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WBTS - Home of NBC Boston?


The Frog

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Your HD channels are on different channels? How backwards. On my system, WNBC is on Ch. 4, in HD. No special HD channels. Haven't been for years. Same with DirecTV.

 

I would rather see cable systems here use that logic. There are people at my gym that will watch the local news on WBZ or WCVB, and tune to these channels by pressing "4" or "5" on the remote, only to see a crappy SD feed. Side note - WBZ still "center cuts" its SD feed, while the other Boston local channels now letterbox. Don't know why.

 

Verizon boxes and Xfinity X1 boxes have an "auto-tune to HD" feature, where pressing "4" then "Enter" on your remote will directly tune to the HD signal for WBZ, but the HD feed is still mapped to 804 (Comcast) or 504 (Verizon), and pressing info on the guide will indicate this. Comcast should have done like Time Warner Cable and implemented two channel maps, one prioritizing the HD feeds (that HD boxes would download), and another with only SD feeds (older boxes with no HDMI or component outputs).

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Here's a preview of the NBC Boston, Telemundo Boston and NECN (that's a mouthful) 's Weather Warrior. I thought they were going with Ranger branding.

 

[MEDIA=instagram]BN_bxfmBRKV[/MEDIA]

 

Oh holy Mother ENG Trucker...

Weather Warrior?

 

Us people of red skin and red asses are offended.

Does the WW come with a Scepter or a Ninja sword ?

 

Ok fine bitches..

I'm jealous.

(KBEX wants one)

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That Canadian formality I mentioned? Yep, it's approved.

 

Canadian providers will likely switch seamlessly to WBTS (my guide still shows WHDH's admittedly weak-looking lineup on January 1, but nothing beyond it).

 

From what I understand from this approval, it allows Bell to add NBC Boston. It doesn't mention anything about WHDH being removed from anyone's lineup. We might see both on the cable dial on this side of the border.

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Traditionally, the rule for network affiliates on Canadian TV packages is that the basic packages are limited to the four main U.S. networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC) and a PBS station , and any other approved U.S. station typically has to be on a discretionary (i.e. add-on) package. For instance, you can get WGN, WSBK, WPIX, and KTLA in a superstation package, often bundled with The Movie Network). Typically, you don't see U.S. independent stations or subchannel=specific networks either.

 

In border markets, this rule is typically exempted so that providers can carry all the major U.S. locals available OTA (i.e. in Windsor, the Cogeco cable system carries the five majors, as well as the CW and MyNetworkTV stations from Detroit).

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Is 7 News on WHDH popular in Boston? It seems like the station will be nothing but news from now on. Their syndicated programming won't lure viewers. I'm surprised they didn't put CW programming on in primetime to draw some popularity to the station.

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Is 7 News on WHDH popular in Boston? It seems like the station will be nothing but news from now on. Their syndicated programming won't lure viewers. I'm surprised they didn't put CW programming on in primetime to draw some popularity to the station.

 

It is indeed. It usually runs a reasonably close second to WCVB and even wins a handful of timeslots (usually in the morning if I remember the last ratings book). I have similar doubts about their ability to continue to pull those numbers without network affiliation however.

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I don't know if they're still doing this, but about four or five years ago, their noon newscast seemed to include a house ad for 7News in every commercial break. I got the distinct feeling they were having trouble selling ad space.

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I don't know if they're still doing this, but about four or five years ago, their noon newscast seemed to include a house ad for 7News in every commercial break. I got the distinct feeling they were having trouble selling ad space.

 

There are 2 school's of thought on this...

A station that is run like crap will often use promo's (house ads) as commercial space holders in a newscast or syndicated program for when it's not completely sold out. It's a very bad way to do things for a million reasons. One is that your competition always knows when you are light in spot loads...and can adjust spot rates accordingly.

 

Or

You totally commit to your news product with regularly scheduled promos in all newscast and programming elements. Your promo has just as much value as a pricey spot in your own newscast bla bla..

 

^^^works best^^^

 

Now if you start seeing a lot of promo's AND PSA's in the newscast...and only one paid spot per break....well there MAY be a problem with that sale staff smoking weed at lunchtime.

 

(note: all rules go out the window during political ad seasons)

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I don't buy the argument HDH is light on ad buys...in 2016. We'll see in 2017. But Eat News is right--if you see a string of promos/PSAs on any locally produced program in several ad breaks, look out. It happened a great deal during the Great Recession.

 

Side note: NFL Week 17 schedule is now final, and I'm amazed NBC isn't flexing NE / MIA to Sunday night to immediately prop up and establish NBC Boston. Cold feet after the Senators' letters maybe?

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Side note: NFL Week 17 schedule is now final, and I'm amazed NBC isn't flexing NE / MIA to Sunday night to immediately prop up and establish NBC Boston. Cold feet after the Senators' letters maybe?

 

Because Lions-Packers has far greater playoff implications than Pats-Dolphins.

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Because Lions-Packers has far greater playoff implications than Pats-Dolphins.

That's true, though I feel the last SNF game the past couple years have been NFC North deciders. Great for GB fans mostly (whose fandom I know travels well throughout the country) I guess.

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That's true, though I feel the last SNF game the past couple years have been NFC North deciders. Great for GB fans mostly (whose fandom I know travels well throughout the country) I guess.

 

Don't forget that as much as NBC wants to promote its new O/O it has obligations to the NFL; I'm pretty sure the latter has bigger financial implications.

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Side note: NFL Week 17 schedule is now final, and I'm amazed NBC isn't flexing NE / MIA to Sunday night to immediately prop up and establish NBC Boston. Cold feet after the Senators' letters maybe?

 

Yeah, nothing to do with that at all. The AFC is set and just all figuring out the seeding now, while the NFC is still up for grabs, much more compelling and a bit more dramatic (though I admit my Packers bias, so YMMV).

 

Better for WBTS though; much less pressure to have the simulcast all set without the Pats pressure. That would have been the equivalent to Fox's Seattle chess game in 2015 where if they wouldn't have renewed with KCPQ they would have had to launch the middle-of-nowhere KBCB as the new Fox affiliate the day of the NFC championship game at home in Seattle. IMO, KBCB would have been a completely unmitigated disaster for Fox, the viewers and the Seahawks (imagine an even more shoestring LP network and no translators outside of the Puget Sound region) if it went through.

 

I don't buy the argument HDH is light on ad buys...in 2016. We'll see in 2017. But Eat News is right--if you see a string of promos/PSAs on any locally produced program in several ad breaks, look out. It happened a great deal during the Great Recession.

 

Or worse, infomercials weeknights before primetime (hello, WLNE and WKBW!). But WBTS would probably have to be out-rated by WSBK, WLVI and WBIN before it gets that bad. NBC will sell ads, and having NECN, CSNNE and the Comcast cable breaks to hook advertisers in helps incredibly with that. WHDH though? Sorry, but quadruple-running Family Feud works for netlet stations before primetime, not indies needing to fill time.

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Don't forget that as much as NBC wants to promote its new O/O it has obligations to the NFL; I'm pretty sure the latter has bigger financial implications.

 

I guess? I don't dispute that GB has a good following, but Detroit likely gets in with a win tonight vs. the Cowboys who have nothing to play for with the 1 seed locked up. GB may have more to lose next week than the Lions.

 

I think NBC has some pull with the NFL on flex scheduling. Do you flex on that alone? There's no O&O that benefits here except MAYBE WMAQ. WGBA benefits for...one night. WDIV can hold its own. A NE-MIA matchup benefits WBTS AND WTVJ (who themselves could use a little help).

 

I realize the O&Os aren't making the call but maybe they should chime in (no pun intended)--when the Eagles had Chip Kelly and were hot a couple seasons back, NBC flexed their games to SNF the max amount of times. That was when WCAU effectively blew up and rebuilt the news team and it helped a lot. Philly also happens to be Comcast's corporate home. I don't think that was an accident.

 

WBTS needs to dive in eventually. Better next Sunday than a Pats playoff game in January, which is very possible.

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I guess? I don't dispute that GB has a good following, but Detroit likely gets in with a win tonight vs. the Cowboys who have nothing to play for with the 1 seed locked up. GB may have more to lose next week than the Lions.

 

I think NBC has some pull with the NFL on flex scheduling. Do you flex on that alone? There's no O&O that benefits here except MAYBE WMAQ. WGBA benefits for...one night. WDIV can hold its own. A NE-MIA matchup benefits WBTS AND WTVJ (who themselves could use a little help).

 

I realize the O&Os aren't making the call but maybe they should chime in (no pun intended)--when the Eagles had Chip Kelly and were hot a couple seasons back, NBC flexed their games to SNF the max amount of times. That was when WCAU effectively blew up and rebuilt the news team and it helped a lot. Philly also happens to be Comcast's corporate home. I don't think that was an accident.

 

WBTS needs to dive in eventually. Better next Sunday than a Pats playoff game in January, which is very possible.

The GB-Detroit game has far more greater playoff implications. While NBC has a say in addition to the NFL, the measuring stick in Week 17 is always which game carries more playoff implications. It'd be stupid to flex the MIA-NE game because all that's up for grabs is seeding there. Why would NBC want to prop up two of its stations at the expense of all of its other stations? They want what's best for NBC as a whole.

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Is Boston one of the markets where stations typically retain their audience from their prime time shows to the late news?

 

I would say yes, or at least at one time yes. In 1995 WBZ's really suffered when it switched from NBC to CBS because NBC had far stronger network ratings.

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Side note: NFL Week 17 schedule is now final, and I'm amazed NBC isn't flexing NE / MIA to Sunday night to immediately prop up and establish NBC Boston. Cold feet after the Senators' letters maybe?

 

The NFL flexes the games, not NBC. With KC and Pittsburgh both winning yesterday, the outcome of NE-MIA doesn't have playoff implications as significant as GB-DET. However, there is a 25% chance that the Patriots' divisional round game will air on NBC (the comeback game against the Ravens was an NBC broadcast). I'm sure that might create a firestorm in the Boston area!

 

The launch of NBC Boston is Next Sunday. Anybody recording the launch?

 

I set my DVR to record WHDH from 1:59-2:09 AM, catching its final 5 minutes as an NBC station (its last NBC program will be an episode of Saturday Night Live that ends at 2:04 AM - don't know if its a new ep. or a repeat). It's also scheduled to record WBTS from 5:30-6AM (the first "NBC Boston" news broadcast). While the affiliation switchover "officially" happens at 3 AM, NBC Boston is repeating its First Night coverage from 3-5:30AM.

 

Since I'll be out of town for New Year's, I won't get around to seeing these historic television events until probably the evening of Jan. 2, if it means anything.

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The launch of NBC Boston is Next Sunday. Anybody recording the launch?

Technically, their 6p-12:30a New Year's Eve coverage marks the formal launch of sorts, even though it's not a network effort.

 

Also, WHDH likely will fade out of SNL with zero mention of the disaffiliation whatsoever. Totally different story from WSVN's "Independence Day" in 1989...

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