WTMJ Hard Up for Cash? Infomercial Bumps Prime Time Programming

[wysiwyg]

NBC is essentially abandoning the 3rd hour of its primetime lineup by airing Jay Leno 5 nights a week at 9PM, so it's in the process of falling to a level on par with CW/MNT. The only product they have that is popular is Sunday night football, and I suppose the olympics. I can see WTMJ rationalizing that dropping NBC and rebranding as the "local news station" during primetime will get higher ratings over the long haul compared to NBC's prime time lineup.

[John L]

It wouldn't surprise me if the major Networks make some cuts like give the local stations 9:00pm to 10:00pm.  I know if that happens, Fox 6 will have competition and we will see chs 4 and 12 also add 1 hour of News before 10:00pm.

Thou the Network cutbacks would be due to not making profits.  Like NBC filling the 9pm weekday slot with Jay Leno. Should it fail, next thing is WTMJ ch 4 will have news on in HD.

Besides, I doubt WTMJ-TV is too hard up in ca$h, because if they were, you wouldn't be getting your local news in HD.

-John L.

[InsulinJunkie]

NBC is essentially abandoning the 3rd hour of its primetime lineup by airing Jay Leno 5 nights a week at 9PM, so it's in the process of falling to a level on par with CW/MNT.

Leno's show would have to bomb pretty hard for it not to be a decent moneymaker for NBC, given how cheap it is compared to a scripted show.  

NBC might actually end up turning lemons into lemonade out of that whole deal.

[vegasvic]

Besides, I doubt WTMJ-TV is too hard up in ca$h, because if they were, you wouldn't be getting your local news in HD.

-John L.

If they weren't hurting financially they wouldn't have increased prime time infomercials so much. And if they were serious about local news they'd have stressed content over HD.  Instead of TMJ they've turned their news into TMZ.

[Cheese!]

I strongly suggest trying to pick up WMTV 15 or WMAQ 5 for network programing, i have had enough of this infomercial crap, although WTMJ has the best news in the market, i refuse to watch their primetime.

And also, we all better pray that if 4 were to drop NBC that 18 or 24 wouldn't pick it up, no offence to sinclairs hard working engineers but we would have ZERO local programing, it would be an embarrassment to have a big four network, in a major city, with no local involvment what so ever, we all know how bad sinclair has failed with a major network in buffalo, st louis and Tallahassee, Milwaukee would be better off with a translator station from WMAQ.

[Jack 1000]

Does anyone know how much money in equipment and computer technology was used to get NBC news all HD, all the time?  I think that is great!  Who wouldn't?  However, it now stands to reason how much of that money might have been used on prime-time programing?  Even harsh economic times cannot compensate  having infomercials on during what is supposed to be Prime Time programing.

The practice just makes WTMJ look tacky.  I agree with the above, it's akin to a TMZ gossip video.  What a far cry from what used to be at or near the #1 rated  commercial network on TV.

Furthermore, this cheaply produced type content airing now, is no wonder that people who can at least afford it, are turning to other TV technology:  Cable, Dish, U-Verse, and Internet.  Although it is very hard for me personally to watch TV off a computer monitor when I have a big HD set in my living room.

Jack

[InsulinJunkie]

Even harsh economic times cannot compensate  having infomercials on during what is supposed to be Prime Time programing.

The funny thing is, WTMJ probably made the right call.

FACE THE ACE got completely slaughtered by the other network shows in its time slot; it drew a horrific million and a half total viewers nationwide (the next lowest network show in the time slot had over twice as many viewers) and did 0.4 in the adult demo.

Even by the extremely low standards of a summer Saturday, that's pathetic.

[mrschimpf]

The funny thing is, WTMJ probably made the right call.

FACE THE ACE got completely slaughtered by the other network shows in its time slot; it drew a horrific million and a half total viewers nationwide (the next lowest network show in the time slot had over twice as many viewers) and did 0.4 in the adult demo.

Even by the extremely low standards of a summer Saturday, that's pathetic.

And it was also pre-empted in Houston and Detroit, along with what I'm sure is 10-20 other stations for various reasons (ratings concerns, objections about gambling-based programming in primetime etc.). Usually I'm unhappy about any network programming being pre-empted, but seeing "Face the Ace" on WGBA and hearing the blog talk, this was one program that merited pre-emption. It was horribly produced, had the feeling of an infomercial, the host was awful...and the Aces? They were beat by poker newbs.

[CrashCamomilli]

Journal Communications, the owner of many of our local media outlets is taking fairly large losses, on print, radio and TV right now.

Allthough print has it's own issues, all are suffering from a massive drop in ad revenue, I would not be surprised if a large shakeup, or restructuring came in the next 12-18 months.

If the mass layoffs on the print side are any indication, I suspect that it could be sooner.

When the Journal released its latest earning update on july 21st, the data was less than encouraging.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily16.html?surround=lfn

[AA9VI]

WTMJ can thank the likes of Immult and Zucker for running that once awesome brand (NBC) 30 feet into the dirt.  Shareholders are mad, but they don't care.  They have other "more important" agendas on the GE side.

[RLJSlick]

I see WTMJ is at it again!  Paid ads at 6-7PM and again from 8-9PM tonight! Wow that really sucks!

[SRW1000]

I see WTMJ is at it again!  Paid ads at 6-7PM and again from 8-9PM tonight! Wow that really sucks!

They were showing news at 6:00 PM, but another Time Life infomercial at 6:30.

Scott

[RLJSlick]

OF course during that 8 PM time slot NBC is showing "Face The Ace" and I heard that it has historical low ratings.

[Jack 1000]

OF course during that 8 PM time slot NBC is showing "Face The Ace" and I heard that it has historical low ratings.

Someone with a commitment to quality program should put a bid on the table for a WTMJ buy out.  With the strong exception of WTMJ's excellent HD newscasts, the rest of the programs are downright embarrassing.  

This is sad.  I feel sorry for them.

Jack

[ArgMeMatey]

With the strong exception of WTMJ's excellent HD newscasts, the rest of the programs are downright embarrassing.  

Form follows function.  Saturday night they had, what, 3 minutes on the Packers scrimmage that was CANCELED.  There was no news there!

WTMJ investing in HD might end up being like the Journal building that beautiful new printing plant on Burnham.