WTMJ Hard Up for Cash? Infomercial Bumps Prime Time Programming

[Jack 1000]

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.

On channel 504 (TWC channel 4 in HD) they are showing the weather graphics in HD, or so it appears.  On 506 (Channel 6-HD) they have to convert to SD for the weather graphics.  I did not check channel 512. (Channel 12-HD.)

The point is that the greatest investment with WTMJ technology is now HD news and weather.  Nothing else matters.

Jack

[Bluto]

OK, I did not see this first-hand, maybe someone else did....

I was listening to Jay Webber on the way into work today, and he mentioned that one of the talking heads on TMJ did an ad for Horny Goat Beer right in the middle of the 10pm newscast.  It was during a report on the state fair.  It was obvious by the way that it was delivered, that it was a paid ad.  Did anyone happen to catch this?

[Irish]

Before all this crazy speculation runs even further amok, I should mention that it is not unusual for TV stations to run prime time infomercials during the summer. It's a low viewing time, helps to pad the bottom line and I guess it allows them to burn off outstanding committments and contractual obligations (that's what I recall hearing). No, it is not a sign of TMJ going broke, so relax, folks.

[SRW1000]

Before all this crazy speculation runs even further amok, I should mention that it is not unusual for TV stations to run prime time infomercials during the summer. It's a low viewing time, helps to pad the bottom line and I guess it allows them to burn off outstanding commitments and contractual obligations (that's what I recall hearing). No, it is not a sign of TMJ going broke, so relax, folks.

Look at the first post.  This started in February.  Right now, it's not affecting too many people.  Other than a few rabid poker fans, there probably aren't that many people that care.

But what if it starts creeping into other programming?  Chuck is a show that has a small but dedicated following, but ratings aren't that great.  Is the public better served by showing Time Life infomercials?  Are there people really clamoring to see those?  They're already all to common on weekends, across all the stations.

It's part of a local affiliates obligation to provide network programming.  There will always be some, limited, exceptions - breaking news, local specials, sports programming, etc., and the public is fine with that.  But it certainly seems that delving to the realm of paid programming is a move made out of desperate financial interest - and not a healthy one.

Scott

[InsulinJunkie]

Look at the first post.  This started in February.  Right now, it's not affecting too many people.  Other than a few rabid poker fans, there probably aren't that many people that care.

Saturday has been a TV wasteland for a number of years for a number of years now, since no one watches network TV on Saturday nights anymore.  The networks have pretty much given up on Saturdays as a result (and Friday, too, really, apart from CBS).

Even once the fall schedule starts back up, the networks either dump reruns from the earlier in the week, or cheap programming there (FOX's reality block w/ COPS is usually the ratings winner on Saturdays).

HUT is much, much higher on a Monday so CHUCK isn't danger of getting yanked for infomercials (assuming they're able to even do so w/o endangering their relationship with the network).  Because of the much larger viewer base, advertising rates on Monday nights (even for a mediocre-rated show) are certainly higher than on a Saturday night, where no one is watching.  It would have be one really freakin' expensive, well-paying infomerical for it to be worth the station's while

[RLJSlick]

Stay tune Irish we run amok a lot in here.

Before all this crazy speculation runs even further amok, I should mention that it is not unusual for TV stations to run prime time infomercials during the summer. It's a low viewing time, helps to pad the bottom line and I guess it allows them to burn off outstanding committments and contractual obligations (that's what I recall hearing). No, it is not a sign of TMJ going broke, so relax, folks.

[mrschimpf]

And tonight while attempting to watch the Ted Kennedy funeral, WTMJ has dropped the ball multiple times. NBC told everybody that they would cover the entire funeral, yet Channel 4 is treating it like some flaky obligation they'd rather skip, airing regular newscasts while the processional went on, and then at 6:30...

Time for an infomercial.

They aren't serious, are they? What happened to basic public service obligations? Thank goodness Channel 12 is carrying it, but much shame to WTMJ for not giving up their air for a news event that is more dignified than some pitch for country music CD's.

[mrschimpf]

It's 7:21 right now and after Notre Dame went into OT and stayed until 6:45pm, you'd think TMJ would just do the usual abridged 15 minute newscast before cutting to NBC prime time, right? Like every other sports delay since the Heidi game.

Nope, they aired a full 30 minute newscast until 7:15pm and moved on to what had been the regularly scheduled Time-Life paid program which was supposed to air at 6:30pm. So instead of the scheduled Mercy rerun, we get a newscast, an infomercial, and then had the gall to go back into Mercy with 15 minutes to go and no need for a pre-emption in the first place (WGBA, which is worse off likely aired everything as scheduled).

Does WTMJ even want to be a part of the NBC network anymore? This infomercial silliness is getting beyond ridiculous. It was somewhat acceptable in the summer and with Face the Ace, but once you get past September you shouldn't mess with prime time, even with Saturday rerun theater.

[Jack 1000]

It's 7:21 right now and after Notre Dame went into OT and stayed until 6:45pm, you'd think TMJ would just do the usual abridged 15 minute newscast before cutting to NBC prime time, right? Like every other sports delay since the Heidi game.

Nope, they aired a full 30 minute newscast until 7:15pm and moved on to what had been the regularly scheduled Time-Life paid program which was supposed to air at 6:30pm. So instead of the scheduled Mercy rerun, we get a newscast, an infomercial, and who knows what after that for the next fifteen minutes until Trauma.

Does WTMJ even want to be a part of the NBC network anymore? This infomercial silliness is getting beyond ridiculous. It was somewhat acceptable in the summer and with Face the Ace, but once you get past September you shouldn't mess with prime time, even with Saturday rerun theater.

Seriously,

WTMJ should just drop all NBC affiliation and be an independent station.  Although all the networks are hurting because of the economy, WTMJ is hurting the most.

Jack

[vegasvic]

They did that last month with an episode of The Office.  I had missed it on Thursday night (forgot to record it) and NBC reran it Saturday night at 7:00.  But when football ran late Channel 4 choose to run the full infomercial and joined The Office halfway in.  The Office is the only show I even watch on NBC anymore and that show is pretty much out of steam anyway.

[LoadStar]

The only show I care about on NBC is Chuck. The rest of the network can go away as far as I'm concerned.

[Talos4]

Channel 4 carries other programming other than Sunday night football?

Really?

[SRW1000]

Another Saturday night, another Time Life infomercial.

Sigh. . .

[Jack 1000]

Another Saturday night, another Time Life infomercial.

Sigh. . .

I wonder how many people have just stopped watching WTMJ all together?  With the strong exception of football, there is nothing.  Is this infomercial crap just WTMJ or all NBC affiliates? If you want the strongest incentive to switch to cable, Dish, or U-Verse, look no further than WTMJ, which will now be known, until they get real programing again as TIN.  The Infomercial Network! Shame on the locals for doing this, at a time back in the 70's-90's where NBC was one of the most watched commercial networks on TV.

Jack

[LoadStar]

Do you blame WTMJ?

I mean, seriously - I'll be surprised if anyone can tell me that A) they know what was scheduled to air before WTMJ preempted it, and B) they were planning to watch it.

NBC really is a wasteland right now. I watch nothing there except Chuck, and that still isn't officially scheduled to return until March.