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WBZ/Boston (and other CBS O&Os?) to Rebrand Newscasts?


bostonmediaguy

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In perhaps a sign of wider things to come, WBZ/Boston is (yet again) launching a 10pm newscast airing on sister-station WSBK/Boston on July 18. It will be titled "CBS News Boston Now on TV38."

 

I've included a screenshot from the station's TitanTV program schedule.

 

Could this be a sign of a full rebrand from WBZ News? While it could certainly be part of the "hybrid, local-to-national multiplatform newscasts for several of the company’s CW, independent and MyNetwork TV-affiliated stations" that CBS Stations is launching, the branding is odd. If it's just going to air on TV38, why include the station's brand in the title?

Screen Shot 2022-07-07 at 5.54.11 AM.png

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This isn’t a sign of anything until we see evidence of WBZ itself rebranding (the website doesn’t count.) CBS stations using the “CBS News (Insert City)” brand for newscasts isn’t anything new. KTVT does it at midday to promote their streaming service, and WLNY did it for a while at 9pm. The “Now on TV38” portion of the title could just be part of the cable guide’s listing, but we’ll have to see what it looks like at launch.

 

What we do know, per NewscastStudio, is that CBS is working on new graphics that are expected to launch in the fall. I have personally seen no evidence in publications that suggests CBS intends to get rid of local branding on their main local newscasts based on the new website designs (nor have I even heard rumors backed up by sources.) Because of this lack of verifiable info, until we see/hear more of the specific changes that are to come in terms of rebranding, I would treat any suggestions of a full brand overhaul as pure speculation, and nothing more.

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I just checked the listings for CW Philly (WPSG) for that day, and similarly, its 10PM newscast is being rebranded as CBS Philadelphia News Now.

 

It's listed as a full hour, but I suspect it'll still be a half-hour and just replay it again at 10:30.

Edited by ddaniels20
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Upon further research, it appears that the majority of 10PM newscasts running on CBS duolopies are being rebranded as CBS (City Name) News Now, or something similar.

 

KBCW, KSTW (both resurrecting evening newscasts), WKBD, WPSG, WTOG, WUPA, WBFS (9PM instead) and WSBK's newscasts are all being rebranded under the Now branding.

 

As of now, there does not appear to be any changes for WLNY, WPCW, or KCAL.

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On 7/7/2022 at 9:03 AM, nycnewsjunkie said:

This isn’t a sign of anything until we see evidence of WBZ itself rebranding (the website doesn’t count.) CBS stations using the “CBS News (Insert City)” brand for newscasts isn’t anything new. KTVT does it at midday to promote their streaming service, and WLNY did it for a while at 9pm. The “Now on TV38” portion of the title could just be part of the cable guide’s listing, but we’ll have to see what it looks like at launch.

 

What we do know, per NewscastStudio, is that CBS is working on new graphics that are expected to launch in the fall. I have personally seen no evidence in publications that suggests CBS intends to get rid of local branding on their main local newscasts based on the new website designs (nor have I even heard rumors backed up by sources.) Because of this lack of verifiable info, until we see/hear more of the specific changes that are to come in terms of rebranding, I would treat any suggestions of a full brand overhaul as pure speculation, and nothing more.

Everything is pointing to CBS using these DFW-hub produced newscasts as what will subsume all the existing brands. (NewscastStudio isn’t exactly a reliable source, tbh, I could barely read what Michael Hill wrote.)

 

Outside of WCCO, KCNC, WJZ and KDKA, the CBS O&Os are laggards. WFOR, KYW-TV and WBBM have nothing to lose by becoming CBS News Miami, CBS News Philadelphia and CBS News Chicago, respectively. Ditch the current number and call letter brands and Enforcer, too.

 

Besides, it’s all but confirmed that WWJ-TV will be rebranding as CBS Detroit/CBS News Detroit when their news operation launches.

Edited by Myron Falwell
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On 7/7/2022 at 6:00 AM, bostonmediaguy said:

In perhaps a sign of wider things to come, WBZ/Boston is (yet again) launching a 10pm newscast airing on sister-station WSBK/Boston on July 18. It will be titled "CBS News Boston Now on TV38."

 

I've included a screenshot from the station's TitanTV program schedule.

 

Could this be a sign of a full rebrand from WBZ News? While it could certainly be part of the "hybrid, local-to-national multiplatform newscasts for several of the company’s CW, independent and MyNetwork TV-affiliated stations" that CBS Stations is launching, the branding is odd. If it's just going to air on TV38, why include the station's brand in the title?

Screen Shot 2022-07-07 at 5.54.11 AM.png

WSBK is keeping their 8pm news and moving the 10pm portion of their MyNet schedule to 1am. I think it would’ve been easier for them to have the news at 9 and 10 and MyNet from 11pm-1am. 

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4 minutes ago, Nelson R. said:

WSBK is keeping their 8pm news and moving the 10pm portion of their MyNet schedule to 1am. I think it would’ve been easier for them to have the news at 9 and 10 and MyNet from 11pm-1am. 

WSBK doesn’t have to compete against anyone at 8pm. The 10pm hour is up against WHDH and (in theory) WFXT.

 

Why not experiment at 10pm and eventually merge the two newscasts as a 8–11pm primetime news block?

Edited by Myron Falwell
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20 minutes ago, Nelson R. said:

WSBK is keeping their 8pm news and moving the 10pm portion of their MyNet schedule to 1am. I think it would’ve been easier for them to have the news at 9 and 10 and MyNet from 11pm-1am. 

 

No because... competition. WHDH is on at both 9 and 10pm. Why not keep WBZ's traditional news on WSBK at 8pm and have the experiment on at 10pm.

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4 hours ago, Myron Falwell said:

Everything is pointing to CBS using these DFW-hub produced newscasts as what will subsume all the existing brands. (NewscastStudio isn’t exactly a reliable source, tbh, I could barely read what Michael Hill wrote.)

 

Outside of WCCO, KCNC, WJZ and KDKA, the CBS O&Os are laggards. WFOR, KYW-TV and WBBM have nothing to lose by becoming CBS News Miami, CBS News Philadelphia and CBS News Chicago, respectively. Ditch the current number and call letter brands and Enforcer, too.

 

Besides, it’s all but confirmed that WWJ-TV will be rebranding as CBS Detroit/CBS News Detroit when their news operation launches.

I suppose only 4/15 consistently good stations isn’t exactly a great track record for the station group, so you definitely have a point there. And it certainly makes sense to ditch Enforcer (if that’s in the works.) IMHO, that music had its day, and I wouldn’t mind seeing the back of it in favor of something new.

 

That said, I still don’t understand how going the CTV route with local branding would increase ratings at the dead weight stations. WFOR, KYW, WBBM, etc. may not have anything to lose by ditching their local titles, but what would they have to gain that would make them stand out from WSVN, WPVI, or WGN? Considering that they might also ditch the local brands of the more successful stations, they’d be gambling away successful and proven names for the remote possibility that they improve in other markets. It sounds like cutting off one’s nose to spite their face in their competitive markets (one could include WBZ as being competitive for CBS too, given WHDH’s loss of NBC.)

 

You’re right that WWJ will be branding as CBS News Detroit, but you could say that’s because WWJ (TV) never carved out any distinct identity whatsoever. This kind of branding actually works for their case, as it puts the power of a big network brand (even if their national news is incredibly weak) behind a station that has little to no news reputation to speak of.

 

It’s entirely possible that you’re right, and they go the CTV route. I suppose there’s also a non-zero chance they go generic for their struggling stations while keeping local brands intact on their more successful ones. There’s also a chance that the local brands don’t go away at all, even with the new “CBS News” brand on certain newscasts and online (see posts from @Geoffrey in the WCBS thread for potential evidence of that.) The whole thing still seems like a bit of a crapshoot to me, and I know we’re just making very early guesses, but it’ll definitely be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

Edited by nycnewsjunkie
Clarity, grammar, spelling
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2 hours ago, newsteam13 said:

I see two possibilities for KCNC Denver: CBS News Denver Now OR CBS News Colorado Now. But either way, sounds like a mouthful to say.

It will be CBS News Colorado, they are already headed in that direction with the streaming service.   I'm thinking sometime in the fall they will rebrand the newscasts to CBS News Colorado.    

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On 7/7/2022 at 11:11 AM, SFTV said:

Interesting move. Makes me wonder if KBCW will ramp up a 10 pm newscast again or heck even a morning show *shrug*

Spoke too soon

 

Starting this Monday. KPIX will be launching an hour long 7am online newscast on CBS NEWS BAY AREA.

 

one of the anchors IG story mentions that there will be more fun…we’ll see if they loosen up their sleeves like KGO does because ABC7 @ 7 literally screams KTLA. Especially with the lower thirds when they go to break.


https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2022/7/6/someone-is-cranky

 

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I'm praying we don't see "CBS News Pittsburgh" branded newscasts because the KDKA name is still very valuable in Pittsburgh. 

 

Unless CBS wants to give it up completely to Entercom/Audacy (KDKA-AM [100.1/1020 Newsradio] and KDKA-FM [93.7 The Fan]) but I'm probably wrong. I would love to see a refresh of the black and gold graphics from 2020 though with the new look. 

 

I do believe if the CBS Owned CW stations get sold to Nexstar/Mission (as I mentioned in The CW being sold to Nexstar board) , The newscasts on the CW stations will move online only for good and Nexstar will replace them with a National NewsNation segment (similar to The National Desk). 

Edited by Kenneth Kissel
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14 minutes ago, Kenneth Kissel said:

I'm praying we don't see "CBS News Pittsburgh" branded newscasts because the KDKA name is still very valuable in Pittsburgh. 

 

Unless CBS wants to give it up completely to Entercom/Audacy (KDKA-AM [100.1/1020 Newsradio] and KDKA-FM [93.7 The Fan]) but I'm probably wrong. I would love to see a refresh of the black and gold graphics from 2020 though with the new look. 

 

I do believe if the CBS Owned CW stations get sold to Nexstar/Mission (as I mentioned in The CW being sold to Nexstar board) , The newscasts on the CW stations will move online only for good and Nexstar will replace them with a National NewsNation segment (similar to The National Desk). 


The new graphics the CBS O&Os debut this fall will be uniform across the group. That means say goodbye to the Steelers/Pens/Pirates colors.

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Just now, Georgie56 said:


The new graphics the CBS O&Os debut this fall will be uniform across the group. That means say goodbye to the Steelers/Pens/Pirates colors.

I will disagree on this for now and believe KDKA-TV will modify it to match the current package when it launches. I don't see them getting rid of the Steelers/Pens/Pirates colors yet. 

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2 hours ago, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

I wonder if they'll incorporate the little 5 note ditty that WBZ and WCCO are using for their weather

Probably. I wish CCO hadn't ditched the "weather watcher whistle" for the CBS 5-note tone.

 

On 7/8/2022 at 8:18 PM, Myron Falwell said:

Outside of WCCO, KCNC, WJZ and KDKA, the CBS O&Os are laggards.

I still argue the "If it isn't broken..." argument. WCCO desperately needs a graphics refresh like all the CBS O&O's; but they have done a good job going with what they know works in the market- a set that has aged shockingly well for being 10-years old (minor updates, of course), iconic branding, and recognizable air staff. On the other side of town, KARE11 used to be #1 with that same formula, and now they're just happy to be in the Top 5 (as of Nov 2021).

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4 hours ago, Kenneth Kissel said:

I will disagree on this for now and believe KDKA-TV will modify it to match the current package when it launches. I don't see them getting rid of the Steelers/Pens/Pirates colors yet. 

Especially after the paint on their vehicles, black and yellow nor KDKA ain't going nowhere any time soon.

1920px-KDKATVNewsTruck2021.jpg

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