The Definitive ABC 7 Thread

24994J · October 26, 2013

I actually thought of that the other day, as well. Let Troy do the early half of the Sunday show, and Phil takes over at 7 (during GMA) or 8. This is good, but still not ideal.

24994J · October 31, 2013

So, it's good news/bad news for WLS. 'Live' has taken over the top spot from WGN at 9am, leading by more than half a point...certainly a change from September. On the other hand, 'Windy City Live' has now dipped to third in the 11am hour, which I frankly think is as low as they'll go (NBC and Fox? Please). The 3-way race of 2, 7, and 9 is also rather close, just a third of a point separating first (WGN, 2.9) to third (WLS, 2.6). In all of this, I would say that CBS2 (2.7 at 11) is the big winner.

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2013/10/31/channel-7s-windy-city-live-dips-in.html

CircleSeven · November 6, 2013

This is some sad ass shit. And I’m not lying. I know it’s been ten days, but it’s still a somber moment for me.

The fact that it finally happened, is nothing short of poignant. It's been ten days but I'm still in grieving mode. The fact that they had to end 21 years of not only a musical piece that’s been very synonymous to the station, But the viewers who grew to accustom it, after the main News Series 2000 theme ended. I mentioned about the sentiment of the music, I don’t think its even stronger than right now. After October 25’s 10pm show, it’s was like a part of me, a piece of my childhood, just died with it, The fact that the News Series 2000 Plus theme would last this long it nothing short of incredible. Yes, at six years old, I wasn’t fond of the theme when it first began, because it didn’t really sound like its predecessor theme News Series 2000, you know the Cool Hand Luke update. Yeah the 1989 morning theme survived for another eight years and a few months (and btw, I missed the original theme more than the 2001 themes). But over the years, even after 1998 when Floyd Kalber left, when one of the last original NS2000 cues was used for his closings during the 6pm show, and started using the Plus almost full time and even after the 2005 Hothaus Graphics change, I’ve grew to embrace it. I’ve not only grew to embrace a longtime news theme, but while the other O&Os have gotten new music, the station decided not to acquire new music. Yes they’d acquired that 2001 update to their morning theme. I think the last time the station went with completely new music was back in 2007, when they did

, and it was the last time a new update was used, prior to that unveiling of the new package with that new name (which I will still not going to utter) in 2009.

In 2007, when I found out here that the station would probably get new music, every time before that 3:28pm tease comes on, I would fear that the new music would come. But as the time went it never came. Fast forward to ten days ago, when I heard what I just now found out its NG2 cue of that other ABC theme, I had terrible feeling inside. I was thinking, OMG, I can’t believe this shit. Then the opening theme song was played. I couldn’t do nothing but shake my head. This is sad. To the fact that the 1992 theme is now gone. I can’t believe those bastards would do that? I highly commend Tom Hebel for not using these cues, because none of them would have the characteristics that the 1992 & 2001 cues have. It’s sad that just almost 13 months ago, he resign as CSD of Channel 7. And that’s when old Dumbo Idler, brought his little sidekick Curtis Miles from his other station to replace Hebel. This is what I have feared, that once a new CSD would come, the theme that I grew to embrace and love would cease. And since the inevitability happened, it’s a goddamn shame.

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Let’s talk about the cues.

Yes the new evening cues have that familiar News Series 2000 Plus signature logo as the original theme, but the tune itself was indeedly recycled from that updated morning theme that WFSB used. And the shocking thing about that is, that is my favorite Advantage NG cue thus far. I love that cue. As I explained, the bumper theme used is from NG2 of the ABC O&O package. I dunno why they pick that cue for the bumpers and teases because it’s very inconsistent to the opening & closing cues which those both are the same theme. There’s some other cue that replaced that guitar-driven cue from original NS2000+ for their return from commercial cue, which that cue includes the familiar NS2000 logo on it.

Now let’s talk about the morning cues now. And the “New” and I’m saying new loosely because this cue is not new to me whatsoever. Not in any stretch of the imagination. Earlier I stated that I received WLS’s sister stations in NY & LA via satellite. So we’ve gone from a 2001-composed customized morning theme recycled from another Gari tune, First News, to a morning cue from that other ABC pack that was composed hmmm seven years prior, in 1994? Now don’t get me wrong, I love the older Gari stuff more than the NG themes anyday. So they’re using the morning theme 1994 Series 1 ABC O&O pack. But the bumper they use is none of than that same music they use for the opening & closing cues for the evening shows. And then the cues used to return from commercial is a variant of the NG2 bumper they use for the nighttime shows. So you come from somewhat consistent (they were obviously inconsistent when dropping the afternoon bumper outside of 11am show in 2009, but the morning & evening shows were somewhat consistent), to a boat load of inconsistencies with the use of the newer cues.

Let me brief y’all about when I first heard this new morning theme. I first heard this theme on WABC, first WLS doesn’t used this segment of theme, but it’s at the beginning of the full theme song. That segment was used for WABC’s longtime campaign “Protect Our Children” where they show children across the tri-state area who have been missing, and they would play that theme for that. I also heard it on WABC’s longtime public affairs program, “Viewpoint” where they played the theme song in full as a close. Also check this out, this morning theme, was even customized to include the WABC’s familiar 5-note signature logo (y’all know what I’m talking about). In LA, KABC would use this theme song as a bumper & closing to their morning themes, yet they continued to use the main opening theme song for the opens, until its HD launch in 2006. That version of the same morning theme also was customized to include the KABC’s 4-note signature logo on it.

So I’ve heard the WABC & KABC versions of the same theme song, What WLS is using is neither one of those versions, as they’re using the 6-note Generic version of that theme song. But wait what did lazynetjunkie said?:

Which baffles me to why they are using those specific EWN Series 1 cuts because sometime back in the early to mid '90s, Gari did send WLS a hybrid EWN/NS2000+ demo with a handful of full cuts from EWN Series 1, CD 1 with the NS2000+ signature which WLS rejected at the time. If I remember correctly, it had that morning theme with the NS2000+ signature.. For anyone who has a copy of Gari's 1994 news sampler, one of the cuts from that WLS demo (evening close) is on track one (Frank Gari Introduction) of the '94 sampler. My only guesses are that it got lost sometime over the years, Tom took the CD with him when he got the boot, and/or the current CSD has no idea of those cuts in existence.

Hmmmm, I didn’t think about it until he mentioned it. Could is possibly be a customized Series 1 with the NS2000+ logo on it? And if both WABC & KABC had custom versions of the Series 1 themes, then no doubt it had a version with the NS2000+ version for WLS. And if Gari still have the masters for those versions, and if that demo is still around, I wish Gari can dig it up and resurrect it, so WLS if they chose to continue to use that morning theme, to use the version with the NS2000 logo of it, instead of the generic logo. If they can smack-dab the WABC logo into the KABC’s breaking news cue from Series 1, I can’t say that it can’t done. But to tell you the truth, Hearing all the cues they use now, I’m saddened that Idler & Miles decided to eliminate a theme song that resonate with many of its viewers.

__________________________________

I’ve saw the Facebook & Twitter feeds throughout this past ten days, And while some comments were positive on the day of the launch, as the days went on, and some weren’t as happy about the changes. Many folks were complaining about the new graphics were to in-your face & busy, to the morning ticker being small (a couple of days later, it appears that they’ve enlarged the font of the ticker and use all caps). Some other, which said that the old graphics were unique and stood out more, they even compared the new graphics as it looks like it was similar to the graphics from the other competitors, like Channel 2 (which by the font and main color, it does kind-of look a bit similar to the 2002 package) and Channel 5; to looking more like the other ABC O&Os. To me the new graphics kind of splashes a combonation of elements from graphics from other sister-stations. Although it doesn’t look like it fully, but the opening has that style almost like the opening of KABC’s current opening. And the lower thirds are almost like a condensed version of the similar lower thirds used by sister-station WABC.

Like I’ve said before, I don’t really care about set or graphics changes, but the music is like the bread and butter of the cosmetic presentation. Thank God the content style and delivery haven't changed. But the use of the new music cues doesn’t fit the longtime content style & delivery of the station’s newscast. Yes the graphics are now a tad bit flashier and a bit too busy, but if you can work around it by tweaking with it, the original theme song would’ve worked. The newer evening cue doesn’t have the characteristics that the original 1992 theme had. Like I stated I commend Tom Hebel for not using those newer cues, and if he would’ve stayed, we probably would’ve still used the same theme today. When you do changes, you have to think about an effect that it would end up outraging viewers. I’m not happy that it isn’t a PVI-effect, despite having some smaller complaints, while I still see a few that said, they do love the graphics. Like I stated, for some who are younger then 20-years old, never heard anything other than the old theme. News Series 2000 Plus was our MCTYW of Chicago, and it’s sad that on Friday Night, October 25, 2013 would be the last night that of News Series 2000 Plus. It’s like a part of me just left with it. To me, and maybe some others, the old theme had sentimental value. And Dumbo Idler and his sidekick Miles stripped that the next night, with some uncharacteristic, watered-down New Generation version of the old theme. We all know that the newer versions of the themes made by Gari is nothing good compared to the Original. Now don’t get me wrong. I love every Gari theme from the old to the new. But there’s a strong difference whether these cues are appropriate with the content of the station’s newscast. I remember what Emily Barr stated that its now previous theme song would last another 15 years. It would have. Just when Ms. Barr left Channel 7, I was worried that once they get rid of Hebel or if Hebel retires, someone new would come and strip away the theme. Now since the inevitability occurred ten days ago, the uniqueness is now gone. Yes Eyewitness News name returns, and it shouldn’t left. But the familiar tune that I grew up listening to, the one that I didn’t even like when I first heard it, but grew to embrace so many years later, and the longevity of the usage, is now ceased. When folks who live in Chicago or people visiting the city, folks know that theme by heart. Who would remember the new theme, despite having some form of the older theme? The old theme in the consciousness of the viewers in Chicago this long, it would’ve probably lasted another 21 years. These newer themes, including the new NS2000+ NG evening cue and those assortments of ABC O&O Theme cues, wouldn’t even last a year. And you wonder why Gari always does these timely updates to existing packages? Nowadays, when you change the theme music once, it will be changed again and again. Where ever happened to using music that will last a long time? Do every station have to change their theme songs every 9 months to 5 years? Stations just pick a pre-composed package and that’s it, with no planning in producing a commissioned cue of their own. I hate that now my favorite television station looks closely like a clone of these other O&Os, just how I feared. It’s sad as hell, and it doesn’t make any goddamn sense. I always preach about the locality, identity, individuality, originality, creativity and the style of every station. And I feel that WLS lost nearly all of that at the start of the October 26’s show. I will never say “Oh it had a good run, but it was time to go”, “Oh it was a nice but, I want to change”. If an element have strong merit from the jump, then that should be a tradition that should never be altered, even if it is 21-years old. You can’t change 1992 to 2013 in a easy snap of the finger. I stand firm when I say “If it ain’t broke, Don’t fix it”. And I really stand firm when I say, “Change Ain’t Always Good”. These two mottos I stand firm for and that’s what I feel with these changes at Channel 7. If Miles and Idler really did their homework, as they stated they did their own study that Eyewitness News still reasonate with Chicago, and that I won’t protest, wouldn’t have been wise to think long and hard about the history and the sentiment of the music? I don’t think they’d got it when you play this new somewhat watered-down uncharacteristic version of the theme, while you laced that with some ABC NG2 cues, then place the morning theme from Series 1 theme with the Generic Logo of the ABC package, older than the 2001 theme. If I had a morning theme of choice, I would resurrect the 1989 theme. Yeah, it could’ve been far worst. They probably would’ve forgo all of NS2000 themes and go full straight ABC O&O Theme and I would really been pissed than. But I’m already pissed as is at this point.

My major point is this, with dropping the 21-year News Series 2000 Plus theme, was the WORST move John Idler and Curtis Miles have done since stepping foot at 190 North State Street. But I cannot be shocked because, that’s been their plan from the get-go. Their plan was to change to try to alter the uniqueness of the station, and make it more like these other O&O stations. Look at where they came from? The same station Mike Caplan was before coming to Channel 7, and where WBBM’s Don Schwenneker is now at. Listen to the new talent open and listen to that other station’s talent open, and you will wonder what that “You’re Watching…” came from. And my biggest pet-peeve is where the announcer ends the opening with that “……Starts Right Now”. Another element that other station use. I cringe when I hear that. It’s a shame that my favorite television station has to succumb to these changes that makes this station look so bland, or blend in to not only the O&Os, but the competiting stations. They could’ve kept the new graphics without being so busy and flashy and kept the original theme in, but they had to go the NG route, and that’s plain sad. It’s even more depressingly painful is hearing the new cues over the older cues, it sounds like they’re from a smaller mid-market station, instead of a big market station. Every time I hear that NG2 cue, and that even that new closing theme, I have a bad cringing feeling inside and I don’t like having that feeling. I guess because I miss those old cues, any new cue that comes about pales really bad in comparision. It’s really sad that they had to get rid of News Series 2000 Plus and use a new dried-up version of it. Seriously, dropping the 1992 News theme is like losing someone you love, And that is how I feel. What I’m going to miss the most is the 90+ second closing theme, which on some nights, you damn near hear that almost in full. But I guess they don’t care about bringing at least that back. They wouldn’t mind playing that looped up bumper cue, and the end logo of the new close, which doesn’t have the feel like the old theme have. And that alone is shame.

So John Idler & Curtis Miles better be happy, because there are some folks that are not liking their changes they’ve made with the station. I guess they don’t care about those who don’t. But as I said before, they better hope they don’t lose their #1 spot. And if they change “refresh” the station is to get more ratings, I think that they’re dead wrong. And I hope there not saying that changing the music cues is because of a cost-cutting move either, because if that is the case, I think its 100% grade-A purified bullshit. In an overall sense, they just don’t care about historical overtones or the sentimental value of those elements. The Dumbo even said it in an interview with Lewis Lazare stated that he doesn’t like the word “nostalgic”. That should tell you right there that if they cared, they wouldn’t drop the 1992 News Series 2000 Plus theme. I don’t buy any of their reasonings why they brought back to Eyewitness News name, because my theory is the only reason why they bought back the name is not because people in Chicago still resonate with the name, is because the new heads obviously did it to not only try to invite more younger demographic with shiny new graphics and such, and to try to change some of the content to incorporate the new cosmetic elements of the newscast, but to eliminate the differentiation from the other O&Os, ending the “One of these things is not like the other..”-mantra, and I guess they have accomplished that. And it’s just plain sad. Originality is what made this station so unique, from the other O&Os and It’s sad now that it has been altered, by getting rid of an element that resonated with the viewers.

To me, Idler is WORST than Ahern, bar none. I don’t care if y’all defend those no-good dirty lowdown bastards (That’s what I said) Dumbo Idler and his sidekick Miles, but I’m not. I haven’t since he stepped foot at 190 North State Street 17 months ago and I’m not now. All they do is to change everything that I love about the station and doesn’t care in the process. It’s a goddamn shame that they had to go this route, to eliminate a timeless gem. The damage has already been done. I’ve witnessed other stations eliminating its longtime theme song in other markets in recent years, KTVU, WCSH, WSYR, but this one hits close to home, and the sentiment is even stronger. I’ve seen it happen at other stations, but I never thought WLS would be one of those stations. And it’s all thanks to John Idler & Curtis Miles.

In closing, I'm not impressed. Although I would be exceedingly pissed, and I am, I'm more sad about this than anything. Like I said before, bringing the Eyewitness News name back was never the problem. But getting rid of a timeless gem was the worst move I've seen since his tenure. It is painful to hear all those new cues, especially hearing that NG bumper and that new evening close. I don't care how old, or how some folks have said it was to "dated" it was. News Series 2000 Plus was a historical overtone that should've never died.

This is some sad ass shit. Sad Sad Sad.

24994J · November 6, 2013

I'm going to say something, and you might be a little surprised.

I disagree with you on many of your points, but I do appreciate knowing your final assessment of all of this. Now, I'm not looking to debate anything, I think we can agree to disagree, and be gentlemen on the matter. That said, I still insist that it's not Idler's intent to destroy the station. It literally makes no sense. Including Idler, four managers have been in place during the nearly 3-decade run as number one, and no one wants to be the one to lose it. Sure, they've recently lost some ground, but I really don't think that's anyone's fault. ANYONE. It's just the nature of the business. There are high points, low points, and the transitional periods. The latter is where I believe WLS currently sits. Whether that's still dropping or back rising, I'm not sure. The other stations in town (save for one) have become more competitive, and are testing the strength of the Circle 7. It's a generational cycle, but I think channel 7 still has years before there's anything to truly be worried about. They're not going to win every slot everyday, that's just how it goes.

Back to the boss. He's made several mistakes, for sure. There are many words I'd use for him...aloof, conforming, (somewhat) insensitive, even lazy, but most of all NAIVE...certainly not bastard (which I kinda think is a little immature, but to each his own). Again, why would anyone want to destroy a station? I don't think that he's trying to ruin everything as much as he doesn't properly understand the history. Yes, a lot of supposed "research" was done, and you'd think somewhere along the line Idler and Miles would've picked up some stuff, but they didn't. For that, I call them lazy and oblivious, but I maintain that none of this is malicious. He was good enough that Barr employed him, I'd like to think that would count for something. Again, lazy and oblivious, not "no-good dirty lowdown bastards". That's probably a little more than harsh, and even on an adult-driven forum like this, a tad unprofessional and inappropriate. As for Miles, he has his presentation style, it is what it is. I'm not too thrilled with his moves, either.

As for the changes...for me, most of it is some little things. For you, it's one big thing. I wholeheartedly agree that the music usage is messy. The late shows are fairly consistent, but the update lacks the personality of the '92 package. I'm mostly satisfied with the opens. They look good, the wording is a little odd, but the cuts work. The PM talent opens are, to my taste, close enough to the original to warrant a half thumbs-up from me. The mornings are especially rough, though. The short open still sounds crappy with how it cuts off suddenly. The talent open, like the later shows, is pretty good. I don't like the use of NS2K13+ (that's what I'm calling it) for the morning bumpers, but I don't really like the bumper to start with. In turn, I don't really like the evening close. The EWN cut used for the morning close is pretty sweet. It's a little outdated, and it's not a theme we're used to on WLS, but it's got substance. Overall, I still think they could've done worse. I do appreciate that they didn't COMPLETELY switch to Eyewitness News. I'll miss the old packages, but I'll get used to it (I already have, and that disappoints me greatly).

In terms of graphics, they are what they are. There's clearly a lot of common features seen on other ABC stations, but this is, without a doubt its own package. A little resemblance across the station group is one thing, and standardized graphics are another. I'm glad ABC appears to be sticking with the former. Some of the animations are pointless, or at minimum overdone, but that's just the nature of graphics these days. Most of it is quick, quite fluid and looks decent, unlike WABC's which is WAAAAAAAAAAAY overdone. Look at the 2005 package, it fit the style of that time just as much as the new look does.

For my money, WLS is still putting out the best product in town, even if some aspects are lacking compared to the past. WFLD is shit. WGN is looking a little stale these days (and I'm not talking about ANOTHER L3 refresh). WBBM is decent, but the set is lacking and they have several flaws in their presentation. And last but not least, to the single most overrated media entity in town, channel 5. I like very little about anything they do anymore. Sometimes I actually wish they went back to the pre-2012 WMAQ. The set is good, the anchor teams are mediocre (I'll never understand the appeal of Stafford and Rosati as a team), and the station's use of graphics and music are weak. They took a good theme and put in no effort, resulting in a very cheap listening experience. And Look F on NBC5 makes me wish we had Look A again. Case in point, here is a comparison of WLS and WMAQ's breaking news graphics, taken this afternoon at nearly the same time...

The WMAQ image really makes me want to throw up. It looks like crap. Look F is very clean, yet the WMAQ graphics department makes it look beyond clunky and cartoonish. I'd rather they'd switch to the serifed, LA Grooved New York/San Fran presentation. At least that's classy. The other thing that really irks me about channel 5 is the eternal chip they have on their shoulder. They've become competitive in the mornings, and have shown growth (albeit minimal) in the later hours, yet they act like they won a freakin' Nobel prize. Channel 7 does the same thing, but at least they've earned the right. Something about their overall image comes off as so pretentious, when the biggest difference between old and new NBC5 is a glorified paint job and an investigative unit.

Anyway, back on-topic. I don't like a lot of the recent changes at WLS. I can't fully dictate how disappointed I am at some things, for I'd be going against my personal standards of decency to do so. To close, this may sound like an attack to some, but all I have to say is, that if the station's management, content, look and sound have changed to the point of instilling anger, I'm only left to ask...

WHY ARE YOU STILL WATCHING?

CircleSeven · November 12, 2013

I’m going to say this. And this is yet another lengthy post.

I’m going to state how I feel, and I’m not looking for anyone to agree or disagree with me, and that's fine. Folks are entitled to their own opinions, and that’s always a good thing. But I’m just going to state how I feel and that’s that.

Now with all of that being said, I feel that, with the great product and a very strong and rich history and heritage that WLS have, I feel that they’ve cheapen themselves when they started using the new cues, now going on two weeks now. With a station like WLS, the station had what I didn’t even realized when the 1992 theme first began, that it would end up being their best theme, and happened to end up being their longest used theme song in the station’s history. Hell, while other stations in the country have used their longtime music packages, would get updates that Gari throw at them, WLS was gutsy enough to continue using the same 1992 theme, even when New Generation themes first began in the mid-2000s, and Gari even did an update for them, which of course the former management rejected, which like I stated, I commend them for doing so. And while many NG themes were used on a daily and consistent basis in not only ABC, but CBS & NBC stations as well, I feel more embraced that WLS would continue to use the 1992 news theme this long, and not these dried up NG themes. And even though I hate the cues they use now, I don’t want them to throw the cues in the garage dump, like what they use to do with the tapes back in the day. I’m sure other ABC affiliates would love to use these cues, and some are probably already using the cues now. But like I stated WLS cheapens themselves using these cues, over the older cues. I know WLS isn’t like WPVI or WJZ. But by using their theme song this long, I really wanted to see thing same theme go longer than 20 years. I didn’t care if they had new set and graphics changes. I feel that so many stations have changed their music on a daily and consistent basis, I felt that familiarity and the longevity of the use of old theme song was just as powerful. The only ABC O&O that exemplify what I’m talking about is Fresno’s KFSN 30, which continues to use the same 1994 615 “News One” cues to this day.

I know I’ve said this before, but what would’ve happened if someone would go to WPVI and get rid of MCTYW, and started using that same Gari ABC theme WPVI’s sister-station across the turnpike is using? Could we see a PVI-effect V.2. No one from Philly would love that. I’m not happy, it's been 17 days now, since the changes were implemented, that the PVI-effect didn’t happen here. I don’t care how the new theme is similar to the old theme. It just sound very cheap. It’s almost like comparing the 1972 composition of The Price Is Right Theme to the 2007 recording of it. But the 2007 recording is damn near identical to the 72. The bad thing is that the 2007 theme sound more of a festive, positive feel, the older theme had more sensitive characteristics in that theme. News Series 2000 Plus had all the characteristics bar none.

But with all that said, it’s so sickening that these imbecile bastards drop a historic overtone like this. I don’t care how they said, they brought back the Eyewitness News name to “refreshen up” the station. While I don’t care about the set and graphics changes, I feel that some elements needed to be left alone. I feel that a longevity and the familiarity of a news theme means more than anything else. And to have it altered on October 26, make the cosmetic changes look awfully cheap. Like I said, the quality of the station, as solid as Channel 7, deserves to keep its longtime news theme. And as those cues drag on past 21 years, it becomes more of a staple, let alone of a tradtion. And its sad those 21 years went down the drain. History went down the drain.

Yes, I called John Idler a bastard. No I called him, well both of them, him and his sidekick Curtis Miles, a “no-good dirty lowdown bastards”. Yes, I said it. So what? Yes, you can say its “a little more than harsh” and “a tad unprofessional and inappropriate” and I’ll add another word to it because I’d said this before, “childish”. But I’m not denying what I said. I’m not backtracking what I said, because I meant every word that I said, and I make no apologies. But what I said a long ago on this board, whether I call him a “Dumbo” or a “Bastard” or whether I call “Massa” David (Smith from Sincrap) the “Devil”, or if I call John Seabers (of WOAI/KABB) a “hypocritical bastard”, or if I call Armstrong Williams an “Uncle Tom” (and I know damn well he is), or if I say Sincrap or Sinturd or Sinshit or Shitclair, or Cunningrab or Stealfield, it’s not going to change the way I think of them, and it’s not going to make them change their ways. They will continue to do whatever there going to do, whether I like what they’re doing or not. Any change we hate them do, we'll go back here and bitch about it. And I also said, I wasn’t going to sugar-code shit, or lolly-gag, or milly-mally or dilly-dally, or beat around the bush, or tip-toe through the tulips. He's been changing this station left and right since he began, and I have to be mute and not say a word when something that seems not right to me, or suck it up and say “hey, good job with the new look and stripping a longtime theme song, nice work.”? HELL NO!!! HELL NO!!! He deserves to be called what he needed to be called. He needs to be taken accountable for what he does. So If I call him a bastard, I call him a bastard. And I stand firm by that. And with all that said, and I’ve said this before, It is what it is and I call it as I see it. I call a SPADE a SPADE!! And I make absolutely no apologies. And if they don’t like it, then Tough Titty. I'm tired of their shit. “OH!!! please don't call him a bastard, that's not nice. It’s not right to blame him. Oh please don't blame ol' Johnny Boy, not ol' John-John. Give him a chance, he’s trying. Don’t penalize him for trying, He’s trying his best”. Trying MY ASS!!! :mad: Oh he’s trying alright. Trying to strip the station’s charm and originality and make it more like the other O&Os. If I see something that’s absolutely not right, it comes down to who’s the captain of the ship, who’s the commander of the board, and who’s the keeper of the key? And that one who fits all of those hats is John Idler. 13 months ago, he was the one the got rid of one of the best CSDs in town for one of his boys from his old station. That was already a red flag right there. And fast forward to October 26 of this year, two weeks ago when the inevitable happen, that was when they place the final nail of the coffin and that’s when the damage was already done, just as I feared. You can’t blame it on the on-air talent, or many of the behind the scene folks. The one that made the call to get rid of the longtime music were down to just two people. And those two people are John Idler and his sidekick Curtis Miles.

I don’t think he’s lazy. I think he does have a plan, and his plan is what he’s been doing these past 17 months, and that is doing what the corporate masters telling him to do. And I still think he’s Rebecca Campbell’s ass-kisser, even if any of you think he’s not. And I still think there’s other stuff up his sleeve. I don’t care anymore since the damage has already been done. And yeah I don’t think he’s trying to, what you’ve called it, “destroy” the station. But based on everything that he has done thus far since stepping foot at 190 North State, and even if y’all don’t think he’s is, I think, and I repeat, I think that his is stripping (I didn’t say “destroy”, but I guess the music cue changes, I feel that that destroy have some malice at least because the 21-year news theme was a significant historical overtone) every little element, the “charm” and the “uniqueness” that I love about the station. And I've even said this previously, and that was the time when Sylvia was fired, that anything he does beyond this point would not been good in my book. With the end of the 21-year News Series 2000 Plus theme almost two weeks ago, I couldn’t be more dead on. I strongly understand the set & graphics need to change at some point overtime, I’m not going to protest that. But why get rid of something that was a timeless gem, that’s been synonymous to the station, and that resonate with the viewers of the station, the theme song that’s been loved by all for over two decades? They must be out of their goddamn minds to do such of a thing. It is beyond pitiful.

Again, I feel embraced & loved when stations are using the same theme song for a long period of time, like what KTVU did with the Michael Randall theme before 2010, or what WSOC did with the Joe Hogue theme until last year, and what WJZ is doing now with the Bruce Upchuch theme. Hell WKBW used MCTYW for 31 straight years before going to that boring-ass 615’s Right Here, Right Now theme in 2003, then resurrected MCTYW from the dead 5 years ago. Longevity means a lot when it comes to the music, and that brings it that historical overtone and make it much of a tradition to the station, because of the longevity of the cues. I strongly felt that WLS would be like those stations. News Series 2000 Plus was our MCTYW, and I felt that it should’ve never been changed. NEVER!! I don’t care if it’s a new dried-up version of it, the Original should’ve never been altered. But this Dumbass Dumbo wants to do whatever he wants to do, and doesn’t care who despises it. Which leads me to that question you stated at the end:

To close, this may sound like an attack to some, but all I have to say is, that if the station's management, content, look and sound have changed to the point of instilling anger, I'm only left to ask...

WHY ARE YOU STILL WATCHING?

I know this wasn’t intent straight at me, but I’ll answer it anyway. Why Am I’m Still Watching? I’m not going to give these other stations in town a time of day, I don’t care about the other stations in town because I’m not all that accustomed to them. And besides, I’m not going to break my habit and watch those other stations and avoid channel 7 because it continues to bring the best product out there. I’m specifically very irate of them using the newer cues. I’m more pissed of not hearing the older cues more, because like I said, the newer cues cheapens how great this station is. It cheapens it. None of the cues fit well with the style of the station. None of them. No station as great as WLS, needs to use these cues that sounds like a station from a mid-size market. Tom Hebel made the right decision not to use the newer cues. And I’ve gone to embrace the older theme a whole lot more as the longevity has grown more and more. Where is the longevity with the newer cues? I said in my previous post, none of the cues would last a year. No TV station that have news would even think about using the same music longer then even a decade plus. Hell not even five years. But despite all of these cosmetic changes, including the end of News Series 2000 Plus, I’m not going to say “Oh they’ve changed all of this? I’ll never going to watch the station ever again….” Because it doesn’t warrant that, despite have those two imbeciles stripping everything that I love. I care about WLS too much to stop watching, despite being sad about the music cues changes, but I’m excruciatingly pissed about those bastards that made that decision to get rid of the music cues, along the other stuff these bastards have done, like getting rid of the old movies airing on the weekend overnights. I look at the ABC O&Os, each station have the best product out there, including WLS. If I didn’t care about this station so much, I wouldn’t even be even be taking the time posting this or the post above. I wouldn’t have gave a damn. But since I do, I do have every right to say what I have to say, even if I am pissed about the things they’ve done recently. I’m not going to be mute and be silent about it, whether anyone likes it or not, whether anyone agrees or disagees with me, or otherwise. I care about this station so much that I don’t want to see this station look like these other O&Os and affiliates. If I see what’s not right about the stations, whether I’m watching Channel 7 or any other channel. And again, I’m exceeding irate about Dumbo and his sidekick being responsible for ditching those older cues, but at the same time, I’m moreso sad about this than angry. Now, 17 days in, and I’m still in mourning, I’m grieving through all of this. And I feel the music cue changes was the worst.

Now getting a bit-off topic since you mention about WMAQ and their gloatness. The folks from Channel 5 needs to sit their asses down and shut the hell up, Seriously. Wert wouldn’t even gloat like that, as the current folks do now. I strongly agree with you. The day they’d announce that they lead in the A25/54 demo back in July, they were gloating like they’ve won the giant lottery drawing. I don’t like that one bit. What if Channel 2 do the same thing, I think 5 would’ve shut their mouths then. Yes, 2, 5 & 9 have been testing the waters of WLS, and even before Ms. Barr’s departure, WLS had to step up their game even more to be more competitive. Notice why you hear the news promos on a constant basis, and it’s been like that even before Ms. Barr left. And it’s a good thing. Being more competitive is always a good thing. But WLS never had to gloat and those silly bragging, despite being on top. That bragging would only get you right back to where you was before. And you would wish you’ll never gloat.

But let me go back to the main piece of why I’m posting here. It took me a good while to get use to News Series 2000 Plus two decades ago. I don’t ever think I’ll ever get use to the new cues. As of now, I’m still can’t get over it. And I’ll add this.You stated that they’ve didn’t go completely with the other ABC pack. I now hear more cues of that package at this station more than ever before. The opening/closing theme & the bumper in the morning, and that return from commercial cue. And that early morning tease music they use on the weekend are NG version of NS2000+. All the other cues are from that other package. To me, all of these are just plain dry, and it doesn’t fit the content and the style of the news shows. It’s even excruciatingly painful to not and I repeat NOT hear the older cues AT ALL. I go back to the sentiment, the cues that I grew up listening too, which has sentimental value. It’s painful to hear the new cues where the old cues use to be, especially the use of the new cues also irks me gratetly. That’s where I get that real bad feeling inside. It’s almost like an equivalent of someone passing away, and you’re grieving so hard. It was like a part of me just left with it after the October 25’s 10pm show. The sentiment is really stronger now that the damage has already been done. I preach about the familiarity and longevity of a station’s news theme. It made no sense. You can’t change from 1992 to 2013 in a snap of a finger. As I said before, “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It. Change AIN’T Always Good”. Set & Graphics, I don’t care if they change that. And for the record, I wasn't worried about that because I had a hunch that new graphics were coming. Because they didn't make the new talent opens after Sylvia's departure. so it was only a matter of time. So again, I didn't care for that. Content formula, style and delivery, thank God that station still have that. But the music should’ve never been touched. It’s bad to hear the new cues, but it’s gutwrenchingly painful to not hear the old cues. Those precious cues. The cues that I grew up too. I feel that any station who have used a theme song for a long period of time, and that song works with the style of the station’s newscasts and it resonates with the viewers, and the song cements into that person’s consciousness and brings sentimental value, like MCTYW in Philly, and it has that longevity, which makes it a tradition and a historical overtone, than the station should never alter it and drop its longtime theme song. So in closing, and I don’t give a damn what anyone says, I stand firm for what I said eliminating the LONGEST-used news theme in the station’s history was THE WORST move they’ve ever done. It was NEVER a reason to eliminate a timeless gem like News Series 2000 Plus. Absolutely NEVER. It's a shame. Terrible.

And I’m going to leave it at that. Y’all can take it for what it’s worth. And y’all can send it straight to the cleaners.

Newsdude312 · November 12, 2013

Have you considered psychotherapy?

24994J · November 12, 2013

Have you considered psychotherapy?

Not cool, man. While I don't agree with him on a few points, he's more than entitled to his opinion. All of us here have our passions, quirks, and interests. There's absolutely no reason to diss someone for it. If I said half of the things on my mind at any given time, I'd be the one needing therapy.

Pavelsauce · November 12, 2013

Seriously, CircleSeven, calm down. Take a break, take some deep breaths, sleep on it. You get the idea. Look at the upsides. We have a beautiful, professional, spruced-up look. We still have many of the familiar faces. Eyewitness News is back. And when you look at it, the majority of this music package is really good.

Look, I myself was disappointed when they discontinued the midday news. I also thought I would be really disappointed once NS2000+ was eliminated. But it's not the end of the world. We have some recent replacements: the online newscast and the other stations. Overall, it hasn't affected me like I thought it would, mainly because I'm not watching TV during that hour anymore, since I'm in class. With regards for the music, it really isn't that bad. Again, look at the upside; they could have done a lot worse. If it's something you'll be watching every day, you're bound to get used to it. If you still don't like it, don't watch it.

i was actually in a similar situation: when the then-new Univision logo was unveiled was unveiled in October 2012, I hated it. A lot. I thought it was some kind of joke. But when it was made the official logo on the network itself on January 1, I started to feel it wasn't that bad. Since I watch Univision almost every day, the logo has really grown on me. I really like it now. It had a stellar execution, on the local and national level.

TL;DR Keep calm and carry on. It's not the end of the world.

TVNewsLover · November 12, 2013

Okay, I get that he or she is upset, but they honestly need to get over it. I mean, is there a need to go on and on and on and on and on about it? We've had two (to my recollection) extremely lengthy posts, which to be honest with you, feel like they are repetitive and some parts of which are pointless. Life is full of changes. This is one of those changes. If you can't get over it, stop watching! If you can't stop watching, then stop complaining! There are bigger problems in the world, and bigger changes in life that affect people more dramatically. Same thing with the Saturday into Sunday overnight movie... it's gone so deal with it!!!!! You've expressed your disapproval, so let's move on.

swillh2k2 · November 12, 2013

Agree with everyone else. CircleSeven, you are way too emotionally invested in this. I know you have your opinion, but if something this (relatively) simple has you all worked up, then maybe it's time to take a step back.

24994J · November 12, 2013

Moving on from things, here's a fun one. This is my nominee for 'Live Shot of the Year'...

(Note to self: propose an untelevised award show...'The TVNTs')

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=751178471563299&set=vb.594277073920107&type=2&theater

24994J · November 12, 2013

Okay, I have NOOOOOOOO idea where this one came from. The social media portion of the bug turned red...for 30 seconds. The regular blue was in place before and after sports at 5, but it was red after the 'WN' preview. They went to commercial with it, but closed the show with the blue. Pointless, irrelevant, but completely baffling...

CircleSeven · November 13, 2013

Have you considered psychotherapy?

Wait, what? Psycho-what? Are you saying that I need a psychiatrist/psychologist of something? I don't think I need any of that.

Even though new folks went in and got rid of an iconic theme tune and went with the New Generation route, the previous management rejected, and I'm saddened and pissed about it, and I even said, I still watch the station, it doesn't mean I'm going to completely lose my mind. I keep on mentioning Philly. What would've happen if PVI did it again, I wouldn't be the only one that would feel the same way. To me, the sentiment is massive.

Not cool, man. While I don't agree with him on a few points, he's more than entitled to his opinion. All of us here have our passions, quirks, and interests. There's absolutely no reason to diss someone for it. If I said half of the things on my mind at any given time, I'd be the one needing therapy.

At some point I feel that same way, LOL. But I think he was a bit concern, that's probably why he'd ask that. I don't think it meant that much of a harm.

But like I said, Yeah I'm pissed that it happened, but it's not warrant to not watch the station. I still love the station and such. My point is just that there's a strong staple when a news theme goes a long time, and this would be any station like WSYR, or KTVU or WCSH or KARE 11. And I was stating how I felt about it. But that doesn't mean why I'm going to stop watch the station. The new folks are going to do what they're going to do, whether I like it or not. I'm not happy that it happen, but I'm not going to lose any sleep about it. I'm not in an emotional wreck. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and that's was basically it. I said what I said, and that's that. My philosophy hasn't change, and I'm not going to change that. I would feel the same way if WPVI drops MCTYW or WJZ throws Chroma Cues in the garbage dump.

And to the folks that say, "Get Over It" and shit, I have a feeling that's mostly defending with those imbecile bastards have done and what I said doesn't have any merit. "Oh you have Deeeeallll with iiiiit!!!! Oh, you have to Move On!. Get Over It!, Deal with It!!!!!!!, Right NOW!! Suck It Up!!!" SMMFH! And some might think that it may sound like an attack, but like I said, my philosophy is not going to change. And I think I have a choice to deal or not to deal, and to get over or not to get over. I have that choice, so deal with that!!!!

But, In time, things will fly. In due time. But until then... It is what it is.

Seriously, CircleSeven, calm down. Take a break, take some deep breaths, sleep on it. You get the idea. Look at the upsides. We have a beautiful, professional, spruced-up look. We still have many of the familiar faces. Eyewitness News is back. And when you look at it, the majority of this music package is really good.

Look, I myself was disappointed when they discontinued the midday news. I also thought I would be really disappointed once NS2000+ was eliminated. But it's not the end of the world. We have some recent replacements: the online newscast and the other stations. Overall, it hasn't affected me like I thought it would, mainly because I'm not watching TV during that hour anymore, since I'm in class. With regards for the music, it really isn't that bad. Again, look at the upside; they could have done a lot worse. If it's something you'll be watching every day, you're bound to get used to it. If you still don't like it, don't watch it.

i was actually in a similar situation: when the then-new Univision logo was unveiled was unveiled in October 2012, I hated it. A lot. I thought it was some kind of joke. But when it was made the official logo on the network itself on January 1, I started to feel it wasn't that bad. Since I watch Univision almost every day, the logo has really grown on me. I really like it now. It had a stellar execution, on the local and national level.

TL;DR Keep calm and carry on. It's not the end of the world.

I'm fine. I've been preaching this for a really long time. It has happened to some stations in the past. But when it hit close to home. I understand your reasoning. I was never worried about the set, graphics, content & delivery style. I'd said before that I didn't like News Series 2000 Plus when it first came out, but time went on and I grew up to embraced, and longevity rolled, and it became more than a tradition. So my philosophy is, if a station has used the theme for a long time, they should not alter it. Other stations would get updates overtime. With the exception of the 2001 morning theme, this station never used any major updates in that 21-year span. I grew to love that more than anything else.

These new cues? The morning theme, I've heard many times on WABC & KABC in the early 2000s, and that's a downgrade from their customized morning theme they'd used for 12 & 1/2 years. The evening cues, too much of a downgrade. It was like it was excruciating rushed. Almost like Propulsion v.1 was rushed in 2006. And I hear more NG themes from that ABC O&O theme, which made me think that Curtis Miles original plan would've been to use the ABC O&O pack, and not use an update from NS2000+. And if I remember correctly, that cue, which of course came from that morning theme from the NG of Advantage, I believe that theme has its own closing theme. Now I'm not sure if Gari did a closing theme a the same theme for WLS, but hearing that new close is just, it's nothing there. There's no effort into the cues. Going back to what I said, all the cues just cheapens the station. Whereever happen to getting music that will last? No station CSD want to be in part of the music planning experience. None of these cues would last a year. I never like station's changing its theme song for a short period of time, but they do that though. So I don't care for them. I only care for is the ones that are very gutsy to use the same music for a long period of time. There's still WPVI & WJZ, and maybe a couple of others. And a few others. And then when you change the theme once, you'll have to change it again and again and again. It's like you come from music that have history, to music having no historical merit. That's what I really get mad about. I almost forgot to mention, WAVY 10 got rid of the original Newswire theme for an update version of it. I can't help but remember when WMAQ used it back in 92. So that alone is like an end of an era for that as well. Including that Newswire close. New versions of the themes aren't as close as the older themes are.

And one more thing, when I said "I don't I'll ever get use to this..", that doesn't mean I'm not going to get use to this. It means a couple of things. One, I don't want to get use to something I don't like hearing, and two, I'm not going grow and embraced these new cues, like the older cues. If I was really a traditionalist, My morning theme of choice would've been the 1989 NS2000 cue. For the evening, it would either be the NS2000+ themes and/or that 1992 NS2000 update cue WLS used before moving to the Plus in the fall. I don't care about the other stations because all they're going to do is change just for the sake of change. Just like the late Merv Griffin use to say, "If It Ain't Broke, Fix It Anyway. Change Is Good". I never like that, because some things need to be left alone. And if they music have strong merit, I don't think it needed to change. .

So In due time, things will fly, in due time. And I'm going to be fine. I thank you for your concern.

________________________________________________

Moving on from things, here's a fun one. This is my nominee for 'Live Shot of the Year'...

(Note to self: propose an untelevised award show...'The TVNTs')

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=751178471563299&set=vb.594277073920107&type=2&theater

I didn't see this last night. But I think he was doing a report on which building is the tallest building in North America. Of course the end result was the new One World Trade Center over the Sears Tower (That's what I said). I'm waiting for someone to say "Oh it's not the Sears Tower, it's the Willis Tower, so Deal with it!!". If those giant antennas would've been their when the building was completed and not years later, we probably would've counted. But they'd counted 1WTC's spire on top.

But you're right it was a very bizarre live shot Ben did. And even greater that this is sweeps month. I don't think it was intended to be a sweeps stunt.

news89 · November 13, 2013

Wait, what? Psycho-what? Are you saying that I need a psychiatrist/psychologist of something? I don't think I need any of that.

Even though new folks went in and got rid of an iconic theme tune and went with the New Generation route, the previous management rejected, and I'm saddened and pissed about it, and I even said, I still watch the station, it doesn't mean I'm going to completely lose my mind. I keep on mentioning Philly. What would've happen if PVI did it again, I wouldn't be the only one that would feel the same way. To me, the sentiment is massive.

At some point I feel that same way, LOL. But I think he was a bit concern, that's probably why he'd ask that. I don't think it meant that much of a harm.

But like I said, Yeah I'm pissed that it happened, but it's not warrant to not watch the station. I still love the station and such. My point is just that there's a strong staple when a news theme goes a long time, and this would be any station like WSYR, or KTVU or WCSH or KARE 11. And I was stating how I felt about it. But that doesn't mean why I'm going to stop watch the station. The new folks are going to do what they're going to do, whether I like it or not. I'm not happy that it happen, but I'm not going to lose any sleep about it. I'm not in an emotional wreck. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and that's was basically it. I said what I said, and that's that. My philosophy hasn't change, and I'm not going to change that. I would feel the same way if WPVI drops MCTYW or WJZ throws Chroma Cues in the garbage dump.

And to the folks that say, "Get Over It" and shit, I have a feeling that's mostly defending with those imbecile bastards have done and what I said doesn't have any merit. "Oh you have Deeeeallll with iiiiit!!!! Oh, you have to Move On!. Get Over It!, Deal with It!!!!!!!, Right NOW!! Suck It Up!!!" SMMFH! And some might think that it may sound like an attack, but like I said, my philosophy is not going to change. And I think I have a choice to deal or not to deal, and to get over or not to get over. I have that choice, so deal with that!!!!

But, In time, things will fly. In due time. But until then... It is what it is.

I'm fine. I've been preaching this for a really long time. It has happened to some stations in the past. But when it hit close to home. I understand your reasoning. I was never worried about the set, graphics, content & delivery style. I'd said before that I didn't like News Series 2000 Plus when it first came out, but time went on and I grew up to embraced, and longevity rolled, and it became more than a tradition. So my philosophy is, if a station has used the theme for a long time, they should not alter it. Other stations would get updates overtime. With the exception of the 2001 morning theme, this station never used any major updates in that 21-year span. I grew to love that more than anything else.

These new cues? The morning theme, I've heard many times on WABC & KABC in the early 2000s, and that's a downgrade from their customized morning theme they'd used for 12 & 1/2 years. The evening cues, too much of a downgrade. It was like it was excruciating rushed. Almost like Propulsion v.1 was rushed in 2006. And I hear more NG themes from that ABC O&O theme, which made me think that Curtis Miles original plan would've been to use the ABC O&O pack, and not use an update from NS2000+. And if I remember correctly, that cue, which of course came from that morning theme from the NG of Advantage, I believe that theme has its own closing theme. Now I'm not sure if Gari did a closing theme a the same theme for WLS, but hearing that new close is just, it's nothing there. There's no effort into the cues. Going back to what I said, all the cues just cheapens the station. Whereever happen to getting music that will last? No station CSD want to be in part of the music planning experience. None of these cues would last a year. I never like station's changing its theme song for a short period of time, but they do that though. So I don't care for them. I only care for is the ones that are very gutsy to use the same music for a long period of time. There's still WPVI & WJZ, and maybe a couple of others. And a few others. And then when you change the theme once, you'll have to change it again and again and again. It's like you come from music that have history, to music having no historical merit. That's what I really get mad about. I almost forgot to mention, WAVY 10 got rid of the original Newswire theme for an update version of it. I can't help but remember when WMAQ used it back in 92. So that alone is like an end of an era for that as well. Including that Newswire close. New versions of the themes aren't as close as the older themes are.

And one more thing, when I said "I don't I'll ever get use to this..", that doesn't mean I'm not going to get use to this. It means a couple of things. One, I don't want to get use to something I don't like hearing, and two, I'm not going grow and embraced these new cues, like the older cues. If I was really a traditionalist, My morning theme of choice would've been the 1989 NS2000 cue. For the evening, it would either be the NS2000+ themes and/or that 1992 NS2000 update cue WLS used before moving to the Plus in the fall. I don't care about the other stations because all they're going to do is change just for the sake of change. Just like the late Merv Griffin use to say, "If It Ain't Broke, Fix It Anyway. Change Is Good". I never like that, because some things need to be left alone. And if they music have strong merit, I don't think it needed to change. .

So In due time, things will fly, in due time. And I'm going to be fine. I thank you for your concern.

________________________________________________

I didn't see this last night. But I think he was doing a report on which building is the tallest building in North America. Of course the end result was the new One World Trade Center over the Sears Tower (That's what I said). I'm waiting for someone to say "Oh it's not the Sears Tower, it's the Willis Tower, so Deal with it!!". If those giant antennas would've been their when the building was completed and not years later, we probably would've counted. But they'd counted 1WTC's spire on top.

But you're right it was a very bizarre live shot Ben did. And even greater that this is sweeps month. I don't think it was intended to be a sweeps stunt.

a Few other stations come to my mind including.

WJZ Chroma Cues (1987 to now) minor update in 1997

WPVI MCTYW (1972-1997 1997 to now)

WKBW MCTYW (1972-2003) 2008 to now (WKBW used 615's "Right Here, Right now from Sept 2003 to Dec 2008)

WBMA NewsOne V1 (1996 to now) Same Version. Same Voiceover talent as well. (hope Sincrap doesn't destory that) (Roger Thompson)

KFSN (Newsone V1 (1994 to now) Same Version. Used Ed O' Brien as vo untill 2012 switched to Charile Van Dyke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkJmVSQeVkg

WTOC NewsChannel (1987 to now) Same version

WAFB Newshcannel (1990 to now) using New Gen since 2008

WHAS Newschannel (1991 to now) using New Gen Since mid 2000's

WCSH Good News (1986-2008) Used Orginal Version, not sure if they still use the famous Storm Center cut http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x616--DiBZY&list=PLeZdVgoiyfcGVGcyeDLWLxiqMYSVqZ1du

I'm not happy for WLS Music changes either. I would just loose my mind if WJZ lost Chroma Cues or WPVI lost MCTYW. I do miss KDKA-TV Prime on KDKA, I hope the new CBS O&O graphics go good with Pittsburgh skyline and Fort Pitt Tunnel.

Amra · November 13, 2013

Wait, what? Psycho-what? Are you saying that I need a psychiatrist/psychologist of something? I don't think I need any of that.

Even though new folks went in and got rid of an iconic theme tune and went with the New Generation route, the previous management rejected, and I'm saddened and pissed about it, and I even said, I still watch the station, it doesn't mean I'm going to completely lose my mind. I keep on mentioning Philly. What would've happen if PVI did it again, I wouldn't be the only one that would feel the same way. To me, the sentiment is massive.

Yes, you DO need pyschotherapy. It was a music change. Get over it. The new cuts sound good and get the job done of saying "This is Eyewitness News". Calling Idler "dumbo", "bastard" and Miles his "sidekick" is very sad. It's not like Idler went to your house and peed on your cornflakes. Embrace change and go with it. If they revert back to Stimulus, fine. If not, fine too.

24994J · November 14, 2013

So, there was mention that WLS was looking to hire a reporter and fill-in anchor. This has been confirmed with the hiring of 32 year-old Tanja Babich. The Canadian-born U.S. citizen comes from WSYR in Syracuse. She's a 2005 Cornell grad (government) with her 2007 masters from Northwestern (journalism). She'll debut in January.

http://chicagoradioandmedia.com/news/6124-wls-tv-hires-tanja-babich-as-reporter-substitute-anchor

I looked her up on YouTube, and I'm optimistic. The top two results are of her doing a cooking segment, and a public television report from when she was in Evanston. In the former, she's not obnoxious, and in the latter, she seems competent. Time has likely helped improve her delivery. Yes, those are my criteria for a news anchor; competent and not obnoxious.

Weeters · November 15, 2013

Let's face it. A lot of news music is getting severely dated. Synths were all fine and dandy in the 90's, but put pretty much any package that wasn't made recently next to, I don't know, Strive, and listen to the difference. I know which one I'd put on a station I was in charge of. Outside of this board, literally nobody cares what music is being used and you'd be hard pressed to find many people at a television station that even knows what their music package is called, let alone who composed it. There might be a nutty CSD or GM somewhere that insists on keeping those cuts of MCTYW alive out of tradition, but there will come a time when even those are retired (probably after said people do the same).

The old version of the music was getting dated. It was worn out. It didn't match the fresh new look of the new graphics. This version of Stimulus is very likely middle ground between someone at the station who wanted something exciting and new and someone who was insisting the old theme stay around because of some buzzwords like Brand Association or something equally as absurd. It could have gone away entirely. You could be watching ABC7 Eyewitness News with Indie Band News playing over the open.

Everyone could still be using Teletype sounds as the bed to their news open, but they don't because better things came along.

CircleSeven · November 15, 2013

Let's face it. A lot of news music is getting severely dated. Synths were all fine and dandy in the 90's, but put pretty much any package that wasn't made recently next to, I don't know, Strive, and listen to the difference. I know which one I'd put on a station I was in charge of. Outside of this board, literally nobody cares what music is being used and you'd be hard pressed to find many people at a television station that even knows what their music package is called, let alone who composed it. There might be a nutty CSD or GM somewhere that insists on keeping those cuts of MCTYW alive out of tradition, but there will come a time when even those are retired (probably after said people do the same).

The old version of the music was getting dated. It was worn out. It didn't match the fresh new look of the new graphics. This version of Stimulus is very likely middle ground between someone at the station who wanted something exciting and new and someone who was insisting the old theme stay around because of some buzzwords like Brand Association or something equally as absurd. It could have gone away entirely. You could be watching ABC7 Eyewitness News with Indie Band News playing over the open.

Everyone could still be using Teletype sounds as the bed to their news open, but they don't because better things came along.

Oh NO!!! Don't say Indie-Band AHHLLLL!! SMH! :puke:

But this is what these music makers are doing these days, they make music not like the music of the yesteryear. Case in point as you mentioned, Indie-Band News Theme. It would be the trendsetter of Arnold's other themes Locals Only, This Is The Place, 615's Moving Forward and In The Groove's line of music themes like Pride and Strive. All these themes have one thing in common, and it has the rock element. All it does is to bring a younger demo to the fold, but like when they do that, it almost eliminate the core demographic. I'm suppose to be in that younger demo that wouldn't mind this kind of music, but for an establishment like WLS, many viewers or LFATs (loyal friend and trues) would probably would revolt from this. It would probably be worst than a PVI-effect.

What's really worst is the CSDs are not so into putting their own input into the music these days. Any new music composed by the firms are made and the stations are getting them immediately after composition, with absolutely no input. But that's the way it is these days at the stations. They want something to sound like a rock concert or something.

I still think that was Idler's plan all along. If Hebel stayed, he probably wouldn't have touched any of those cues and those older cues would've stayed. Miles probably would've went with that ABC O&O theme fully, Hell he could've done even worst than that. Since he started using a customized "It's All About Early" crap earlier this year, it would've been even disasterous using an Arnold theme on WLS. That would've been crazy.

WLS had every opportunity to use the new cues. They could've changed it in Summer of '98, or in April of 2001 (only the AM theme was changed), or in June of 2005 (Hothaus GFX), or April of '06 (New Set downstairs), or in January '07 (HD launch), or later that year when they first contemplating a possible musical update, which those were later rejected as well, or even in 2009, before they replace that afternoon bumper and use the evening bumper for the 4 & 5pm shows after stated using automation. They had all these opportunities to do so, but they didn't. Even when Gari did updates for them on numerous occasions, they'd rejected them every time. At that time, I use to have WABC & KABC on satellite, and I heard the themes there, I did question myself why the other stations is using the WLS NS2K melody, and WLS not using EWN and vice-versa. Then ctmajka wrote that letter to Hebel, stating his reasonings why he didn't wanted to use the themes that were used by the other O&Os, I was sold by what he explained, and I felt everything felt in place. Some of y'all would say that about 12 years too long, but I call that an eternal bliss. The new , it sounded like they composed it just days before they started using it. It's like they didn't have much of the time to even think about it. With the other cues being composed already, like their new morning theme and the NG2 bumper they used for the evenings.

What happened on October 26, would probably never happen again, where a station would use the same EXACT theme song, all of those 21 years from start to finish. And to me that is sad. And you know what's even worst, all these new themes that's being made by Chris Gari, 615 & Arnold/360, many of these themes would sound even more dated in a few years. Just as the same as the '92 News Series 2000 Plus theme, and '99 WABC EWN theme, the '95 KABC EWN Theme & Bumper would've lasted even past their HD launch in 2006, hell they continue to use the series 1 cue for their Breaking News stinger, after now using NG4. And I'm still thinking WCSH will surprise me if they still use that Good News storm center cue this winter, while using the new This Is Home theme.

To me, the old shit will ALWAYS be better than the new shit, anyday. It's just sad that this news music today have to sound like either some cheap sounding element or some rock concert element. But we got to get use to this shit nowadays. And as long as the younger demographic loves it, they will continue to make this filth.

And I'm Gari-bias. I wouldn't mind hearing any new Gari theme in any station in any town. But hearing the News Series 2000 Plus NG on WLS, it doesn't make me change the way I feel about it. It's even sad of how it came to fruition. For an institution like WLS, they need something better than these cookie-cutter over-rushed NG cuts. But I don't think anything would've been better than the original cues.

Yes, you DO need pyschotherapy. It was a music change. Get over it. The new cuts sound good and get the job done of saying "This is Eyewitness News". Calling Idler "dumbo", "bastard" and Miles his "sidekick" is very sad. It's not like Idler went to your house and peed on your cornflakes. Embrace change and go with it. If they revert back to Stimulus, fine. If not, fine too.

But that's your stance of the cues, but my stance of the cues are far different from yours. To me, its a waste of effort. I'm not saying throw the cues in the garbage dump. But if another station use the cues, then I wouldn't be so mad. WABC had use the rejected WLS cues for their IDs these last four years, since Gari have been marketing them.

As for what I said about Idler and Miles, Well, I said what I said, and my stance haven't changed on that either. Let's not forget where they came from. Miles was the CSD of WTVD Channel 11 in Durham, North Carolina. Dumbo Idler was the President and GM at WTVD. I dunno which other word I can use other than "sidekick". He didn't bring other folks from WTVD to WLS, but I hate the fact he had to get rid of a longtime CSD to bring Miles in. He didn't fire any other prominent directors. The first weeks he step foot WLS, he got rid of Tom Hebel. In a nature of any business, whether its media, or any field of establishments, any new head comes in, they will try to bring people they're familiar with. Maybe he thought that Hebel probably wouldn't have dance to the Dumbo's music. Now I'm not sure if he was forced to resign or not, but he resigned. Hebel is now at Tampa's WFLA now. WFLA is nothing like WLS. He should've never left WLS.

As for calling Idler a "bastard" and "dumbo", Well? I said, I call a spade a spade. And I make no apologies. He comes and waltz into an establishment, a rich establishment like WLS and do all these subtle changes, getting rid of 190 North, firing Sylvia, firing Hebel, stripping the RKO C&C prints (the last station ever to use them), and doing the ultimatum in eliminating the longest theme song in the station's history, and I suppose to be happy about that shit? I'm boiling pissed about the latter three. It's sad. It's sad that it now gone. But I can't be mad more than the ones who made these changes. I don't care if the song was even more dated than 21 years, or I don't care if any of you say "Nostalgia only gets so far....." or "It so old, its rusted and crusted". They meddled with traditional and historical overtones that day. And they didn't give a damn. It could've altered the graphics in a way they would've incorporated the 1992 theme there. There was no excuse not to use the old theme. It's like they did these change only for the sake of it. And that tears me apart. Those fools only wanted to see the theme song change because the predecessors never did so. And I honor them predecessors deeply.

Idler & Miles. The Dumbo and his Sidekick. And I thought Ahern was this bad.

Someone said on this board, one person use to say, and I'm paraphrasing, something under the lines of "Use the music, till the tape breaks", or something along those lines.

I was hoping for the new Stephen Arnold package, but they will probably stick with the god-awful JDK package until it lapses into the public domain, and even then, they'll probably keep it since it will be one less thing they have to spend a penny on!

You sound a lot like someone I know...

"Buy the music... Buy it just like you buy your cameras and like you buy your transmitters. When you buy it, you own it and you use it until it is no good and you can throw it away." — Buddy Bostick, president-owner, KWTX (in Broadcasting magazine, 1985)

(This is why KWTX beat Tuesday13 into the 90s and rode The News Image for seven years.)

Well, in today's time, there's no longer tapes/reels. WLS could've continued using the old theme longer than 21 years. Hell, 25 would've been a better number. Sad that it won't happen.

Someday MCTYW might see better days, I hope not in the near future or far into the future. But until then MCTYW is still around in Philly!!! Chroma Cues is still around in Baltimore!!!

a Few other stations come to my mind including.

WJZ Chroma Cues (1987 to now) minor update in 1997

WPVI MCTYW (1972-1997 1997 to now)

WKBW MCTYW (1972-2003) 2008 to now (WKBW used 615's "Right Here, Right now from Sept 2003 to Dec 2008)

WBMA NewsOne V1 (1996 to now) Same Version. Same Voiceover talent as well. (hope Sincrap doesn't destory that) (Roger Thompson)

KFSN (Newsone V1 (1994 to now) Same Version. Used Ed O' Brien as vo untill 2012 switched to Charile Van Dyke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkJmVSQeVkg

WTOC NewsChannel (1987 to now) Same version

WAFB Newshcannel (1990 to now) using New Gen since 2008

WHAS Newschannel (1991 to now) using New Gen Since mid 2000's

WCSH Good News (1986-2008) Used Orginal Version, not sure if they still use the famous Storm Center cut http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x616--DiBZY&list=PLeZdVgoiyfcGVGcyeDLWLxiqMYSVqZ1du

I'm not happy for WLS Music changes either. I would just loose my mind if WJZ lost Chroma Cues or WPVI lost MCTYW. I do miss KDKA-TV Prime on KDKA, I hope the new CBS O&O graphics go good with Pittsburgh skyline and Fort Pitt Tunnel.

At least someone understands my philosophy. You missed WSOC with Bold Branding and maybe a couple of others. But you absolutely get what I'm saying.

And finally, for the folks that continue to tell me to "Get Over it" and "Let's Move On". I will say this again. It's not going to change my philosophy or how I feel about what Dumbo Idler and & his sidekick Miles done for eliminating the station's longtime news theme. As long as John Idler & Curtis Miles are still at WLS-TV, I will never forgive them for eliminating the 21 year-News Series 2000 Plus theme, and stripping those RKO C&C prints. They're never good in my book. Never!

Alrighty. I'm Done. Take it for what its worth.

ctmajka · November 15, 2013

Let's face it. A lot of news music is getting severely dated. Synths were all fine and dandy in the 90's, but put pretty much any package that wasn't made recently next to, I don't know, Strive, and listen to the difference. I know which one I'd put on a station I was in charge of. Outside of this board, literally nobody cares what music is being used (*1) and you'd be hard pressed to find many people at a television station that even knows what their music package is called, let alone who composed it. There might be a nutty CSD or GM somewhere that insists on keeping those cuts of MCTYW alive out of tradition, but there will come a time when even those are retired (probably after said people do the same).

The old version of the music was getting dated. It was worn out. It didn't match the fresh new look of the new graphics. This version of Stimulus is very likely middle ground between someone at the station who wanted something exciting and new and someone who was insisting the old theme stay around because of some buzzwords like Brand Association or something equally as absurd. (*2) It could have gone away entirely. You could be watching ABC7 Eyewitness News with Indie Band News playing over the open.

Everyone could still be using Teletype sounds as the bed to their news open, but they don't because better things came along.

There are a few things about this statement I'd like to point out.

(*1): Everyone in my family, extended family, and friends families watch 7. So far, everyone I've talked to has said that the new music is more bland than the older cuts. Clearly if they can notice that on their own, there's something about the older music that they prefer. People notice these things, and over-all, we give them less credit than they deserve.

(*2): There is a science behind music choices whether it be for a newscast, radio station, product, store (Menard's), etc. I'd hardly call making a music choice as a CSD absurd. There's a lot to think about, not just "How well does that go with our graphics?" Sure, that's important, but if there's a long-standing tradition in the music department, like there is at WLS (30 years with the 2000/2000+ signature), you're going to stick with that tradition. Why? People are comfortable with things that are familiar. With WLS, the people are familiar, the Circle 7 is familiar, and (until recently) the most punchy, melodic, grand theme song of any Chicago TV station has been familiar. Because of the signature, and because of the presentation.

Now, honestly, the music is bland. Most specifically the close. The open is fine, they're using Eyewitness News as a bumper, okay, and the close is horrid. I would actually not mind if Gari made a version of the WABC S4 closing cut with the 2000+ signatures in there. THAT would be something.

BehindNYNews · November 15, 2013

Oh NO!!! Don't say Indie-Band AHHLLLL!! SMH! :puke:

But this is what these music makers are doing these days, they make music not like the music of the yesteryear. Case in point as you mentioned, Indie-Band News Theme. It would be the trendsetter of Arnold's other themes Locals Only, This Is The Place, 615's Moving Forward and In The Groove's line of music themes like Pride and Strive. All these themes have one thing in common, and it has the rock element. All it does is to bring a younger demo to the fold, but like when they do that, it almost eliminate the core demographic. I'm suppose to be in that younger demo that wouldn't mind this kind of music, but for an establishment like WLS, many viewers or LFATs (loyal friend and trues) would probably would revolt from this. It would probably be worst than a PVI-effect.

What's really worst is the CSDs are not so into putting their own input into the music these days. Any new music composed by the firms are made and the stations are getting them immediately after composition, with absolutely no input. But that's the way it is these days at the stations. They want something to sound like a rock concert or something.

I still think that was Idler's plan all along. If Hebel stayed, he probably wouldn't have touched any of those cues and those older cues would've stayed. Miles probably would've went with that ABC O&O theme fully, Hell he could've done even worst than that. Since he started using a customized "It's All About Early" crap earlier this year, it would've been even disasterous using an Arnold theme on WLS. That would've been crazy.

WLS had every opportunity to use the new cues. They could've changed it in Summer of '98, or in April of 2001 (only the AM theme was changed), or in June of 2005 (Hothaus GFX), or April of '06 (New Set downstairs), or in January '07 (HD launch), or later that year when they first contemplating a possible musical update, which those were later rejected as well, or even in 2009, before they replace that afternoon bumper and use the evening bumper for the 4 & 5pm shows after stated using automation. They had all these opportunities to do so, but they didn't. Even when Gari did updates for them on numerous occasions, they'd rejected them every time. At that time, I use to have WABC & KABC on satellite, and I heard the themes there, I did question myself why the other stations is using the WLS NS2K melody, and WLS not using EWN and vice-versa. Then ctmajka wrote that letter to Hebel, stating his reasonings why he didn't wanted to use the themes that were used by the other O&Os, I was sold by what he explained, and I felt everything felt in place. Some of y'all would say that about 12 years too long, but I call that an eternal bliss. The new NS2K+, it sounded like they composed it just days before they started using it. It's like they didn't have much of the time to even think about it. With the other cues being composed already, like their new morning theme and the NG2 bumper they used for the evenings.

What happened on October 26, would probably never happen again, where a station would use the same EXACT theme song, all of those 21 years from start to finish. And to me that is sad. And you know what's even worst, all these new themes that's being made by Chris Gari, 615 & Arnold/360, many of these themes would sound even more dated in a few years. Just as the same as the '92 NS2k+ theme, and '99 WABC EWN theme, the '95 KABC EWN Theme & Bumper would've lasted even past their HD launch in 2006, hell they continue to use the series 1 cue for their Breaking News stinger, after now using NG4. And I'm still thinking WCSH will surprise me if they still use that Good News storm center cue this winter, while using the new This Is Home theme.

To me, the old shit will ALWAYS be better than the new shit, anyday. It's just sad that this news music today have to sound like either some cheap sounding element or some rock concert element. But we got to get use to this shit nowadays. And as long as the younger demographic loves it, they will continue to make this filth.

And I'm Gari-bias. I wouldn't mind hearing any new Gari theme in any station in any town. But hearing the NS2K+ NG on WLS, it doesn't make me change the way I feel about it. It's even sad of how it came to fruition. For an institution like WLS, they need something better than these cookie-cutter over-rushed NG cuts. But I don't think anything would've been better than the original cues.

But that's your stance of the cues, but my stance of the cues are far different from yours. To me, its a waste of effort. I'm not saying throw the cues in the garbage dump. But if another station use the cues, then I wouldn't be so mad. WABC had use the rejected WLS cues for their IDs these last four years, since Gari have been marketing them.

As for what I said about Idler and Miles, Well, I said what I said, and my stance haven't changed on that either. Let's not forget where they came from. Miles was the CSD of WTVD Channel 11 in Durham, North Carolina. Dumbo Idler was the President and GM at WTVD. I dunno which other word I can use other than "sidekick". He didn't bring other folks from WTVD to WLS, but I hate the fact he had to get rid of a longtime CSD to bring Miles in. He didn't fire any other prominent directors. The first weeks he step foot WLS, he got rid of Tom Hebel. In a nature of any business, whether its media, or any field of establishments, any new head comes in, they will try to bring people they're familiar with. Maybe he thought that Hebel probably wouldn't have dance to the Dumbo's music. Now I'm not sure if he was forced to resign or not, but he resigned. Hebel is now at Tampa's WFLA now. WFLA is nothing like WLS. He should've never left WLS.

As for calling Idler a "bastard" and "dumbo", Well? I said, I call a spade a spade. And I make no apologies. He comes and waltz into an establishment, a rich establishment like WLS and do all these subtle changes, getting rid of 190 North, firing Sylvia, firing Hebel, stripping the RKO C&C prints (the last station ever to use them), and doing the ultimatum in eliminating the longest theme song in the station's history, and I suppose to be happy about that shit? I'm boiling pissed about the latter three. It's sad. It's sad that it now gone. But I can't be mad more than the ones who made these changes. I don't care if the song was even more dated than 21 years, or I don't care if any of you say "Nostalgia only gets so far....." or "It so old, its rusted and crusted". They meddled with traditional and historical overtones that day. And they didn't give a damn. It could've altered the graphics in a way they would've incorporated the 1992 theme there. There was no excuse not to use the old theme. It's like they did these change only for the sake of it. And that tears me apart. Those fools only wanted to see the theme song change because the predecessors never did so. And I honor them predecessors deeply.

Idler & Miles. The Dumbo and his Sidekick. And I thought Ahern was this bad.

Someone said on this board, one person use to say, and I'm paraphrasing, something under the lines of "Use the music, till the tape breaks", or something along those lines.

Well, in today's time, there's no longer tapes/reels. WLS could've continued using the old theme longer than 21 years. Hell, 25 would've been a better number. Sad that it won't happen.

Someday MCTYW might see better days, I hope not in the near future or far into the future. But until then MCTYW is still around in Philly!!! Chroma Cues is still around in Baltimore!!!

At least someone understands my philosophy. You missed WSOC with Bold Branding and maybe a couple of others. But you absolutely get what I'm saying.

And finally, for the folks that continue to tell me to "Get Over it" and "Let's Move On". I will say this again. It's not going to change my philosophy or how I feel about what Dumbo Idler and & his sidekick Miles done for eliminating the station's longtime news theme. As long as John Idler & Curtis Miles are still at WLS-TV, I will never forgive them for eliminating the 21 year-News Series 2000 Plus theme, and stripping those RKO C&C prints. They're never good in my book. Never!

Alrighty. I'm Done. Take it for what its worth.

No offense but what is up with these huge replies? All it is, is you rewording the same thing in 30 different ways.

CircleSeven · November 17, 2013

No offense but what is up with these huge replies? All it is, is you rewording the same thing in 30 different ways.

Well? Those are my replies. I don't care how big they are. I don't care how repetitive they are or if its gets re-arranged a million different ways. I don't think we have any sort of limit. And I think a good balance of my last post isn’t that repetitive. But since you said it is, or its been "reworded 30 different ways", I’ll treat is as that is just your opinion. At least I'm saying something. It's my replies. And if someone replies to me, I'm going to reply back, because we're talking about the same topic. Also, it's better to place many of the comments in one post, instead of making several different posts, just to get the user's post count up. And I do that for that REASON!!!!

If WABC drops its 1999 EWN Series 3 theme, I would be just as pissed, as these fools Dumbo and his Sidekick that eliminated the 1992 theme. And if you think I’m “blowing this out of proportion” like you stated after I made my equally lengthy post after Sylvia’s departure, so be it, even though I know damn well that I’m not. It is what it is! And let’s not forget, you didn’t complain about the length of my post back then, why complain now? Other than the possible repetitiveness of it (or what you have called it), your question doesn’t make any damn sense. So again, It’s my reply. It is what it is! My Replies! So take THAT for what it's worth and you can send THAT to the cleaners.

_____________________________________________________

But let's get back to the topic at hand. I'm thinking that I'm the only one that thinks that WLS should've stayed with the cues that they’ve been using. These new cues are just there because the new heads only reason to put things new to the station as they said they wanted to “refreshen up” the station. But this one spoke many volumes.

There are a few things about this statement I'd like to point out.

(*1): Everyone in my family, extended family, and friends families watch 7. So far, everyone I've talked to has said that the new music is more bland than the older cuts. Clearly if they can notice that on their own, there's something about the older music that they prefer. People notice these things, and over-all, we give them less credit than they deserve.

(*2): There is a science behind music choices whether it be for a newscast, radio station, product, store (Menard's), etc. I'd hardly call making a music choice as a CSD absurd. There's a lot to think about, not just "How well does that go with our graphics?" Sure, that's important, but if there's a long-standing tradition in the music department, like there is at WLS (30 years with the 2000/2000+ signature), you're going to stick with that tradition. Why? People are comfortable with things that are familiar. With WLS, the people are familiar, the Circle 7 is familiar, and (until recently) the most punchy, melodic, grand theme song of any Chicago TV station has been familiar. Because of the signature, and because of the presentation.

Now, honestly, the music is bland. Most specifically the close. The open is fine, they're using Eyewitness News as a bumper, okay, and the close is horrid. I would actually not mind if Gari made a version of the WABC S4 closing cut with the 2000+ signatures in there. THAT would be something.

OMG, at least somebody is getting the main root of what I've been saying all along. Wait, pardon my repetitiveness, but what did he say?

People are comfortable with things that are familiar.

People are comfortable with things that they’re familiar with. FAMILIARITY!!! Chicago is use to familiarity, more ways than one. And when you lose that, you got problems.

Many folks are use to the things they’re already accustomed to. And they’re not use to seeing things that they’re already accustomed to, being altered like that. Look at the Empire Carpet ads, the Moo N Oink ads, and the countless other products with jingles and ads, either for TV, Radio and other business. They know their jingles have worked. Why? Because they are familiar and its in the consciousness of the viewer in Chicago. If those dumbos really done their homework, they wouldn’t even be using these cues they’re using now. Hell we wouldn’t even be hearing just these two/three themes of the NS2000+ NG. Since we have several inconsistencies of these cues, morning and evening, and I do agree that the close is just too difficult to watch, they could at least bring back the 1992 theme as a closing theme. But thanks to these imbeciles, that won’t even happen on their watch. It’s so sad that these imbeciles Dumbo and his Sidekick are tinkering, tweaking, fiddling, meddling with the historical overtones, and the traditions and legacies of the station. I wished Hebel had someone else along his side to teach about the stations musical historical overtones, so in case he would’ve retired, someone else would understand it right to the tee, and not have this catastrophic disaster we have today with Clueless Curtis and the Dumbo.

I had a good feeling if Tom Hebel would’ve stayed, it might’ve been a possibility that they might come up with something that might not be similar to this disaster they got now. And since they got rid of a longtime CSD, they have to fend for themselves. I mean, I liked your suggestion of a WABC Series 3 version with NS2000+ logo And I’ll throw a suggestion out there and maybe use the same instrumentation style similar to Enforcer’s NG2, and make a package with NS2000+ They could take the same 1992 theme, and almost identical to the “T”, take that same cue and make it as brassier or upbeat similar to like the Enforcer NG2 and/or that WABC theme. But yeah, if the proper homework would’ve been done, then maybe, just maybe, things could’ve been different and the music product could possibly have a better result. It wouldn’t be blandish like this piece of shit. And we might not even have multiple musical logos as a sonic brand for one station. Most viewers are familiar with one sonic brand. And most are accustomed to the way that sonic brand is being used. If it is used in a way that it sounds very off to the viewer, they will say something about it. But with these new cues, everything was rushed. And even with all these suggestions, I’m still going to say, that none of the cues should’ve left period. And I stand by that. Those were traditional, historical and familiar to the viewer in its own right.

But yes, Familiarity is key. Without it, you’ll be in big trouble.

Jase · November 17, 2013

There are a few things about this statement I'd like to point out.

(*1): Everyone in my family, extended family, and friends families watch 7. So far, everyone I've talked to has said that the new music is more bland than the older cuts. Clearly if they can notice that on their own, there's something about the older music that they prefer. People notice these things, and over-all, we give them less credit than they deserve.

(*2): There is a science behind music choices whether it be for a newscast, radio station, product, store (Menard's), etc. I'd hardly call making a music choice as a CSD absurd. There's a lot to think about, not just "How well does that go with our graphics?" Sure, that's important, but if there's a long-standing tradition in the music department, like there is at WLS (30 years with the 2000/2000+ signature), you're going to stick with that tradition. Why? People are comfortable with things that are familiar. With WLS, the people are familiar, the Circle 7 is familiar, and (until recently) the most punchy, melodic, grand theme song of any Chicago TV station has been familiar. Because of the signature, and because of the presentation.

Now, honestly, the music is bland. Most specifically the close. The open is fine, they're using Eyewitness News as a bumper, okay, and the close is horrid. I would actually not mind if Gari made a version of the WABC S4 closing cut with the 2000+ signatures in there. THAT would be something.

I wouldn't call the new music bland, it just lacks the traditional 'Chicago' or Midwestern sound to it (if that makes sense). This package sounds like something you would hear either on the West or East coast (a New York kind of sound really). In comparison to other stations in the market, it's a little too soft and lacks any authority. Less horns and more drums and trumpets is the way to go.

BehindNYNews · November 17, 2013

Look at the Empire Carpet ads, the Moo N Oink ads, and the countless other products with jingles and ads, either for TV, Radio and other business. They know their jingles have worked. Why? Because they are familiar and its in the consciousness of the viewer in Chicago.

If those dumbos really done their homework, they wouldn’t even be using these cues they’re using now.

If you want to look at commercial like this, thats fine. Think of rather catchy and familiar commercials of the past. Even if they last 15 years or more they eventually fade away. Everything needs an update. They can't make everyone happy. Its music and I know I'm gonna get a response that talks about how you grew with this music and how its more then that but at the end of the day, it is familiar music, a familiar logo, a familiar spokesperson that just eventually ends.

You can say it never gets old but that is your opinion and they wouldn't have made this decision if they didn't need to. So yes, you can call everyone at WLS dumbos or whatever adjective you want to use but it doesn't change anything. It doesn't make the cues come back. Sorry you feel like part of your life is over or whatever dramatic situation you call it but there is a point where you just need to move on. But that won't happen and you will probably restart this conversation every month for the next 5 years, I just need to get my opinion out there since you very clearly want to make yours known.

I respectfully agree to disagree with your opinions on this, I'll see you in another thread, hopefully on the same side!

CircleSeven · November 17, 2013

If you want to look at commercial like this, thats fine. Think of rather catchy and familiar commercials of the past. Even if they last 15 years or more they eventually fade away. Everything needs an update. They can't make everyone happy. Its music and I know I'm gonna get a response that talks about how you grew with this music and how its more then that but at the end of the day, it is familiar music, a familiar logo, a familiar spokesperson that just eventually ends.

You can say it never gets old but that is your opinion and they wouldn't have made this decision if they didn't need to. So yes, you can call everyone at WLS dumbos or whatever adjective you want to use but it doesn't change anything. It doesn't make the cues come back. Sorry you feel like part of your life is over or whatever dramatic situation you call it but there is a point where you just need to move on. But that won't happen and you will probably restart this conversation every month for the next 5 years, I just need to get my opinion out there since you very clearly want to make yours known.

I respectfully agree to disagree with your opinions on this, I'll see you in another thread, hopefully on the same side!

You can say everything needs an update. But you don't realize there a process in all of this, and these fools obviously didn't do their homework. You just can't yank tradition out the window. And you can't just put any update because you want to see an update on there. There's a process. But since they did so, it is what it is. You're right, it's not going to change shit. Those bastards aren't going to bring back the old cues. Like I said, they're going to do what they're going to do, whether I like it, or you like it, or anybody likes it or not. It's not going to stop me for stating how I'm pissed about Dumbo Idler and Clueless Miles for what they've done. If they've done their homework, it wouldn't have been like this. I mention about the jingles from ads of other firms, just as the same of the station's sonic brand only because the viewers are familiar with the same, and for some form or fashion certain themes have been slightly been tweak, but the main body of the element stays the same. But you obviously don't understand either.

One more time, My philosophy haven't change. And I'm not going to backtrack what I said about Dumbo Idler and Clueless Miles. Don't fix shit that ain't broken. Change ain't always good. In this case, this was the worst move they've ever done. If certain homework would've been done, the comprehensive planning, and all the works, we would not be hearing just these couple of themes.

And you're right. I'm going to let mine known. You're absolutely right. Because some don't understand how some folks love to mess with historical overtones and the longtime traditions and legacies of a station's music, or any station that has a longtime theme song. And the effects when a longtime theme song gets altered for some new shit. These bastards wanted to do it from the get go, that's why they got rid of Hebel, and hire his sidekick from WTVD to come here and do the unthinkable. If Rebecca Campbell never appointed that bastard to replace Ms. Barr, we probably wouldn't even be talking about this today. But she's a dumbass for appointing him. She really is. I think Anne Sweeney is a dumbass too for appointing Campbell. I guess both Sweeney & Campbell are both dumbasses. But some of y'all don't care about musical historical overtones and traditional legacies. Y'all just care for the longtime news theme to end so we can hear this New Generation piece of shit all the other ABC affiliates are using. All what Dumbo Idler and his sidekick wanted to do is to put something new. And what they did was bring several of these cues that are very inconsistent with each other. It's like when WEWS used Eyewitness News after the HD launch. They'd used a combonation of versions, from Series 1 to NG 2. Those fools don't understand what they're on when they get rid of a longtime news theme. In fact, I don't think they cared in the first place. You get rid of Hebel within weeks after showing up, and bring your sidekick in and do these sweeping changes, and it made me think that it was the plan all along.

Many of y'all are use to theme song changes left and right on other stations, but when it comes to stations that have used theme songs for a long period of time, you can't just make those sweeping and robust changes like that, without knowing the effects of those changes. But with folks like Idler & Miles, they care less.

If they planned well, we would've seen a different result. But I still think that the music shouldn't been altered. I don't care how some of y'all say its old as hell and dated as an old block of cheese. The theme would've lasted another 21 years. They could've tweak the graphics so the 1992 music would've been incorporated. There was no excuse. No reason. None.

And as for you trying to say how I feel, you can't make assumptions of how I feel. Because I can't assume how you feel. And you can't tell me to "Move On" either, damnit. As I said earlier, "In Time, things will fly. In Due Time". But you know what, that's your opinion, and we can agree to disagree. But I stand by my philosophy. And I'm surely ain't going to change that.

Take it for what it's worth.

24994J · November 17, 2013

Take is for what it's worth.

I've tried to be polite through all of this, but I'm going to stray from that philosophy for a moment.

We have taken your opinion for what it's worth. Many times. You're entitled to it, and we all pretty much respect that. My main problem, and others will agree, is that on MULTIPLE occasions we've voiced our opinions, only to be shot down by you. In several instances, we've all given our two cents, without any encouragement for a rebuttal, but you've repeatedly come back (almost instantly) with your opinion, as if it's the law. If we've given our two cents, you've given a dollar forty nine. After several rants, your views have become watered down, and frankly, most of us don't care anymore. Sometimes less is more. This is one of those times. Some have said you need help, and I even came to your defense, because despite our disagreement on this issue, I feel it's a bit harsh. However, I take great offense at the notion that many of us, myself in particular don't care. I care about this issue very much. I've aired my grievances, and let the words speak for themselves. If someone cares about my opinion, that's great, if they don't, I'm not losing sleep over it, and I'm sure as hell not going to shout it from the rooftops, in case people didn't hear me the first time.

I started this thread a few months ago as a way to keep track of the changes at WLS, but I never intended for it to become so derailed by the constant bashing of the station's current management. And I'm not saying that John Idler and Curtis Miles haven't made mistakes. They have. I think they got rid of the wrong anchor (I said it before, I don't feel the need to say it again), and I do think they didn't make the best decision regarding the theme (again, it's been said). However, I'm man enough to not piss on a man's personal integrity at every turn. Is his a different management style than Ms. Barr's? Certainly, but nothing...NOTHING he's done warrants the repeated personal attacks. For every time you call him a dumbo bastard, I come closer to realizing that you, in fact might be the bastard. Is that harsh? By your standards, I would think not.

Now, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here at TVNT. In my opinion, the things I've learned here have more value than just about any degree in the field. I've only been around here a little more than three years, so I realize I don't have any seniority, but I do have common sense. This, my friend, is a community, and I think there's a certain level of respect expected from each member. Now, this post certainly hasn't been very respectful and I apologize to everyone else, but a look at my history would show that this is a rare occurrence, and I'll be damned if it happens again. Your recent outbursts have bordered on been obnoxious, and yes it's 2AM, but I feel it was an appropriate time to dish out some tough love. If this post bothers you, and I don't blame you if it does, take it up with me. It's not right to drag others into the fold, though I guess I already did. You might consider trying to twist my words around, and try to find an instance where I may have contradicted myself. I assure you, I probably have, but it's not going to bother me. I won't let it bother me.

With all that said, I will return to Earth. We've all heard your opinion, and I'm sorry the last three weeks have been rough, but it's time to move on. I'm not telling you to let it go, but for the sake of the sanity of those who post here and the image others on the outside world have of us, please don't repeat your stance again. I'm not trying to step on any toes or get in the way of the moderators; they are a mighty bunch whose leadership shall not be questioned, but I think I speak for almost everyone when I say it's time to pull back. To be clear, I'm not trying to bully you, and I encourage you to continue contributing, but we all must remember that everyone's opinion counts at face value...and it should not be abused. To quote a member here, I implore you to "take [that] for what it's worth". I'll probably regret this rant in the morning, but I guess I had to vent.

I'm not looking for a response to this post, and I encourage you to honor that.

It would be a nice change of pace.

Good night, y'all.

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