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New CBS O&O Look Coming Soon?


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19 hours ago, Tyler said:

In Pittsburgh, on the largest cable provider (Comcast), the channel number branding has never aligned with the actual channel numbers on tv. For example, KDKA2 was channel 6, WTAE4 was channel 8, and WPXI11 was channel 12. And when HD came along, those stations are now on channel 8xx. Not to mention on streaming (the major focus), channel numbers are 100% irrelevant. 

This was done for technical reasons to prevent co-channel interference on cable systems between the cable frequency and over-the-air frequency. It's not that it was irrelevant, but for overall picture quality.

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2 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

This was done for technical reasons to prevent co-channel interference on cable systems between the cable frequency and over-the-air frequency. It's not that it was irrelevant, but for overall picture quality.

I understand that. I’m just making the point that at least in this market, the channel numbers themselves didn’t represent the actual channel branding. 

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On 4/14/2023 at 3:57 PM, CircleWXYZ said:

Channel references really don’t matter anymore in this digital age.  This why stations like KDKA, WBZ, WCCO, KCBS, KCNC, and WWJ are all doing away with them.  Don’t be shocked if WBBM soon follows suit.

People who are 40 and older will always know the station Channel number regardless if digital age, 3D or an AI technology. I get the younger audience have a different perception , because they grew up in a different era of television. Some didn't grow up in some would call "golden age of tv" where there was only {3} networks. However, especially older viewers who been around for a long time. The Boomers will always know that station as such...

Edited by Breaking News
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On 4/14/2023 at 3:35 AM, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

I'm going with WJZ only because it took forever to switch to the now old package... might as well get as much use out of it before switching again.

They kept their old, dated look for far too long solely because of their longtime GM Jay Newman, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he refused to work with Dunn and Friend on much of anything. As soon as Newman retired, they got a new set and everything.

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On 4/14/2023 at 1:21 PM, MediaZone4K said:

Exactly what is the brandng? WCCO News, CBS News Minnesota, WCCO News on CBS Minnesota? Go the KYW route and simplify it. "4" in the black box, "CBS News Minnesota" in the blue box. Maybe WCCO is like KCAL or PIX where the call sign is famously known otherwise referencing them isn't necessary.

The anchors are opening all newscasts with, “thanks for watching WCCO (or WCCO News), streaming on CBS News Minnesota”. The opens and most graphics show “WCCO News” fairly prominently.

 

In fact, the only thing that has definitively disappeared is the “4”.

 

23 hours ago, jase said:

 

I don't see the harm in allowing the stations to add their own unique twists/elements to this graphics package. KYW's new look is awesome and creates the [distinctive] look that they wanted. The same can be said of the other CBS O&Os. 

 

CBS could have easily laid down the hammer and mandated every station look and sound the same. They did not do that and that, in and of itself, should be celebrated. I had previously said CBS was 'placating' each station, but now that i think about it...I was wrong to see it that way.

 

The fact is [and regardless of the industry], when you allow people to have a say in something..the greater likelihood they will do all that they can to help the company, organization, etc... succeed.

 

People, at each station, advocated for certain things (however big or small) and CBS listened. How often does that happen???

 

At the end of the day, I rather they take some risks and think 'outside the box.' The bones of the package are still there. Allowing for different colors, etc.. doesn't change that. 

The intriguing part is that, aside from the color scheme, KYW still rebranded themselves in line with the majority of the O&Os. The “3” is only there as a visual and marketing tool; all on-air references to “CBS 3” or “channel 3”, especially from a verbal standpoint, are gone anyway. And this came about with as many as 40–50 KYW staffers helping with this rebrand! If channel numbers mattered to them (and they work there, so they’d know), wouldn’t there be more to the “3” we’re seeing right now?

 

KYW managed to pull off a rare feat. They adopted virtually all of the new CBS O&O branding conventions and yet are now looking like more of a “Philly station” than they have ever been, certainly since the CBS takeover.

Edited by Rusty Muck
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I'm looking forward on seeing what WBBM has in store for their rebranding. I did think, a few days ago, what if WBBM rebrands the newscasts as WBBM News, streaming on CBS News Chicago, like BZ and CCO are doing? It would give a fresh opportunity to reintroduce the brand to the viewers while moving forward.

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3 hours ago, Rusty Muck said:

They kept their old, dated look for far too long solely because of their longtime GM Jay Newman, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he refused to work with Dunn and Friend on much of anything. As soon as Newman retired, they got a new set and everything.

The current GM of WJZ, Kathy Hostetter (former news director of KDKA), knows what she’s doing. And the former GM of WJZ (from 2017 until last year), Audra Swain knew what she was doing.

Edited by JosiahCubed
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1 hour ago, Amra said:

I'm looking forward on seeing what WBBM has in store for their rebranding. I did think, a few days ago, what if WBBM rebrands the newscasts as WBBM News, streaming on CBS News Chicago, like BZ and CCO are doing? It would give a fresh opportunity to reintroduce the brand to the viewers while moving forward.

 

I don't see them rebranding as WBBM News; but if there was ever a time to go big and be bold, this would be it. I have a feeling they will play it safe. I'm more interested in seeing the updates to the streetside studio.  They appear to be moving at a glacial pace in getting it completed. 

Edited by jase
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11 hours ago, Breaking News said:

People who are 40 and older will always know the station Channel number regardless if digital age, 3D or an AI technology. I get the younger audience have a different perception , because they grew up in a different era of television. Some didn't grow up in some would call "golden age of tv" where there was only {3} networks. However, especially older viewers who been around for a long time. The Boomers will always know that station as such...

On the flip side, it’s some of the same viewers who have issues in embracing change when it’s needed 

4 hours ago, jase said:

 

I don't see them rebranding as WBBM News; but if there was ever a time to go big and be bold, this would be it. I have a feeling they will play it safe. I'm more interested in seeing the updates to the streetside studio.  They appear to be moving at a glacial pace in getting it completed. 

I think they will just go with CBS Chicago/CBS News Chicago.  WBBM doesn’t seem to be as traditional as WCCO, KDKA, or WBZ.

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7 hours ago, CircleWXYZ said:

I think they will just go with CBS Chicago/CBS News Chicago.  WBBM doesn’t seem to be as traditional as WCCO, KDKA, or WBZ.

That and 780/105.9 has all the news tradition; best to leave the calls with them and just try to get away from any call/numerical branding and wipe the slate; don't forget there the channel number and reception issues have been a curse, along with there being a UHF WMEU simulcast, since the 2000's management and NY decided to stick them digitally on miserable VHF 12 (and even worse 3 pre-2009).

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4 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

That and 780/105.9 has all the news tradition; best to leave the calls with them and just try to get away from any call/numerical branding and wipe the slate; don't forget there the channel number and reception issues have been a curse, along with there being a UHF WMEU simulcast, since the 2000's management and NY decided to stick them digitally on miserable VHF 12 (and even worse 3 pre-2009).

WBBM-TV also does not have anything close to a reputation or heritage that WGN-TV or WLS-TV have… or even WMAQ-TV, certainly not since Bill Applegate left in 1993. They’ve had the negative connotations of being a laggard or bottom-dweller. It’d be insane to think of WLS-TV becoming “ABC News Chicago” and stripping themselves of the circle 7, but WBBM-TV literally has nothing to lose.

 

And it speaks volumes about how much of a project this actually is for CBS, we’re not talking about just mere brand architecture, but systemic changes in multiple news operations (or in the case of Detroit, literally building up from nothing).

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1 hour ago, IEPH said:

All of this begs the question though, will WDJT rebrand as "CBS (News) Milwaukee" real soon

That's a question for a whole other thread on if/when non O&O affiliates jump on this wagon.

 

Not that I'm opposed to such a thread...

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16 hours ago, jase said:

 

I don't see them rebranding as WBBM News; but if there was ever a time to go big and be bold, this would be it. I have a feeling they will play it safe. I'm more interested in seeing the updates to the streetside studio.  They appear to be moving at a glacial pace in getting it completed. 

If it had been Derek Dalton on the wheel, I would agree that they would play it safe. But Jennifer Lyons is now the GM of the station, she's bold. We saw her work at WGN and when NewsNation launched. And interestingly enough, I haven't seen any leaked graphics of CBS 2 at all online, when most of the graphics were leaked or showcased before the rebranding on other stations.

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9 minutes ago, Amra said:

And interestingly enough, I haven't seen any leaked graphics of CBS 2 at all online, when most of the graphics were leaked or showcased before the rebranding on other stations.

 

Which this makes me think WBBM will be last to change. KOVR and WJZ will probably switch before WBBM since we've seen some subtle changes with them already. There's been nothing with WBBM.

 

With Jennifer Lyons, there could be a decent change to WBBM. This is the perfect time to do it and be bold. 

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1 hour ago, Rusty Muck said:

WBBM-TV also does not have anything close to a reputation or heritage that WGN-TV or WLS-TV have… or even WMAQ-TV, certainly not since Bill Applegate left in 1993.

 

Applegate destroyed much of WBBM's hard-won journalistic reputation. After a short uptick because of the curiosity factor, viewers deserted the station in droves because its blood-and-guts, in-your-face style was simply not suited to the market--and WBBM never really recovered image-wise, its reputation as a serious news outlet in tatters. It's even more poignant that this was once the station of Jacobson and Kurtis, whose relatively sober, hard news approach was admired around the country. (Walter Jacobson ultimately condemned Applegate's approach and bolted to WFLD.)

 

Applegate is one of the people who ensured that WBBM no longer has anything close to the reputation that WGN or WLS have.

Edited by WWUpdate
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44 minutes ago, NBC 5 Chicago said:

 

Which this makes me think WBBM will be last to change. KOVR and WJZ will probably switch before WBBM since we've seen some subtle changes with them already. There's been nothing with WBBM.

 

With Jennifer Lyons, there could be a decent change to WBBM. This is the perfect time to do it and be bold. 


They might be wanting to debut them with the rechristened streetside studio, whenever it debuts.

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1 hour ago, WWUpdate said:

 

Applegate destroyed much of WBBM's hard-won journalistic reputation. After a short uptick because of the curiosity factor, viewers deserted the station in droves because its blood-and-guts, in-your-face style was simply not suited to the market--and WBBM never really recovered image-wise, its reputation as a serious news outlet in tatters. It's even more poignant that this was once the station of Jacobson and Kurtis, whose relatively sober, hard news approach was admired around the country. (Walter Jacobson ultimately condemned Applegate's approach and bolted to WFLD.)

 

Applegate is one of the people who ensured that WBBM no longer has anything close to the reputation that WGN or WLS have.

 

A lot of the station's history/legacy was tied to the historic McClurg Court building which they left some 25 yrs ago. Plus, they lost nearly all their veteran anchors and reporters over the years. Dorothy has been with WBBM for nearly 40 yrs, Suzanne is next with 28 yrs and then Ed, Jim and Dana follow with just over 20 yrs.

 

I do hope that they really take advantage of the new graphics/branding. Had they stuck with what they started during the 'CBS 2 Works for You' era; who knows what position they would be in today.

 

 

1 hour ago, Georgie56 said:


They might be wanting to debut them with the rechristened streetside studio, whenever it debuts.

 

From what I could make out when I walked past the studio the other day; no 'substantial' work had begun. Unless the new weather center is going to be really bare bones; it could be some time before the streetside studio is complete.

 

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37 minutes ago, Weeters said:

I could have sworn the WBBM streetside studio was going to become some kind of weather center annex, not a full news set...

 

Correct... reportedly, an additional weather center is being built. However, given the space (nearly 3,500 sq. feet), building only a weather center seems like a waste. Plus, it's been nearly 10 months since this was announced; so I think (or hope) something much grander is in the works.   

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19 hours ago, Weeters said:

I could have sworn the WBBM streetside studio was going to become some kind of weather center annex, not a full news set...

It's possible that whatever plans existed for WBBM got heavily revised or altered as soon as Jennifer Lyons came in? Plus supply chain issues are still a thing...

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8 minutes ago, Rusty Muck said:

It's possible that whatever plans existed for WBBM got heavily revised or altered as soon as Jennifer Lyons came in? Plus supply chain issues are still a thing...

 

She was named GM in 2021; so getting the jumbotron and streetside studio up and running was likely her idea. Doubtful supply chain issues are a problem given WMAQ, for example, was able to construct a brand new studio last September. 

 

Now that doesn't mean plans couldn't have changed, but it shouldn't take this long to construct a weather center.

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On 4/16/2023 at 2:57 PM, Rusty Muck said:

WBBM-TV also does not have anything close to a reputation or heritage that WGN-TV or WLS-TV have… or even WMAQ-TV, certainly not since Bill Applegate left in 1993. They’ve had the negative connotations of being a laggard or bottom-dweller. It’d be insane to think of WLS-TV becoming “ABC News Chicago” and stripping themselves of the circle 7, but WBBM-TV literally has nothing to lose.

 

And it speaks volumes about how much of a project this actually is for CBS, we’re not talking about just mere brand architecture, but systemic changes in multiple news operations (or in the case of Detroit, literally building up from nothing).

Agreed!!  This is why I believe WBBM could go the same route that WWJ did, at least with the branding.

Edited by CircleWXYZ
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