Archive for the ‘WKCF-18’ category

May sweeps: WFTV, CBS big winners in Orlando

May 29th, 2010

Just as predictable as afternoon thunderstorms in the summer: WFTV and CBS were the big winners in Orlando in the just-completed May sweeps.

The juggernaut that is Channel 9′s Eyewitness News showed no signs of weakness. WFTV’s newscasts won in all time periods — morning, noon, evening and night.

According to results in the Orlando Sentinel, WFTV’s 6 p.m. newscast had more viewers (128,500 homes) than the combined audiences of WESH 2 News (68,300), WKMG’s Local 6 News (27,400) and WOFL’s Fox 35 News (23,900).  The results were the same in the 25-to-54 demo: WFTV (40,100), WESH (15,700), WKMG (11,300) and WOFL (10,800).

Despite CBS’ popular prime-time lineup on WKMG finishing No. 1. locally, WFTV’s 11 p.m. news was tops — pulling 42,200 homes in the demo compared with 27,900 for WKMG, 21,200 for WESH and 15,500 for WOFL.

The only dent in WFTV’s armor? It’s 10 p.m. newscast on sister station WRDQ-TV 27 finished behind WOFL’s Fox 35 News at 10. Those 10 p.m. demo numbers: Fox 35 (27,000), WRDQ (16,500) and WESH’s news on WKCF (8,700).

» Read more: May sweeps: WFTV, CBS big winners in Orlando

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Posted in Orlando TV, WESH-2, WFTV-9, WKCF-18, WKMG-6, WOFL-35, WRDQ-27

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WKCF-CW 18 named CW’s top affiliate

May 25th, 2010

What’s the station the CW Network wishes all of its affiliates would be like? Well, just turn on Orlando’s WKCF-CW 18 and find out.

The station announced Thursday that it received the APEX Award from The CW for being the network’s “Model Affiliate of the Year.”

According to the press release, “The Model Affiliate is the highest award given by the CW Television Network for being an overall outstanding local TV station. The award is based on the quality and involvement of all aspects of television operations such as CW18 marketing and station branding, on and off air promotional efforts, sales and advertiser ventures, duopoly integration with sister station WESH 2 and local media partnerships.”

» Read more: WKCF-CW 18 named CW’s top affiliate

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Posted in Orlando TV, WKCF-18

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Sabrina Fein leaves Fox 35; WESH adds more Aixa Diaz

May 23rd, 2010
Sabrina Fine posing in Orlando Style magazine

Sabrina Fine posing in Orlando Style magazine

A couple of changes to report on the local news scene…

WOFL-Fox 35 meteorologist/traffic reporter Sabrina Fein – declared by some to be the “hottest” woman on Orlando TV — has left O-Town. Posting on her Facebook fan page on May 19, Fein wrote, “For all of you that are wondering and asking, I have decided to take a short break from the news business and refocus my career in Los Angeles. Thank you all for participating in this page and I am hopeful that you will still follow me and my career. Take care for now. – Sabrina xoxo.” Reading more comments on the page, it appears that WOFL wanted to move her off the weather beat. …

» Read more: Sabrina Fein leaves Fox 35; WESH adds more Aixa Diaz

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Posted in Anchors, Orlando TV, WESH-2, WFTV-9, WKCF-18, WOFL-35, Weather

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Not a fan of WFTV’s new weather channel

April 11th, 2010

Some quick thoughts on recent Orlando TV News:

Put me down as not a fan of  WFTV’s revamped weather channel, 9.2. Sure, Severe Weather Center 9 has forecasts, temperatures and a radar — but just give me the radar. The former 9.2 had the live WFTV radar almost 24-7 — and in HD — making it convenient to check anytime (especially during storms). It also ran the audio from whatever was running on the main WFTV channel, so when you flipped over for a minute, you didn’t missing anything. Now, the station is streaming audio from Cox radio station WMMO. Sorry, I liked the old channel better. …

Speaking of WFTV’s digital channels, I suspect part of the reason behind the change on 9.2 has to do with what’s coming on 9.3 — the future home of Spanish-language station WAWA. There’s likely not enough bandwidth for two HD channels and a third.  WKMG (LATV) and WESH/WKCF (Esteralla) already have deals for Hispanic programming on their sub-channels, so it only seemed like a matter of time and company for WFTV to add one. Still, the FCC lists WAWA has being assigned Channel 47 in the Orlando market. Is there really a WAWA on channel 47?  …

One question. All the local stations have multiple digital channels — except’s Fox’s duopoly of WOFL-Fox 35 and WRBW-My 65. What’s the deal there? …

WESH debuted its new HD camera on Chopper 2. Very cool. …

WKMG anchor Jacqueline London was married over the weekend to former NFL player Tony McGee. Saw a couple of folks Tweet about the wedding and reception — sounds like it was quite the bash. Best of luck to the new couple. …

Former WFTV sports anchor Zach Kline was also Tweeting some important news on Sunday. Kline, now at Cox mothership WSB in Atlanta, was among the lucky few media members to win the Masters lottery and earn the opportunity to play the Augusta National course on Monday. He Tweeted: “Who says dreams do not come true. Just found out I’m playing Augusta National tomorrow at 11:10 am. Anyone know the course record?”

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Posted in Anchors, Orlando TV, WESH-2, WFTV-9, WKCF-18, WKMG-6, WOFL-35, WRBW-65

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Early-bird WESH adds 4:30 a.m. newscast

March 30th, 2010

WESH on Tuesday began airing an additional half hour of morning news, starting at 4:30 a.m.

“We are always looking for opportunities to serve the local news and weather needs of our viewers at times that are both convenient and valuable to them,” WESH GM Jim Carter said in a news release. “We saw that need in this time period and we filled it.”

Many stations across the nation have been moving up their morning newscasts to 4:30 a.m. The reason? With longer commutes, folks are getting up earlier. And, as one TV wag once said, the best lead-in to news is news.

WESH 2 News Sunrise usually runs No. 2 behind WFTV’s Eyewitness News Daybreak. Will getting a 30-minute jump on the competition at 4:30 a.m. make a difference?

The new  half hour of news will be anchored by Syan Rhodes, with meteorologist Amy Sweezey and traffic reporter Kimberly Williams, WESH said.

» Read more: Early-bird WESH adds 4:30 a.m. newscast

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Posted in Orlando TV, WESH-2, WKCF-18

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