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FTVLive

NBC O&O’s Quietly Planning to Expand Newscasts

Nov 3, 2015  •  Post A Comment

A new report says a number of NBC owned-and-operated stations have been working on launching new newscasts. FTVLive reports that the stations are looking into launching 4 p.m. news programs.

The project has been going on quietly, and the report has few details. But the motivation appears to be tied to the election cycle.

“Again, you see the earlier news popping up in more and more markets and it is happening lately because of all the political ad dollars in play,” FTVLive reports. “Political campaigns want to spend a bulk of their money during newscasts. It is their way to reach more likely voters.”

NBC O&O’s in “many of their markets” are in talks to add the earlier news programming, the report notes.

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2 Comments

  1. And they were so quiet about the project that no one noticed the shows went on the air in September (sorry could not resist).

    I am not sure what is going on but quite a number of NBC stations started airing a 4 PM news half hour in September (do not know if they are affiliates, NBC owned, or a mixture). Is NBC corporate only now noticing, just following a trend, or were they using (if they were affiliate-only stations) certain markets as test markets? Thanks.

  2. KNBC debuted its 4PM newscast on May 30, and moved its midday newscast from Noon to 11AM. WNBC and WTVJ will debut their 4PM newscasts on June 13, and I assume WMAQ is expected to expand 4:30PM newscast to 4PM, dumping syndicated newsmagazine show EXTRA. No word on when WVIT is to debut their 4PM newscast. KNTV doesn’t appear to be getting 4PM newscast anytime soon. Since WCAU, KXAS, WRC, and KNSD already have 4PM newscasts, it’s expected that those stations may acquire Access Hollywood Live talk show as Meredith Vieira’s replacement. To coincide with 4PM newscast debuts, NBC will be rolling out new Look N graphics package, starting with WNBC. Boston NBC affiliation remains in limbo, unless NBC is looking to pony up the money to acquire WHDH and WLVI from Ed Ansin… and if NBC is looking to sell one of its stations, I see WVIT being sold eventually… and WNEU as well.

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