Category Archives: WKMG-6

Oh, doctor! Did Local 6 run out of news?

Posted on by
Reply

WKMG’s new schedule goes into effect today. No more news at 4, 5 or 5:30 p.m. — the new hourlong 6 p.m. show starts, followed by the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric at 7 p.m.

Taking over one of Local 6 News’ former time slots — from 5 to 6 p.m. — is talk show host Dr. Phil. WKMG moved the good doctor to be the lead-in for its local news — an idea that was first tried at Post-Newsweek sister station WPLG-ABC 10 in Miami in 2006 with great ratings success. Back then I asked then-GM Henry Maldonado if WKMG had any plans to copy the Dr. Phil programming strategy.

“Dr Phil is doing better than ever here at 7,” Maldonado wrote in an e-mail back then. “We were the first major market station to put Dr Phil in the evening, and now others are following our lead. Our news is doing just fine, we are No. 2 in those time periods, and looking to keep moving up.”

“But,” he added, “it’s good to know that there’s a strategy out there in case this town runs out of news.”

Well, I think we have plenty of news — just not as many people watching it.

Also of note: The news schedule that WKMG is starting today — hour of news from 6-7 followed by CBS Evening News — was employed here in the Sunshine State back in the 1980s when WTVT-Fox 13 was still a CBS affiliate. It ran “Pulse 13 News” as an hourlong block leading into CBS’ news at 7 p.m. As they say, the more things change …

Here’s a clip from WTVT:


Continue reading →

Be Sociable, Share!

Shake up at WKMG: Layoffs, newscasts shuffled

Posted on by
Reply

Thursday was a sad day for those at WKMG-Local 6.

Hit hard by the sagging revenue and sagging ratings, the CBS affiliate reportedly laid off 20 staffers and canceled its 4, 5 and 5:30 newscasts. Starting Monday, WKMG will air Dr. Phil from 5 to 6 p.m. and an hourlong newscast from 6 to 7 p.m. The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric moves to 7 p.m. from 6:30.

If this lineup sounds familiar to TV observers, that’s because it’s the forumla used at Post-Newsweek sister station WPLG-ABC 10 in Miami and at Gannett’s WTSP-CBS 10 in Tampa. Both stations moved Dr. Phil to 5 p.m. to compete against rivals’ local newscasts, and both saw bumps in ratings for their 6 p.m. newscasts — a feat Local 6 hopes to repeat. But it may not be so easy.

Continue reading →

Be Sociable, Share!

Check digital channel 26 for “Local 6″

Posted on by
Reply

If you’re not getting WKMG on your HD receiver, you need to rescan you local channels. WKMG changed digital channels last week. After broadcasting on Channel 58, WKMG is now airing on Channel 26. Sure, thanks to remapping your receiver should always show WKMG on Channel 6, but that’s not really the case with most Central Florida stations. Here are the digital channels the local stations are broadcasting on:

WESH (NBC)               2                              11
WKMG (CBS)               6                              26
WFTV (ABC)                 9                              39
WKCF (CW)               18                              17
WMFE (PBS)              24                              23
WRDQ (Ind)               27                              14
WOFL (Fox)                35                              22
WRBW (MNT)            65                              41

 

Some other notes ….

Just in time for May sweeps, WFTV has tweaked its graphics. A splash of gold and some curves have been added to the HD graphics that debuted back in June 2006 when Channel 9 became the first station in the state — and 10th in the nation — to produce the news in high definition. ….

Fox 35 had added a couple of new additions to its weekend anchor team. Talitha Vickers co-anchors with Keith Landry on 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows. She previously worked at WWOR-My9 in New York, WBOC in Salisbury, Md., and WCCB in Charlotte. University of Miami grad Sabrina Fein is the weekend meteorologist. She’s worked at KSPR in Springfield, Mo., KCBD in Lubbock, Texas, WPBF in Palm Beach and WFTX in Fort Myers before joining Fox 35.

Be Sociable, Share!

Former Orlando anchor retiring

Posted on by
Reply

Wayne Bennett, a former anchor at Channels 2 and 6, is retiring after 34 years in the news business.

Bennett began his career as a reporter for WESH in 1975, and  he eventually became an anchor at Channel 2. He then switched over to Channel 6 as the early evening and late anchor, replacing Ben Aycrigg.

Since 1989, he’s been anchoring at WTVM-ABC 9 in Columbus, Ga. Bennett will continue anchoring the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts at the station until May 15.

“The Wayne you see on television, is Wayne off-screen,” WTVM News Director Anne Holmes told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. “Everyday when he walks in the newsroom, it’s almost a moment from the TV show ‘Cheers.’ Everyone says, ‘Hi Wayne.’ His arrival is anticipated every day.

“He’s certainly made an impact on the younger newsroom employees, and I know he’s made an impact on Columbus.”

Bennett’s retirement plans include traveling and living overseas.

Continue reading →

Be Sociable, Share!

Casey Anthony coverage: Local 6 wins

Posted on by
Reply

Following up to the recent Florida Associated Press Broadcasters competition …

 AP still hasn’t updated its site with the results, but we’re finding out about them the old-fashioned way: folks at the stations are e-mailing me their results. Today, we recognize the winners at WKMG-Local 6.

The station won first place in the continuing coverage category for “The Case Against Casey [Anthony],” and also won first place in best long hard-news Feature, “A Mother’s Loss,” repotered by Donald Forbes. WKMG finished as runner-up in the best newscast, best investigative report and best long hard-news feature categories.

Continue reading →

Be Sociable, Share!