Secrets of the City

Any word on the demos from last month yet? I know ‘CCO cleaned up in the overall ratings, but KARE was waiting with baited breath on the demos…

How much of this is a result of the UPN WB merger?

Its not even mentioned in the article but I would have to guess they are starting to plan for it already.

We’re still waiting… although I must say I was shocked to see KARE’s GM predicting they would sweep the demos in all newscasts. That seems highly unlikely. The 10 p.m. demos will be extremely close, though. If WCCO wins demos, that’ll be the cherry on top of a fairly remarkable ratings turnaround.

I know I’d be impressed if that happens. KARE has been the 800lb gorilla in this town for as long as I’ve been here.

A ratings turnaround that started when one intrepid reporter donned high-heeled boots, I might add.

I just hope Frank Vascellaro is laughing his ass off. His ratings were higher than Magers’ and they let him go. I’m sure their ratings drop will cost them a lot more in ad revenue that it would have cost to pay him a bit more.

I’m sure the merger is part of it. 29 is becoming a MyNetwork TV affiliate (the new Fox network). But the GM of Fox 9 used to be the GM of the Fox in Milwaukee. They were a CBS before they became Fox. And WITI does a 9-10 p.m. hour, and a 10-10:35 p.m. newscast.

I think many Fox stations feel like they have to compete head-to-head with the other stations to truly be a competitor. Plus, Geraldo’s not exactly lighting it up at 10pm, so Fox 9 may as well do a newscast.

A ratings turnaround that started when one intrepid reporter donned high-heeled boots, I might add.

Who was that?

Paul Magers of course!

Foster, sadly, that was me. It was October of 2005. In November I was promoted to reporting for our 10 p.m. newscast. Most media observers point to November 2005 as the start of WCCO’s climb. Coincidence?

Probably.

When I saw the lead in to your story last night I shit cause I thought it was about Morgellan’s disease.

KSTP seems to have revolving anchors lately, McLean, Brucato, 5, 6, 6:30, 10. My head hurts trying to keep track of who is anchoring what.

You were walking quite well in those. Anything you need to share with us?

I think I’ve shared far too much already…

At least you’re taller than Prince.

Paul Mager’s is the one really having the last laugh. He is now #1 in LA.

I’m just glad I get all my news needs met by Jon Stewart.

I’m sure the merger is part of it.

I don’t think the merger has anyting to do with it. The decision was probably based more on the strength of 9’s 9 p.m. newscast (its numbers at 9 p.m. were often better than 5’s at 10 p.m. during the May sweeps) and the weakness of 29’s newscast at 10 p.m. The fact that 29 will be the MyNetwork affiliate shouldn’t mean anything anyway because there won’t be any 10 p.m. “primetime” programming that would conflict. Channel 9 is probably feeling confident enough now that they want to go head-to-head with 4, 11 and 5. Should they do as well in November as they did in May, it would say an awful lot about the dire situation at Channel 5. (Frank Magid must have some nasty pictures of the Hubbards. It’s the only reason I can think of why that consultant has been allowed to stick around so long.)

I think you’re right noodleman. I meant that the merger perhaps gave the opportunity to reasess everything up and down the schedule. I think Fox will certainly be competitive at 10. It’ll be fun.

the dire situation at Channel 5.

I’m sorry…but whenever there’s a “breaking news” situation in the Twin Cities I tune to KSTP. I know there’s a lot of turmoil there and the whole anchor thing baffles me, but when there is something happening right now, 5 always seems to have the story.

Is KMSP doing another guerilla ad campaign for the new 10 pm show?

Kevin, I wouldn’t consider their situation dire either. They showed growth in May, and compared to other markets of our size, KSTP pulls in a fairly good viewership.

Boy, KSTP and WFTC TV are in pretty bad shape since their news departments went into the toliet, due to company mergers by the bigger networks in Hollywood. Yet I wonder if they’re going to begged Harris Faulkner or Randy Meier(if his last name is pronounced correctly), to come back to the cities in order to get the stations’ ratings afloat again. Besides, whatever happened to good news in the twin cities lately?

Did I mention that Cindy Brucatto looks like a fattened, bronzed pig?

Gawd she is a hiddeous shrew!

Of course, she pimps the Repiglicans every chance she gets.

Another example of the MYTH of a Liberal Media.

Faulkner’s eyes always wierded me out. It’s stupid how things like that matter, but when it comes to anchors somehow they do.

Jason would never think to credit those ten minute WCCO commercials Paul Douglas does every month on Almanac, would he?