Newspapers being cut, and now newscasts?

Sorry it's been so long since I wrote.

Continuing with the theme from my last post, I read an article today on AdAge.com about WNBC in New York, which is cutting its 5pm newscast with a "lifestyle and entertainment show."

The change is being made to accomodate viewer trends, which the article cites as including other programming (movies and reruns of "popular shows"), cable TV news and, of course, the Internet.

But, a lifestyle and entertainment show? Isn't daytime TV filled with that kind of programming? Programs such as The View are as commonplace on daytime TV as informercials. I love the Internet and all the other means in which to obtain news; but I'm also an old-fashioned kind of guy who likes to see a good newscast every now and again.

Especially a 5pm newscast - as I've been at work all day and need to get caught up. Sure, after I get home from work, and my timeslot at the gym, I'll hop on Google News and check some news, stocks, and the like; but mostly the time is spent going through a day's worth of email.

I'm used to 5pm newscasts. I'm used to the workday starting early and ending early (I'm a 7 to 3 guy). My guess is that it's probably a safe bet that most New Yorkers are still at the office at 5pm, and work until 6 or later; or are on the subway coming home, and a 5pm newscast wouldn't reach alot of people.

I just think WNBC could have filled the time slot better, than putting in a type of show that is seen almost all day long; who needs another one?

The full article can be read here: http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=137546

Thanks for reading.

The future of local news

I looked through my daily email from the Public Relations Society of America - Issues and Trends - and found a neat little article about local news, and whether or not it's still proprietary.

The article suggests that though many consumers are now perusing the Internet, and other electronic mediums to get their news, there are segments of journalism that are still perceived as important. The quote du jour seemed to be this one, "The Pew report noted that audiences consider newspapers to be more valuable than before. In fact, news content has slightly increased in popularity during the recent months."

So it seems that journalism hasn't altogether vanished; but the article, written by Barbara Bry for the PRSA Tactics, also states that there needs to be a major change in the way traditional media distributes the news. If you think about how Twitter works, people who regularly use Twitter could find a piece of news, a press release or whatever - possibly quicker than they might be able to find it on a search engine, such as Google News.

Which leads to the main point of the article, that news is no longer proprietary, or exclusive. Bry mentioned bloggers who are increasingly putting forth news on their sites.

For example, yesterday, local news reports here in the Twin Cities brought forth a report about the new Budweiser Party Deck that will be constructed at Target Field - the new home of the Minnesota Twins. I frequent a blog at www.twinsballpark2010.com which, over the last three months or so, through pictures and guided tours from the blog's host, has suggested that something was going to be built out in the left field area of the ballpark.

So, it was really no surprise to me when I saw it in this morning's newspaper, or last night's 10pm newscast. This example seems to prove Ms. Bry's comments - that in order to be relevant, something will need to change in the way local news is presented.

Her full article, can be read here: http://www.prsa.org/supportfiles/news/viewNews.cfm?pNewsID=842348074

Thanks for reading.