Why did WKMG let go longtime anchor Bob Frier? Could be a combination of things — budget tightening, wanting to go in a different direction … yadda, yadda, yadda.
But one key reason has to be Local 6’s ratings. Yes, WKMG’s 11 p.m. newscast — once ranked No. 1 — does well following CBS’ primetime, but the station’s early evening newscasts are ailing. When other stations are promoting their upcoming 11 p.m. shows during network primetime, WKMG has been running spots trying to lure viewers to its 5 p.m. newscast.
And according to NewsBlues.com, WKMG may need a lot more promos. When Frier signed off on Friday night at the end of the 6 p.m. newscast, fewer than 1,000 homes in the key 25-54 demo were tuned in … and WKMG was the seventh-rated station in that quarter hour.
Here’s the viewer info from Friday evening, from NewsBlues.com:
| Rating | Share | |||
| 1 | WFTV-9-ABC | 3.0 | 13 | local news |
| 2 | WESH-2-NBC | 1.8 | 8 | local news |
| 3 | WRBW-65-MyTV | 1.7 | 7 | Judge Judy |
| 4 | WRDQ-27-Ind | .7 | 3 | George Lopez |
| 5 | WKCF-18-CW | .6 | 2 | Deal-No Deal |
| 6 | WOFL-35-Fox | .6 | 2 | local news |
| 7 | WKMG-6-CBS | .2 | 1 | local news |