Scripps - General Discussion

[Recovering Producer 99]

26 minutes ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

On the one hand, I’ll admit there are worse ways to make cuts than by producing a Scrippscast. Given that Sinclair has resorted to shutting down entire newsrooms and pumping in a questionable product from DC, it’s not so bad by comparison. Better to have a station continue to cover local stories with less than ideal resources/production than to have a local newsroom shut down entirely.

 

However, I still don’t think that this is good for broadcast journalism. IMO, a lot of these Scrippscasts (for example, see WTXL) look hastily put together, and it seems as though they do the bare minimum to cover local stories. The national content often has little to no relevance to the viewer in that market. I’m not totally against the idea of reducing the role of the anchor to save costs, but unless that money is going into more robust local journalism and providing greater context to local issues, it’s a bit disingenuous for Scripps to frame this as a positive evolution in local news. It’s just cost cutting.

 

It certainly seems like this is the future of local news, but we don’t have to like it.

The cost is one part of it - but the other elephant in the room is staffing the endless newscasts most stations are doing. 

 

Recruiting producers was a challenge before the pandemic hit four years ago, and the brain drain there has only gotten worse. 

 

The Scrippscast model doesn't solve the retention problem - but it is one way to function in an environment where there aren't enough people willing to do the job. (and hopefully, lighten the load and reduce the misery for the ones stations have left) 

[doublejman69 105]

Hearing more Scripps stations are going to Scripps cast or pre recording late evening newscasts, more than ftvlive.com reported, WKBW and WLEX. It’s a safe bet at this point it’s not an if, its when the remaining Scripps stations go to Scrippscast or pre recorded newscasts.

For stations like WMAR and KJRH it’s not a big deal because so few a watching, KJRH can’t even get over 1000 viewers most nights. Even a station like WTVF the only 1st place top 100 market station Scripps has, there are other choices In Nashville. It’s some of those small markets stations like in Montana where they did have a significant lead in the ratings and for the most part the competition is so bad it will awful for those viewers.

Scripps did have some changes in upper management but that guy didn’t get let go because of Scrippscast, it’s how it’s been handled, every day for a year now employees have been fearful that they could be losing their job or when their job title changes and try to get out of their contract but can’t without facing significant penalties. 

 

 

Edited March 10 by doublejman69

[bmasters1 377]

On 9/27/2023 at 10:36 AM, mrschimpf said:

Watching the WGBA version, it comes of as 'thin-staffed small-market Gannett newspaper operation' where only weather has money put into it instead (as it should, it's their main and only strength) and they're reporting about evergreen topics like 'how did my high school mascot get their name' rather than anything investigative or current-day, and like the Gannet example, struggle to fill 35 minutes the same way they struggle to fill twelve pages (and ten of them are pre-filled with USA Today filler and one page of classified/legal notices). It's fine for what it is, but if what it was was already kind of a mediocre product to begin with, it's just making it even more unremarkable. 

 

So basically, WGBA is the TV news version of what the Greenville News is in print in my area, I take it?

[doublejman69 105]

14 minutes ago, bmasters1 said:

 

So basically, WGBA is the TV news version of what the Greenville News is in print in my area, I take it?

Besides weather basically Scrippscast can be put together on a Tuesday to be aired on a Friday, there is very very little current event, breaking news being reported on. 

[MediaZone4K 1509]

The problem with Scripps stations like Fox 4 Ft Myers removing all talent (minus weather) from newscasts its that they're axing some of tv's last stand--personality.

 

In the era of information overload where you can get news from anywhere, WHO is giving you the news definitely draws an audience. 

 

I used to tease my mom for always turning in to a specific channel to see a specific weather man when all stations give the same forecast. But that's what gives tv stations and talent power---the ability to command an audience.

Edited March 24 by MediaZone4K

[mrschimpf 2051]

WMAR is already back to their regular schedule and Scrippscast like features on their livestream (including of the Key bridge story...not the time for this at all!) as WBAL and WJZ haven't left the live air since 2am, and WBFF is doing the best it can. This is about as much of an indictment on how bad Scripps has become and their generational neglect of WMAR as a whole.

[mer764KCTV5 12]

2 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

WMAR is already back to their regular schedule and Scrippscast like features on their livestream (including of the Key bridge story...not the time for this at all!) as WBAL and WJZ haven't left the live air since 2am, and WBFF is doing the best it can. This is about as much of an indictment on how bad Scripps has become and their generational neglect of WMAR as a whole.

Given the fact WMAR has historically been in 3rd, I can't really say I'm surprised. I AM surprised that WBAL and 'JZ (WJZ) hasn't left the coverage of the Bridge collapse since 2 IN THE MORNING. 

[MediaZone4K 1509]

3 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

WMAR is already back to their regular schedule and Scrippscast like features on their livestream (including of the Key bridge story...not the time for this at all!) as WBAL and WJZ haven't left the live air since 2am, and WBFF is doing the best it can. This is about as much of an indictment on how bad Scripps has become and their generational neglect of WMAR as a whole.

During the bridge collapse I found myself looking at Hearst's WBAL or turning to DC stations like WRC & WTTG because of the quality issues with the other three stations in Baltimore (CBS O&O,  Scripps, Sinclair). 

 

It's crazy how much Scripps has fallen in such a short time that we could put them in the same sentence as Sinclair. Again, just looking at WPTV in the last 4-5 years is evidence. 

 

Scripps is quickly becoming a cheaper version what CBS O&Os often are --- coorperate and lacking local flavor.

Edited March 26 by MediaZone4K

[mer764KCTV5 12]

On 3/26/2024 at 6:19 PM, MediaZone4K said:

During the bridge collapse I found myself looking at Hearst's WBAL or turning to DC stations like WRC & WTTG because of the quality issues with the other three stations in Baltimore (CBS O&O,  Scripps, Sinclair). 

 

It's crazy how much Scripps has fallen in such a short time that we could put them in the same sentence as Sinclair. Again, just looking at WPTV in the last 4-5 years is evidence. 

 

Scripps is quickly becoming a cheaper version what CBS O&Os often are --- coorperate and lacking local flavor.

Yea, true. In Kansas City, KSHB hasn't really gotten out of 4th place for reasons that are clear (News operation starting in the 90s, staff from elsewhere, some turnover and other stuff) but I mean, it least it's not St. Louis.

[ns8401 846]

WXYZ Will be rebranding from 7 Action News to 7 News Detroit starting Monday morning at 430am. The morning show will be “7 News Detroit This Morning” which doesn’t have much ring to it. This is the first time they’ve rebranded their newscasts since 1972.
 

They even have a nifty new logo that vaguely looks like it means hard news:

Edited April 19 by ns8401

[GraphicsMan 11]

4 hours ago, ns8401 said:

WXYZ Will be rebranding from 7 Action News to 7 News Detroit starting Monday morning at 430am. The morning show will be “7 News Detroit This Morning” which doesn’t have much ring to it. This is the first time they’ve rebranded their newscasts since 1972.
 

They even have a nifty new logo that vaguely looks like it means hard news:

Abomination… truly awful. 

[mer764KCTV5 12]

5 hours ago, ns8401 said:

WXYZ Will be rebranding from 7 Action News to 7 News Detroit starting Monday morning at 430am. The morning show will be “7 News Detroit This Morning” which doesn’t have much ring to it. This is the first time they’ve rebranded their newscasts since 1972.
 

They even have a nifty new logo that vaguely looks like it means hard news:

They just removed the Action out of the name because they know there's no Action in the newscasts anymore

[tyrannical bastard 3442]

9 hours ago, ns8401 said:

WXYZ Will be rebranding from 7 Action News to 7 News Detroit starting Monday morning at 430am. The morning show will be “7 News Detroit This Morning” which doesn’t have much ring to it. This is the first time they’ve rebranded their newscasts since 1972.
 

They even have a nifty new logo that vaguely looks like it means hard news:

My lord...Bill Bonds is probably drunk cussing from his grave about this....

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 743]

I've lost all respect for Scripps at this point.. They just really want to screw everyone: employees, viewers, etc...

[MyNewsArchive 197]

3 hours ago, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

I've lost all respect for Scripps at this point.. They just really want to screw everyone: employees, viewers, etc...

 

Add this to the mix... Scripps is now ditching The CW off their stations.

 

https://thedesk.net/news/scripps-dropping-cw-network-from-stations/

Edited April 19 by MyNewsArchive
further clarification

[Weeters 1805]

General reminder that the "Action News" trademark is owned by Cox (and "Eyewitness News" is owned by CBS!) and stations have to pay to use them. Why should Scripps keep paying for a brand name for a format that hasn't been properly used in decades? I know folks have a weird affinity for these two brands, but come on. This is, by far, a better logo than some of the other Scripps rebrands over the past few years.

 

Why should they pay Cox for this name? Why should they pay Nexstar for The CW? These are all competitors. People love to think talent at these stations treat each other like this is Anchorman, and while that's not true, there's no good reason to give your competition money for a tired old brand or a second-rate network affiliation.

[Rusty Muck 4162]

9 hours ago, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

I've lost all respect for Scripps at this point.. They just really want to screw everyone: employees, viewers, etc...

Why? Because they are dropping a name that hasn't really meant anything since Bill Bonds got fired 30 years ago?

 

Good lord, this fandom is so unbelievably out of touch with reality.

[ns8401 846]

21 minutes ago, Weeters said:

General reminder that the "Action News" trademark is owned by Cox (and "Eyewitness News" is owned by CBS!) and stations have to pay to use them. Why should Scripps keep paying for a brand name for a format that hasn't been properly used in decades? I know folks have a weird affinity for these two brands, but come on. This is, by far, a better logo than some of the other Scripps rebrands over the past few years.

They always had the same style as KABC or KGO… they never really followed the Action News format… it always looked like Eyewitness news with a little more relaxed freewheeling style. Then they got lost after bonds left and adopted a WABC-ish caricature that was actually really good in the 2000’s before falling off a cliff from say 2011 to 2021. Currently they have gone way hard news with very little hype… this new branding fits pretty well with what they are doing and the improvements they’ve made to the product. Their newscasts could use to be a lot less sleepy though. There isn’t any flare at all for whatever reason. Not even the kind that you can do for free by changing or tweaking style. 
 

The logo looks like something one of the O&O’s would make when they had dropped the Eyewitness part of the name… at least if you squint and move the word news around. This one is a WLS version from well… 24994J would likely know. 
 

Edited April 20 by ns8401

[Rusty Muck 4162]

1 minute ago, ns8401 said:

They always had the same style as KABC or KGO… they never really followed the Action News format… it always looked like Eyewitness news with a little more relaxed freewheeling style.

Wasn't that because WJBK at the time used the EWN name? Of course with an anchor like Bill Bonds at the helm, it wouldn't have been a proper use of the EWN format anyway. Same with Irv at WKBW not exactly implementing the Action News format with the EWN name.

[ns8401 846]

Just now, Rusty Muck said:

Wasn't that because WJBK at the time used the EWN name? Of course with an anchor like Bill Bonds at the helm, it wouldn't have been a proper use of the EWN format anyway. Same with Irv at WKBW not exactly implementing the Action News format with the EWN name.

Correct WJBK beat ABC to it in Detroit so they adopted the other name but it left their product somewhere in the middle. It was unique among the original 5 stations in that way. 

[24994J 5269]

2 hours ago, ns8401 said:

This one is a WLS version from well… 24994J would likely know. 
 

 

In-house package, 2001-05

[ns8401 846]

2 hours ago, 24994J said:

 

In-house package, 2001-05

Thanks, I knew you would know it. First image from the News era I could find and it took a minute to come up with one. 

[tyrannical bastard 3442]

How did Cox end up with it in the first place?  WSB decide to buy it after a good ratings book?

 

As long as WPVI keeps paying for it, a good business move.

[GodfreyGR 493]

2 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

As long as WPVI keeps paying for it, a good business move.

Anyone know how much WPVI shells out for it? You'd think ABC would make a move to buy the TM from Cox (Or tie an affiliation renewal to it?)

 

Side thought- PVI probably pays way too much for the rights, but history tells us what happens if you change that brand (MCTYW revamp, exhibit A)

[ns8401 846]

6 minutes ago, GodfreyGR said:

Anyone know how much WPVI shells out for it? You'd think ABC would make a move to buy the TM from Cox (Or tie an affiliation renewal to it?)

 

Side thought- PVI probably pays way too much for the rights, but history tells us what happens if you change that brand (MCTYW revamp, exhibit A)

If you tweak the name and leave the product exactly the same or nearly so… will anybody notice? That’s what I think they are up to.