WTMJ Hard Up for Cash? Infomercial Bumps Prime Time Programming

[foxeng]

"We don't have all day, ya know."

[ArgMeMatey]

To improve profitability, they could probably eliminate location stand-ups and helicopter flights and bring their overhead down dramatically.  For how many years were they justifying chopper shots with ads showing that I-94 car chase video of a Sheriff's SUV taking out his quarry?  

I don't know if there's some comparable video archive for Milwaukee but below is an example of a newscast from Minneapolis on 29 March 1977.  Huge difference in presentation compared to today.  Instead of keeping multiple field reports on the scene where NOTHING is now happening, they shot some video or film and put it on screen with narration.  Or if they didn't have any good video, a still with narration.  How much difference in useful information transmitted?  

As referenced by someone else, KSTP used a consultant who, along with upstart competition from WTCN and then KARE,  drove most of the changes toward more glitz in that market.  Now it's just gotten too expensive to support.  

http://tcmedianow.com/?page_id=71

If there is something comparable for Milwaukee, I'd like to see it.

[LoadStar]

To improve profitability, they could probably eliminate location stand-ups and helicopter flights and bring their overhead down dramatically.  For how many years were they justifying chopper shots with ads showing that I-94 car chase video of a Sheriff's SUV taking out his quarry?  

I'm kind of surprised that they don't all subscribe to some sort of "helicopter pool video" provided by someone like Metro Networks. Yes, they couldn't boast that THEIR helicopter has Mega Power Ultra Zoom with LaserFinder... but at least they could still retain helicopter footage when needed.

[AA9VI]

Tonight's episode of Law and Order:  Criminal Intent has been interrupted to show a Carol Burnett infomercial.  

The guide on their own website shows Law and Order.

Very strange times,

Scott

Is this sarcasm or did it really happen?  I'm amazed if it did.

[SRW1000]

Is this sarcasm or did it really happen?  I'm amazed if it did.

I wish it were a joke.

Here's a screenshot:



Sad, isn't it?

Scott

[mrschimpf]

Retouching on this topic again, I saw something I thought I'd never see on the Big Four stations (I have seen it on the Sinclair stations about three years ago, but that was a natural fit, and what I'm talking about was sponsored there by a car dealer)...

Yesterday I saw a Furniture Deals and Steals ad which lasted for five seconds which basically was their slogan said by the Collins College-animated Keystone Kop. But along the bottom in the ad's font was WTMJ-TV/DT Milwaukee. It was at the top of the hour so it was definitely their station ID.

Usually in the past they'd show one of the Trust promos to do an ID, but it must have changed as things got tight. I could have maybe understood it more if it was an American TV or Steinhafels doing the ID sponsorship, but if they could only get FD&S to sponsor it, what does that say about their finances?

[SRW1000]

I don't know about the 7:00 PM programming slot, but tonight's 8:00 PM time slot is filled with infomercials again.  Tony Orlando is hawking a Time-Life music collection in place of the premier of Face the Ace.

I realize that the Journal group is in financial trouble (witness the latest round of layoffs), but is there really that much more money to be made showing infomercials instead of first-run network programming?

This seems really strange.  And sad.

Scott

[InsulinJunkie]

I don't know about the 7:00 PM programming slot, but tonight's 8:00 PM time slot is filled with infomercials again.  Tony Orlando is hawking a Time-Life music collection in place of the premier of Face the Ace.t

Bet Tony Orlando gets higher ratings than KINGS did during its Saturday showings!

[mrschimpf]

I don't know about the 7:00 PM programming slot, but tonight's 8:00 PM time slot is filled with infomercials again.  Tony Orlando is hawking a Time-Life music collection in place of the premier of Face the Ace.

I realize that the Journal group is in financial trouble (witness the latest round of layoffs), but is there really that much more money to be made showing infomercials instead of first-run network programming?

This seems really strange.  And sad.

Scott

WGBA aired "Face the Ace" as scheduled, so I think it was more of a program disagreement in this case by WTMJ itself (along with general disatisfaction for NBC's summer schedule) than anything else. They probably saw terrible sub-1 ratings ahead and decided that an infomercial would mitigate that annoyance. WTMJ also has infomercials filling the 8pm slot next Saturday.

[Jack 1000]

It is sad.

Do you think that there is a remote possibility that we could even lose WTMJ during these trying economic times?

Jack

[wysiwyg]

I can see channel 4 eventually dropping NBC affiliation and going just local programming, mostly news, with infomercials during the off-peak hours. They are actually pretty close to that now anyways. Channel 18 or 24 would probably pick up NBC then.

[Bebop]

I don't know about the 7:00 PM programming slot, but tonight's 8:00 PM time slot is filled with infomercials again.  Tony Orlando is hawking a Time-Life music collection in place of the premier of Face the Ace.

I realize that the Journal group is in financial trouble (witness the latest round of layoffs), but is there really that much more money to be made showing infomercials instead of first-run network programming?

This seems really strange.  And sad.

Scott

I guess they needed money to buy out Tim C. contract.

[Jack 1000]

I can see channel 4 eventually dropping NBC affiliation and going just local programming, mostly news, with infomercials during the off-peak hours. They are actually pretty close to that now anyways. Channel 18 or 24 would probably pick up NBC then.

I agree, channel 4 could go to syndicate only and drop WTMJ.  If this happened, they would probably run news, some movies that have been on 100's of times before ,and just be local programing. (With infomercials during the wee hours.) I know how outdated the TWC-Milwaukee website is, but when I checked last, it said that both WTMJ-4 and WISN-12, are up for contract renewal soon.  I wonder how this will play out?

Jack

[mrschimpf]

I agree, channel 4 could go to syndicate only and drop WTMJ.  If this happened, they would probably run news, some movies that have been on 100's of times before ,and just be local programing. (With infomercials during the wee hours.) I know how outdated the TWC-Milwaukee website is, but when I checked last, it said that both WTMJ-4 and WISN-12, are up for contract renewal soon.  I wonder how this will play out?

Jack

For a good example of what a station like this would look like, see WJXT in Jacksonville, which dumped CBS seven years back and has done pretty well with a schedule heavy with local news.

However they also have the advantage of the strongest shows of the old King World roster, including Dr. Phil and Oprah.

That would leave WTMJ in a position to get whatever it could from the other stations (WISN will never be outbid for them), and it might leave them in a position like KRON San Francisco, with a weak news operation, low primetime ratings and since they have exactly one syndicated program on their weekday schedule right now (and no one seriously watches "Better TV"), a marketing department coasting by with just news and nothing else.

I say WTMJ keeps NBC, if only for the prestiege of keeping their network for 62 years, because without even NBC's weak schedule, they're worse off going independent or with the CW. NBC would also be loathe to go with a Sinclair station mainly on the bankruptcy rumors befalling them (though WVTV/WCGV remain a strong part of that chain).

[John L]

You guys are Crazy!!!

WTMJ-TV drop NBC?   What a Laugh!

They have indicated that they are so well dedicated towards NBC.  Besides if they were to drop affiliation, they would lose money going inde or CW or My TV.  NBC is a major Network and they get money for airing NBC Network programming.

Channel 4 will always have NBC, unless WTMJ-TV gets sold.

I doubt that will happen either. The Journal compnay is more apt to stop publishing its newspaper in paper form and only have their news accessible on the internet and keep the TV station.

It is actually heading that way and don't be surprised and it will be soon that The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel will only be read off the internet. They will no longer publish a Newspaper.

-John L.