WABC - 7 Eyewitness News

[CircleSeven 1944]

3 hours ago, MisterBill said:

So when is the 10am show premiering? They swapped Tamron Hall to 2pm last week and put Rachel Ray repeats at 10am. Same this week.

No. Today's the first day Tamron is airing on the new timeslot. Tamron was on at 10am on Friday.

[mountainave 530]

People often ask and speculate about on-air talent compensation.  NYC passed a law that took effect a year or two ago requiring employers to publicize a role's salary range in job descriptions.  WABC is currently hiring on-air roles, providing some relevant data.  The current hiring range for a General Assignment Reporter is 150-200k, and the current hiring range for an Anchor/Reporter (replacing Mike Marza on the weekends) is 250k-400k.  Other elements of compensation factor in, of course, as does negotiation.

[IceManNYR 222]

I've noticed this week, Brittany has been doing the weather forecasts 4:30-6am and Sam is on for 6am.

 

Also it appears that Heather is doing the traffic reports from a different green screen key wall.

She was not in studio last week and after two days off was not in studio today.

[MorningNews 1290]

I thought I was crazy this morning but Heather definitely wasn’t in the same studio. The lighting was pretty bad wherever she was.

 

It was reported here last week that Brittany would do 4:30-6 with Sam doing 6-7, 10am and Noon.

[IceManNYR 222]

7 minutes ago, MorningNews said:

I thought I was crazy this morning but Heather definitely wasn’t in the same studio. The lighting was pretty bad wherever she was.

 

The only thing I can think of is, it's some type precaution and she's isolating from everyone in the studio.

[nynewsguy 66]

Heather is wfh 

[MediaZone4K 1509]

5 hours ago, MorningNews said:

I thought I was crazy this morning but Heather definitely wasn’t in the same studio. The lighting was pretty bad wherever she was.

 

It was reported here last week that Brittany would do 4:30-6 with Sam doing 6-7, 10am and Noon.

seems like sam opted for a shift where he didnt have to get up too early. The 6-7 am being the most critical block in the morning show. I totally dont blame him, but it is an odd split for an AM news cast.

[abric 157]

WGN has a similar situation with one meteorologist doing 4-6 am and another from 6-10 am

[MediaZone4K 1509]

35 minutes ago, abric said:

WGN has a similar situation with one meteorologist doing 4-6 am and another from 6-10 am

Well, that I understand because WGN has news from 4-10a uninterrupted  then again from 11am to 1pm. I just found this to be an odd format for a regular two and a half hour morning show. 

[MediaZone4K 1509]

21 hours ago, mountainave said:

People often ask and speculate about on-air talent compensation.  NYC passed a law that took effect a year or two ago requiring employers to publicize a role's salary range in job descriptions.  WABC is currently hiring on-air roles, providing some relevant data.  The current hiring range for a General Assignment Reporter is 150-200k, and the current hiring range for an Anchor/Reporter (replacing Mike Marza on the weekends) is 250k-400k.  Other elements of compensation factor in, of course, as does negotiation.

Cool! Had no idea journalism was still paying that high on the local level, even in a top market.

[nycnewsjunkie 1395]

48 minutes ago, MediaZone4K said:

Cool! Had no idea journalism was still paying that high on the local level, even in a top market.

I mean, it’s the top market in the country; by no means is it the norm. And it’s not like those stations are hiring most of these people right out of college. People still have to slog through smaller markets with crap pay in order to get there.

[MediaZone4K 1509]

On 9/7/2023 at 2:03 PM, nycnewsjunkie said:

I mean, it’s the top market in the country; by no means is it the norm. And it’s not like those stations are hiring most of these people right out of college. People still have to slog through smaller markets with crap pay in order to get there.

Still, in NYC, I assumed only anchors were making those numbers. I didn't pucture big apple reporters making past $80K unless they were long tenured like NJ Burkett or Jim Dolan.  It's refreshing to see a news agency paying far more than a liveable wage. 

[mountainave 530]

New promo for tomorrow's launch: 

 

https://fb.watch/m-kJBFTEhZ/?mibextid=qC1gEa

Edited September 11, 2023 by mountainave

[NYNewsCoverage 257]

Definitely noticed the updated parts of the studio for a new look  We shall see if the new graphics debut in full tomorrow

[Vlad 276]

Currently watching the show and streaming it at work, it is very different and refreshing. More in-depth focus on issues and it looks great! Chemistry is great amongst the hosts. For a change, they are not using the Eyewitness News theme Package. Still has the same ole 2016 graphics package with some new gold and yellow morning elements to it. Definitely not the traditional broadcast that we are used to seeing. They have a cute little Circle 7 desk in front of the main desk and the backdrop has been changed. The new opening sequence is really nice they still are on the Talent Open, and they also have a new theme too, not Eyewitness News at all. I think it's a nice effort and is quite refreshing and that is essentially what I was pretty much asking for in a few of the previous posts and they are delivering that. Kudos to WABC for making this show different. Let's see how what everyone thinks! Sam Champion is quite the host! So nice to see him not only doing the weather but also anchoring the show so good for him on that. 

[EricTheEnthusiast 39]

Couldn't agree more with what Vlad said. It's exactly what the 10am "news" show should be, hosts are great, glad to see Sam there the whole time. Well executed by WABC.

[24994J 5269]

Any Dani at all? She wasn't in the open. I'm assuming she's taken the weekend morning slot, and will only be on 3 days during the week. Safe assumption?

[Georgie56 3059]

Dani appeared toward the end of the newscast.

[MorningNews 1290]

I mostly liked what I saw this morning but they were definitely channeling Rosanna and GDNY with their Adams interview. Shirleen, Mike and Sam took turns finishing a few of his answers for him.

[mountainave 530]

Here's the open: https://www.facebook.com/ABC7NY/posts/pfbid0J8V6wWZ3ntt6WUQPnEqgqhudncciAqZfzZv9zWKvT2pyRNMY1HRs39kW655tiHVMl?

 

Interview with Eric Adams: https://abc7ny.com/eric-adams-new-york-city-mayor-eyewitness-news-mornings-at-10-migrants/13772316/?

 

 

 

[sfomspphl 453]

Interesting experiment. Creative way to adapt the set and a broadcast that takes more time interviewing while also covering lighter things so it isn't a snoozer like 'Up Close.' Those are some of the things I found interesting about KUSI that got me watching local news more often again.

 

Not used to having Sam during a political interview - does he have to be 'along for the ride' the whole show? I guess he is the pro talent and most seasoned of the bunch, but then why not make him the lead interviewer if that's the role? Like go all the way instead of an awkward middle.

 

The music isn't singing to me, not distinctive enough for a daily Eyewitness News show, maybe they'll play around and find something else. 

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by sfomspphl

[MorningNews 1290]

To be entirely honest I could very well see them reverting this newscast to their more traditional EWN format sooner than later. An extra hour of standard EWN at 10 might feel like overkill but it would be successful no doubt.

[mountainave 530]

17 minutes ago, MorningNews said:

To be entirely honest I could very well see them reverting this newscast to their more traditional EWN format sooner than later. An extra hour of standard EWN at 10 might feel like overkill but it would be successful no doubt.

What makes you say that?  It's been on the air for one day.

[NYNewsCoverage 257]

I think Mike and Shirleen make a good pairing overall, and I think adding Sam as a 'third anchor' of sorts was a very smart move due to his credentials/name recognition. In terms of light newscasts, there seem to be quite a variety now:

-CBS 2 News at 9 with Cindy Hsu (more of a 'positive' newscast; not a huge fan of the forced back and forth with weather, like when the anchor would ask a question to segue weather reports instead of just a normal weather broadcast)

-New York Living (although that entire show completely changed vibes to be way lighter fare when they replaced Chris with Alex, but I will acknowledge Marysol and Alex gel very well)

-GDNY 9am hour (although this is an extension of GDNY it can be viewed as a new show somewhat)

 

But back to EWN I'm starting to think Dani is there to fill the void whenever Sam can't be, since I think* he takes off every Friday? So in that case, it makes sense to market the newscast as 4 people as opposed to 3 when 1 is consistently off on a certain day. 

It seems like they are slowly preparing for the new look but it will debut sometime this Fall, (sigh) hopefully. 

[MorningNews 1290]

1 hour ago, mountainave said:

What makes you say that?  It's been on the air for one day.

It wasn’t necessarily meant as a critique of the show by any means, just that these “looser” newscast experiments tend to revert back to more traditional formats after some time. 

 

When it was announced I said something along the lines that they could show a replay of the 6am hour at 10am and still do well.