Bill Kurtis & Walter Jacobson to anchor Channel 2 News @ 10 this Friday

[ProButtonPusher 230]

Yeah, some of the highlights have restrictions...you can't air highlights from another network while the game is still on, etc.

[Jase 818]

The sports segment was short (close to a minute and 1/2 altogether maybe) and the two weather segments combined seemed like almost 1 minute (if that). The overall newscast was okay, but I felt I didn't get a full review of the days news I would normally get if I watched WMAQ or WLS.

 

Yes, it was a special occasion, but that doesn't mean you don't do what you normally do. Maybe this is how their newscasts are (given that I don't watch WBBM). Even so, there is still a lot of work ahead at WBBM.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

The sports segment was short (close to a minute and 1/2 altogether maybe) and the two weather segments combined seemed like almost 1 minute (if that). The overall newscast was okay, but I felt I didn't get a full review of the days news I would normally get if I watched WMAQ or WLS.

 

Yes, it was a special occasion, but that doesn't mean you don't do what you normally do. Maybe this is how their newscasts are (given that I don't watch WBBM). Even so, there is still a lot of work ahead at WBBM.

 

 

If you've watched WBBM lately, they are going in a very different direction than WLS and WMAQ on their 10PM newscast.. which actually has helped them quite a bit ratings-wise. People in the Chicago area are tired of the same old "blah" at 10. The same format of headlines/day's review first, special segment/report/exclusive second, weather, a fun story/feature, and then sports. Jeff said when he came into the station, he'd be doing things very different and thinking outside the box, which really, is what he's doing..

 

Here's what WBBM does these days on their 10PM newscast.. Put the special reports, special segments, exclusive story, fun story/feature FIRST. The reason why people tune to CBS 2 in the first place these days. Then do the headlines and all the other news that pretty much everyone knows about and is sick of hearing about during the second block and minimizing it to what's necessary.

 

It's getting people hooked at the beginning and then those people will might as well stick around of the rest of the news because if they turn to a different channel by the time the special stuff is over, the main news headlines are over with on those channels. Instead of the constant teasing at the beginning of the newscast for that "special" that turns people off from the newscast.

 

 

The more I look at it, they are truly doing what viewers want now.. You gotta remember, the majority of the people in the Chicago market live OUTSIDE of the city limits. Us out here are sick and tired of hearing the same crap that people in the city keep doing on a daily basis and the same old shithead city and Cook County politicians.

 

 

Times have changed.. People are getting tired of the same old 10PM "review of the day" style of newscast. People don't just turn off the TV and go to bed anymore after the 10PM news. WBBM is trying to turn the 10PM newscast into something of its own and it's really starting to work.

 

 

Here's what it comes down to too.. WMAQ's evening ratings are falling fast. The problem at WMAQ, ALL the cutting-back they do at the station really shows on their newscasts. NBC has cut back so much with them, that it shows on their newscasts and it hurts them. WBBM's 10PM ratings are growing. Not growing anywhere near as fast as WMAQ falling; however, I can honestly see WBBM becoming Chicago's #2 news not too long from now.

[bostonmediaguy 122]

 

Here's what WBBM does these days on their 10PM newscast.. Put the special reports, special segments, exclusive story, fun story/feature FIRST.

 

Kiernan did the same thing at WBZ/Boston; the practice continues today and they remain #1 at 11PM.

[NewsMan 0]

I thought they did a great job and the set looked even better with them. But why no special talent open? Plus I wish they could have picked up WCBS's cuts of the enforcer for the night. The old cuts sound so tired.

 

A- For the amazing effort!

 

BTW: Did Steve do weather that night? I couldn't watch the whole thing due to the computer.