| Topic Name: |
CBS 2 Chicago |
| Message Name: |
Swanson et al attempting to fix O and O's |
| Date Posted: |
05/03/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
And even then he isn't sure the first-class facility will be home to a first-place station.
"We finally have the goods as a television station," Ahern said. "Illinois Associated Press named us the best newscast in the state of Illinois for the second year in a row based off our 6 p.m. news. Two years ago, we didn't have a 6 o'clock news. So I think we've come a long way."
The question is how much further does Channel 2 have to go, and, more to the point, how much longer to get there? |
| Message: |
It's amazing to see how conflicted folks in this business are when it comes to the major investment the Viacom Station Group is making in its local news operations.
In NYC - in Chicago - in Philly - tons of money have been invested to rebuild newsrooms that suffered neglect for years and years.
Each shop has improved. Yet the ratings remain a disappointment, and that leads some to say "ah ha! All that money for Roz and Diann and Mendte etc and what did you get? Not much."
Not much yet in the ratings perhaps. But you did get... lots of jobs and OT for some very talented people at all levels. A public better-served by stations making a serious effort to cover the news. And an industry made stronger because the Viacom O and O's are no longer content to be afterthoughts.
I hope Dennis Swanson and company continue to make every effort to improve the fortunes of these stations. Even if the ratings ^don't^ improve a whole lot, it's been a worthwhile effort. Everyone who works in local TV news benefits by a more competitive environment.
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