WNEU-60 as its NBC station. They contract NECN to produce news (5-7am, 6pm, 11pm). Comcast, which is in the midst of purchasing the 50% of NECN it does not own, is paid by NBC for a lower channel position for its new NBC affiliate and now has an additional revenue stream for news.

Also, it would not be all that difficult to program Ch. 7 as a CW station.

5a-9a 7News
9a Live with R&K
10a-12n Family Feud
12n 7News
1p The Doctors
2p-4p The CW Daytime (which will be back-to-back Tyra Banks in the fall; this would have to be fed earlier to WHDH as it normally airs 3p-5p; no doubt CW would do it, though).
4p-7p 7News
7p-8p Access Hollywood/Extra
8p-10p The CW
10p-11:30p 7News
11:30-12:30 Access Hollywood/Extra (R)
12:30-2a 7News (R)
2a-5a Paid Programming

I do wonder, however, if NBC pulls all of its syndicated division's programming for Sunbeam (Access Hollywood, Maury Povich, Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos).

In that scenario, I could see them moving "Extra" to 7pm and running "Deco Drive" from sister-station WSVN (as was done in the early '90s).

[seeveebee]

dc, excellent points.

My main poiint, and again I am NOT an Ansin fan at all, is that NBC BROUGHT THIS ON.

It all started when Leno, after being phased out as "Tonight" host came back to NBC with this idea of doing a 5-night a week Talk show in the 1O PM SLOT.

By accepting this proposal, which would cost A TINY FRACTION of developing competitive programming--NBC EFFECTIVELY TOOK AWAY SANTA CLAUS from its affiliates who were universally outraged. GE/NBC was simply looking to CUT costs at an acknowledged COST of ratings (the lead-in and bread and butter for the affiliates).

Santa Claus will continue to deliver presents to Fox affiliates (especially during American Idol Season), CBS affiliates on nights when IT dominates, and occasionally to ABC affiliates on nights when IT is strong.

But Santa will IGNORE NBC affiliates EVERY night, as assured by the Leno Budget Cutting move MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A SMALL cost to NBC overall ratings, a devastating blow to affiliates crucial 11PN News lead-in.

Only Ansin has the B---ls to stand up to Jeff Immelt and say enough is enough. You can't nuke the affiliates just to make General Electric's cost cutting objectives.

The cat is out of the barn. However this chapter ends---Affiiates across the country may become empowered to defend the interests of their stations when threatened by the actions of cost cuttting networks.

For once, I'm 100% in Ansin's camp. I like Jeff Immelt a lot. A lot more than I like Ansin. But, Jeff, on this issue you are dead wrong. That is, unless your objective is to deliver your own programming on your OWN OUTLET. Which BTW is where this thing will ultimately going. No question about that.

This will be the chapter we remember as ushering in what every Network iks looking at right now: Developing its OWN programming on its OWN CHANNEL. Local is transitioning into 100% local. The divorce is clearly coming. This chapter may help hasten the transition.,

[kvn]

On the General Board there is mention of WJAR of RI and its high priced talent. If CH 7 looses its peacock, does that place the station on a lower wage tier with respect to the talent, which has already been culled in price structure?

[BTVNadmin]

[bowdoinsq]

I feel like Ansin wants out of NBC alltogether. They want a morning news show, so if they no longer had their Today obligations, they could go local from 5 to, say, 9 or 10 and follow with Regis & Kelly -- competing with WFXT. Moving the CW to 7 would work in this way, as they don't offer mandatory morning programming and their primetime ends at 10. Though the added cost of the necessary syndication to cover 7 AND 56, and the lack of sports coverage, may cost him more than its worth.

Mike

[seeveebee]

Bowdoin, I think you got it right. NBC wants to control its Content, Distribution, AND Broadcast Channel.

WHDH wants to control its content, distribution, and Broadcast Channel.

Its a marriage in which both partners want seperate bedrooms and full control over the rooms' furnishings.

But an NBC fling with Telemundo and/or NECN would be akin to hitting the bars the first night after your blow up fight---and going home with the only girl stuck at the bar at 2 Am.

[tmac505]

i think its pretty clear that if ansin wants to keep sunbeam a money making operation, he needs at least one major network affiliation in boston. without one, he loses national sports coverage, and in this case, the venerable nbc news division (at last check, brian williams seems to be dominating the evening news). the fox affiliation in miami can't prop sunbeam up because of fox's lack of broadcast news.

but nbc seems to have its options, even if they're not ideal. i honestly think that if they put telemundo as their affiliate or O/O, they could attract enough attention to do well. nbc seems to be itching to put a 7PM newscast in another market besides new york, and boston would be a good place to start. i also suspect that the folks at rock plaza would prefer to have Today go live for 4 straight hours, and a new affiliate could help them there.

[newsie007]

It seems Darth Ansin over-estimated his own self-inflated importance, power... and that of his station altogether.
The link below is from Variety magazine in Hollywood... stating Ansin is staying silent... probably after eating some humble pie... and having his butt handed to him by NBC.

Apparently Ansin found out HE is as expendable to NBC when the chips are down... as Ansin sees his employees here in Boston.

... a taste of "crow" - Darth ?

Read it for details.
www.variety.com/article/VR1118002125.html?categoryid=3577&cs=1

[chrisnh]

I don't quite understand the 'BRILLIANT STROKE' analysis. More news programs means that the audience gets fractured. Who's to say that this 10pm rakes in big dough? Are you just 'assuming' it will? And based on what? Fewer eyeballs means that ad rates will need to come down; who will pay BIG ad rates for SMALL audiences? So there's that.

And what does WHDH do with all the other hours when content isn't given to them from the Peacock? Endless commercials for 'ShamWOW?' Andy Griffith re-runs?

[seeveebee]

Here's why, Chris:

a.) 10 PM is far more important than 11PM. HUT/PUT levels at 11 PM have been doing a nose dive. Don't believe me? Talk to the good folks at the local Fox.

b.) When Leno approached NBC about a cheap cost plan to fill the 10 PM-11PM Net slot FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK, the budget cutters at NBC were thrilled. The AFFILIATES, who bank on lead-in at 11 CRINGED. Why do you think WBZ is #1 at 11 PM?? 3 simple letters C-B-S. The Lead-in. That simple.

c.) Not only will LENO serve an exclusive purpose of saving GE money--the small ratings he delivers to the Affiliates are OLDER demos, the least desirable and least sellable.

Some one here stated that Ansin is looking for a Divorce, and I think I agree. I think he wants to make Channel 7 a true LOCAL station with LOCAL all morning, 4 through 6:30 PM, and 10 PM midnight.

The interests of the Networks and the Affiliates simply CONFLICT too much in this era. Throwing FILLER programming in what may be the most important Hour of the day may serve the interests of GE's accountants---but it sure as heck does not serve the interersts of the LOCAL station.

I think Ansin is leading on this score. He may be very early. And he may even be wrong in the near term. But ultimately, the local affiliate sheep will follow. And my bet is --the OTHER local GMs are rooting hard for him knowing he represents THEIR interests.

[seeveebee]

Also Chris Re: your question about programming--see Bostonmediaguy's excellent plausible scenario. Makes sense IMO. No Andy Griffeth as far as I can tell

[BTVNadmin]

Leno has responded: news.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/2009_04_06_Hola__Telemundo!_Leno_downplays_7_snub/srvc=home&position=4