Monica Pearson, John Bachman to host new 4 p.m. Channel 2 Action News newscast, post Oprah
Monica Pearson and John Bachman will host the new Channel 2 Action News 4 p.m. newscast starting May 26 after “The Oprah Winfrey Show” ends its 25-year run.
Pearson has been with the station for more than three decades and currently anchors the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts as well. She has said she plans to retire next year.
(UPDATE, 6 p.m. Here’s a question I forgot to answer on the intial blog entry. Here’s how this impacts the other newscasts.) Jovita Moore, who co-anchors the 5 p.m. news with Justin Farmer, will take over the 11 p.m. slot for Pearson, working again with Farmer. Pearson will continue to anchor the 6 p.m. newscast. Pearson has no complaints: “After working the 11 p.m. for 36 years, I can’t wait to go to plays in the evening and go to dinner with my husband without having to watch the clock to get back to work. I will have a life!!!!” she said in an email.)
Bachman, who joined Channel 2 about four years ago, has been the primary weekend anchor and has also done general assignment reporting and specials. He will now be a full-time weekday anchor.
General Manager Bill Hoffman, in an interview today, said the station has added 20 employees to supplement the upcoming 4 p.m. newscast. That includes three on-air reporters, three photographers and two additional news vans. He said the station also recently purchased a high-end radar for weather forecasting.
“We did research and we also took stock in where we are as a brand right now,” Hoffman said. “We really believe where we are right now, this time, this place, this state of the station, that the best thing we felt was go news.”
Channel 2 is not the only major market replacing Oprah with news instead of another talk show. Hoffman said ABC affiliates in Philadelphia and New York are doing the same thing.
The station will now have three consecutive hours of local news from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
The other 4 p.m. newscast in Atlanta is on the CBS affiliate WGCL-TV, which added a 5 p.m. newscast last fall.
As for the pending departures of soaps “One Life to Live” and “All my Children,” Hoffman said he appreciated how dedicated the soap fans are, but unfortunately, the audience was aging and shrinking. He said he plans to take the two new ABC replacement shows hosted by chef Mario Batali and fashion guru Tim Gunn.
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By Rodney Ho, rho@ajc.com, AJCRadioTV blog
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189 comments Add your comment
Im luvin it
April 26th, 2011
12:30 pm
I am glad that John Bachman is getting this job as i like him much better then Justin Farmer. But, this is a waste of airtime. Do we really need 3 hours of Action News? I guess this is just another way to bring in local advertising dollars.
KD
April 26th, 2011
12:33 pm
WHY ????? Who’s at home then ? I didn’t know there was that much news in and around ATL.
Born with a tan.
April 26th, 2011
12:34 pm
Do we really need
News @ Noon
News @ 4:00 pm
News @ 5:00 pm
When I am home I always turn my tv off after the news @ noon.
Pink Camo
April 26th, 2011
12:37 pm
Seriously! Is it that much news worthy material in Atlanta? How many more reports of rapes, robbery and murder do we need?
Queen
April 26th, 2011
12:38 pm
They might as well be a news network. 5-7 was too much, and this is way too much news!
JoeV
April 26th, 2011
12:38 pm
Housewives don’t watch the news; they watch bad reality and talk shows. So who will be watching the news at 4? Real people will still be at work or sitting in traffic.
JJ
April 26th, 2011
12:41 pm
@Born – don’t forget 6:00, and 11:00 p.m.
JJ
April 26th, 2011
12:42 pm
I don’t even watch the “news” anymore. At my house we call it the 5:00 body/house fire count.
Tp
April 26th, 2011
12:43 pm
I am happy about the added news but good luck with the the two shows that are replacing the soaps. I will not be watching them. I will watch another network doing that time.
Tracylou
April 26th, 2011
12:44 pm
Forget the news and Oprah!! Save our Soaps!!!
CJ
April 26th, 2011
12:44 pm
WSB is known around our house as The Bad News Network. Every story on their broadcast is a shooting, a corrupt politician, or something we “should” be frightened of.
We seriously don’t need 5am – 7am, 4pm – 7pm, and 11pm-11:30pm.
Caribourancher
April 26th, 2011
12:44 pm
I had hopes that ABC World News Tonight would air-live at 6.30pm but I guess the “news hogs” at WSB-TV couldn’t give up that half-hour block. Talk about overkill………
CJ
April 26th, 2011
12:45 pm
Oops, correction:
We seriously don’t need 5am – 7am, Noon – 1pm, 4pm – 7pm, and 11pm-11:30pm.
That is 6 1/2 hours of local news a day! Geez!
enoughisenough
April 26th, 2011
12:45 pm
As if the 5p and 6p news wasnt enough??? We already have two hours of listening to madness and mayhem.
Don Rather
April 26th, 2011
12:45 pm
Well…another hour of “Breaking News” every three minutes.
Just a simple teacher
April 26th, 2011
12:46 pm
I don’t watch the news much either, but I do feel that if jobs will be created let Ch. 2 add another hour of news!!! You people must learn to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
enoughisenough
April 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
@Tracylou: ur local news is Soap Opera enough…
Thanku-MP
April 26th, 2011
12:48 pm
Just the fact Monica said she was retiring next year is reason enough to have a party!!! No disrespect M.P. because you were good in your day.But honey,We all get old,So please,just gracefully go away now.And no more low cut blouses during the next year would be a plus.
TW
April 26th, 2011
12:49 pm
Will not be watching WSB an ABC affiliate anymore. They cancelled my soaps and I will switch to another network. Will only be watching when AMC, OLTL and GH and then GH once the other are no longer an option.
enoughisenough
April 26th, 2011
12:49 pm
@just a simple teacher: who said jobs were being created? I’m willing to bet they are using the same staff for all 3hrs…
pcBobby
April 26th, 2011
12:50 pm
I like it that channel 2 always refers to the weather as “severe.” It’s important that I have a healthy 24/7 fear of the weather. I also love it when clouds form and channel 2 employs the use of locked-down aerial shots of the clouds — just waiting for them to hopefully turn into funnel clouds. The funny thing is, it has yet to happen, but when it does, someone’s going to a local Emmy! I just hope the statue goes to the poor woman or man flying the chopper instead of pretty-boy Justin.
Cheers,
b.
The Ghost of Ed Murrow
April 26th, 2011
12:51 pm
Hell, why let other programs get advertising dollars when your own (quote) news (quote) program can reel in ad dollars for you? It’s all about the money, baby.
Quick recipe for Atlanta TV (quote) news (quote) program:
1 Part – Apt fire in Dekalb
1 Part – Somebody said something to make somebody else mad and demand a retraction
1 Part – Bad weather on the way (brought to you by Kroger and Publix, so buy bread and milk quick!)
1 Part – Somebody tortured a pet
1 Part – Crooked politician
1 Part – Misc anniversary of unsolved crime
1 Part – Misc shooting/stabbing/drive by at hip hop joint between 2 am and 4 am
Choose between 1 Part School test cheating update or 1 Part Search for Supt continues
Add Daily Dose of Obama is wonderful footage
Add Daily Dose of Hillary Clinton in some part of the word footage
Add Daily Quote by Charlie Sheen
and…add 1/8th part “Sports” at the end.
There ya go.
Ashley
April 26th, 2011
12:51 pm
Seriously do we really need this? If I want round the clock news I’ll watch CNN. Beside looking at Monica Pierson’s wardrobe and hairstyles are not that appealing. Looks like WSB creative juices are at a stalemate.
Caribourancher
April 26th, 2011
12:52 pm
Hey CJ, you forgot that they start at 4.30am and air another hour from 12pm to 1pm. We want to give them credit where credit is due. Does the repeat of the late news (@1.37-2.07am) count, too? If so, that’s a total of 7 and 1/2 hours-a-day. Have mercy!
The Truth
April 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
Sounds like TW needs to get a life outside of the TV. I’ll bet you are overweight and you do not get more than 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Rob
April 26th, 2011
12:54 pm
Is Monica really retiring???? This will be like MLK or Brett Favre. Will the inner city schools be closed that day? Oh wait they don’t watch the news, they are in the news. Please do not drag this out, Monica is a serious blow hard like Bobby Cox. We do not need some big celebration for her time anchoring the news. If you choose to do so, please invite all her ex husband’s.
N. Ayanna
April 26th, 2011
12:54 pm
I don’t understand why does it have to be 3 HOURS of News now? Y’all talk about the same thing every hour. I like the everyone at WSB, but I won’t be watching that much news. WOW!!!
Jim Miller, Sales mgr Mattox Broadcasting
April 26th, 2011
12:55 pm
This is directed at Monica.
Congratulations and good luck on the new news program.
Wish I could get WSB on my cable system.
Monica, some years ago, you interviewed my sister, TEMPEST STORM.
I was wondering if you (the station) had that interview in a file.
I would love to have a copy of. I would be willing to pay for it, postage, etc. \i think my brother and other sister got to see it. They live in our hometown, Eastman in middle Georgia.
Thanks and again, good luck on the 4pm news.
My address is:
JIM MILLER
605 POPLAR STREET
WAYCROSS, GEORGIA 31501
Tempest now lives in Las Vegas
Sasha Foo
April 26th, 2011
12:55 pm
More local news no one will watch. Local programming is cheap,though.
Why not just air the Flintstones?
T.A.
April 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
If we are going to have news on for three hours, I’d like to hear some news that isn’t violent and more coverage of Coweta, Fayette, Henry and other outlying counties that don’t seem to get as much coverage as the core metro counties.
TW
April 26th, 2011
12:58 pm
@The Truth: I do have a life outside of the TV, am not overweight and walk 1 hour a day every other day. I actually have a day job and record my shows that I enjoy watching. Am a mother of two whom is very active in their sports activities. Sounds like you are the one that needs a life since you are so judgemental of others!
Marty
April 26th, 2011
12:58 pm
Would rather see 4PM news as opposed to another B Grade talk show.
The Truth
April 26th, 2011
12:58 pm
Jim Miller: Monica will not be reading this. She is too busy doing multiple unnecessary newscasts!
The Truth
April 26th, 2011
1:00 pm
TW: I’m glad to hear you proved me worng. That is great to hear, because you had me worried.
Michael
April 26th, 2011
1:00 pm
Extremely cheap programming. Soon they will just pipe in Hannity at 4 PM from their Racist Radio Station.
Speedygurl
April 26th, 2011
1:00 pm
Even on the days when I am home at 4PM….I don’t bother to start watching the local news at that time. GEEZ…………..
TW
April 26th, 2011
1:00 pm
Rick Rose
April 26th, 2011
1:02 pm
CBS WGCL already added the 5pm news hour this past fall
Zack
April 26th, 2011
1:05 pm
I can’t take it anymore. If “Modern Family” weren’t on ABC I would not watch this forsaken channel. I guess since Oprah gonna be off the air, they got to get another African American in that time slot….and then when she retires they will find another one
I'mHome@4PM
April 26th, 2011
1:06 pm
Get ready people, because the local news stations will eventually have around the clock news. I will give it another year or so. Sounds like job security if you asked me.
itsme
April 26th, 2011
1:07 pm
What’s happening with Justin Farmer and Fred Blankenship?
markie mark
April 26th, 2011
1:09 pm
Caribou….please dont wish for 6:30 ABC news….I had that for years in North Florida….In Atlanta’s commute, I get home about 6:45, just in time for the national news. Thank you, WSB.
Pam
April 26th, 2011
1:11 pm
More news. What a genius idea. As if we can’t be bomarded with what’s going on every second of the day. Are they cancelling one of the existing newscasts? that industry has no vision at all. They just all copy cat each other, the blind leading the blind. I don’t watch the “if it bleeds it leads” WSB news is notorius for.
WTHelen
April 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
OMG! More bad news! Give me a break. We already have stations that give around the clock news. We do not need another timeslot for local news. The news is always bad anyway. Are you going to dedicate some of that time to sharing good news around ATL???? My goodness!! I wonder sometimes who is making decisions around there! We do not need more local news!!!
oldtimer
April 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
They should air “Million Dollar Afternoon Movie” from 4 – 6 pm
Chuck
April 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
Justin Farmer is subpar for me. Eyes are distracting and mis-speaks many times over. Ok, have gotten over it. Like idea of 4PM news. CBS 46 is almost seems small town like and very average staff.
Tom F
April 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
How about Gilligan’s Island at 4:00 like the old days?…better than another hour of murder and mayhem.
Dave in Marietta
April 26th, 2011
1:14 pm
I think you guys are missing the point. WSB doesn’t expect you to sit in your chair for 3 hours of consecutive news coverage. It simply gives the viewers the option of watching the news at time that is most convenient for their personal schedule. I’m sure there are plenty of people who’d like to get their evening news at 4:00 instead of 6:00.
Andrea
April 26th, 2011
1:15 pm
Will no longer be watching WSB. I am not old. I can watch another news station. I hate talk shows and I get plenty of news. I do DVR One Life to Live every day. Not everyone watches Oprah and The View. I am a busy stay at home mom. I don’t veg in front of a tv all day and I’m sick and tired of ABC telling me I do.
The Timekeeper
April 26th, 2011
1:16 pm
Im with youpcbobby. I laugh when its 80 degrees and sunny, and then they go into this “Severe” weather center. Ha,Ha. They are stupid!! 4:0clock news is enough already. They could have at least gotten some fresh faces. Where is Suchita. Finest legs of all of the anchor babes in the whole city of Atlanta!
wow
April 26th, 2011
1:16 pm
When John Pruitt left WSB. The News in Atlanta changed forever! It will take years(IF ever) to find someone like John. He was the best and will always be considered the gold standard of class.
RJ's WIFE
April 26th, 2011
1:18 pm
NEWS, NEWS & MORE NEWS…..SMH!!!!
Just a simple teacher
April 26th, 2011
1:20 pm
@ enough is enough
“General Manager Bill Hoffman, in an interview today, said the station has added 20 employees to supplement the upcoming 4 p.m. newscast. That includes three on-air reporters, three photographers and two additional news vans. He said the station also recently purchased a high-end radar for weather forecasting.”
poof!!!
April 26th, 2011
1:22 pm
I guess WSB has to pay for that new state of the art radar. Bad weather is ratings bonanza for them.
OK Why?
April 26th, 2011
1:22 pm
@Zack and having an AA is a problem why, you moron? I take it that having a KKK member on TV at 4pm would suit you and your kind, huh? This is 2011, get a life and get over your prejudice. I’m sure “hate” is killing you, literally.
Zack
April 26th, 2011
1:22 pm
Dave in Marietta… you must work for WSB… in this day of Tivo and DVR’s who needs all this “convenience”. Give me a break. This just shows that WSB can’t find anything better to put on the air.
Zack
April 26th, 2011
1:25 pm
OK WHY, yes the hate from my own kind is killing me brother. I am what you probably call an UNCLE TOM…
Bob
April 26th, 2011
1:26 pm
You have such a creative programming director to add more wonderful news of all the fabulous things going on in the big city. I’d rather see a daily hour of testing of the emergency broadcasting system, or perhaps a infomercial to pump up my abs and get in shape. Or, maybe you can just show the tower cam at the airport for an hour or two and we can see if the air traffic controllers are working or sleeping. How about a monkey cam at the zoo? Actually I’m sick of Channel 2 news and so are lots of other people. Sorry for the sarcasm. Do I need to repeat it over and over for you?
JJ
April 26th, 2011
1:26 pm
enough news all ready!!!!!!!
i am glad for John, he is an excellent anchor.
i thought Monica was retiring? I cannot watch her. She reads so fast she gets the words mixed up and sounds like she is gonna pass out.
And why do we need traffic reports at 430AM?
Teacher
April 26th, 2011
1:27 pm
Will John be shirtless? If so, count me in!
A.D.
April 26th, 2011
1:28 pm
Does Channel 2 really need another hour of news to read the same stories, in the same order, over and over? On the other hand, if they want someone new to sit there and read the teleprompter, I’m available.
Eric
April 26th, 2011
1:30 pm
I’ll never understand how WSB is number one in this town. Their newscast is just sensationalism at its grandest. If you listened to the them and all the crime and murders that they endlessly cover, you wouldn’t leave your house.
Whatever.........
April 26th, 2011
1:31 pm
Wow, you people really need to read some books..
mrj
April 26th, 2011
1:32 pm
More Linda Stouffer please!
p.s. “Jim Miller”… as an IT security pro I’d be less than forthright to my duties in not advising you that posting your personal info on an open and public forum was a poor decision. so…
Posting your personal info on an open and public forum was a poor decision.
You may be best sticking with the Lake City and Tallahassee newscasts as your local sources to Waycross, Sir.
Amelia Island
April 26th, 2011
1:33 pm
I love Action News. That Ross Cavitt guy is the best reporter in town. He kicks serious butt in the north metro…….
Barbara
April 26th, 2011
1:33 pm
Why do we need three hours of local news a day? I get all I need for the day in 10 minutes every hour from the radio! I have also wondered why there are all those stories you’ll see “only on channel 2″. What are they not reporting?! Maybe that is why they need the extra hour! I miss the old re-runs and game shows, myself. (And I mean good game shows, not stupid people tricks!) How about some positive only news? What a concept!
The T
April 26th, 2011
1:36 pm
Another hour of negativity is not what the metro area needs!
Whatever.........
April 26th, 2011
1:36 pm
Oh yeah, I agree with more Linda Stouffer, I would watch those eyes for hours. And give me some more Cavanaugh too, yummy.
Them Lyin' Atlanta Papers
April 26th, 2011
1:36 pm
Wow. If a program comes on which I don’t want to watch, I turn the channel or find something else to do. I don’t spew vile rants on a message board.
Bobby
April 26th, 2011
1:43 pm
Good Grief! There’s not that much news in Atlanta to cover, this is just overkill. Can’t they think of something original to put on at 4pm?
Road Scholar
April 26th, 2011
1:43 pm
Will they actually report the news with reasons and history behind the story or continue to give 30 second sound bytes? I stopped watching them because of the sensationalism and strings of violence stories.
The evening news is just as bad. You can watch NBC at 6:30 and get the exact same stories…in the same order…and with nearly the same film clips at ABC at 7pm! Deja vu all over again…..over and over!
In my next life I want to return to be a weatherman in Atlanta! Where else can you make six figures, be wrong 90% of the time, and keep your job? Even better than being a politician!!!
Just Peachy
April 26th, 2011
1:43 pm
It will give them another hour to say “coming up at 6…”
hmmmm
April 26th, 2011
1:47 pm
I have lived my entire life in GA, thunder storms are common in the spring and summer. I don’t need two continuous hours of 3D severe storm radar graphics. Chances are, you can see a story today at 5:00pm and it will be repeated tomorrow at 11:00 pm. This is all about advertisment dollars and very little substance.
Atleast they have lowered Ga unemployment by 20.
Cookie of Decatur
April 26th, 2011
1:49 pm
Could the 4pm news be nothing but GOOD NEWS things positive that happens everyday in the METRO area. Positive school, community, workplace, health issues, noteworthy information. Do something different, enough of the same old stuff.
Daryl Tillman
April 26th, 2011
1:50 pm
What an ego! Most of what they report isn’t even news worthy. I already watch either the 5pm or 6 pm news…I never watch both. What idiot wants to sit through two hours of the same news. CNN you are not! Get over yourselves!
WAR EAGLE
April 26th, 2011
1:55 pm
Gee in NY we had the Godzilla movies from 4:30PM to 6pm and 4-4:30 was cartoon time. Why can’t they bring back the 1960’s/70’s cartoons instead of the garbarge they have on new. Can’t wait for Monica to Retire-Crayola is running out of colors for her to tint her hair with. EEEKK!
xhuff
April 26th, 2011
1:55 pm
Why don’t they go ahead and run the news noon – 7 pm? This is crap and they know it. Just a cheap way to fill an hour on TV.
pmuckle
April 26th, 2011
2:02 pm
Wow Serioulsy are you for real!
U Gotta B Kidding
April 26th, 2011
2:02 pm
Here’s the bottom line folks; if no one watches this show will disappear faster than the soaps. There’s not another “Oprah” out there to bring in the viewers and it’s good bet enough people will tune in to a 4 pm newscast to make it profitable for WSB. And that’s all that matters!
biddingweena
April 26th, 2011
2:03 pm
What happened to James at 15?
4pm News Junkie
April 26th, 2011
2:04 pm
CBS Atlanta’s 4pm newscast rocks!!!! Pothole Patrol is the best!!
whatdoiknow
April 26th, 2011
2:04 pm
Do people really waste their time watching Monica or ANY local news program? Much of it is a waste. It is like reading the AJC. How about a news program modeled after The Atlanta Business Chronicle?
LaLa
April 26th, 2011
2:06 pm
Monica needs an extreme makeover of her hair, her clothes and her attitude!
John is hot, even with his lazy eye.
Idiotbox H8tr
April 26th, 2011
2:06 pm
Gee, how about turning off the idiot box for an hour and read a book? Better yet, go for a walk. And take the kids with you.
Charles
April 26th, 2011
2:08 pm
I’m not sure who has the record for longest running retirement watch … Monica Kauffman or Brett Favre. I still won’t watch the local or mainstream network news. They could run the same news footage over and over again for their news stories (house fires, robberies, consumer fraud, etc) and save money. Nobody would know the difference.
The King
April 26th, 2011
2:19 pm
sightings of Elvis atop stone mountain at noon, on chanel 2
GIVE ME A BREAK
April 26th, 2011
2:19 pm
How many times do you need to repeat the news? I think I hear viewers leaving. Someone, please, turn off the lights.
AJ
April 26th, 2011
2:20 pm
You people entertain me. “I’m boycotting ABC because my soap is canceled” “I’m young and watch soaps. I’m important” “Eye doent nid mor noos. Eym edjewkated.”
CHRIS
April 26th, 2011
2:20 pm
The news reporting in Atlanta is like watching little kids on the playground. Not much happening but must do something to fill the time with. And how many times must you hear this famous line intro ( ONLY ON CHANNEL 2 , OR WE ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS ———- BLAH, BLAH, BLAH ) Bring back the Three Stooges, oh wait they are reporting the news —– so sorry. MY BAD
dp
April 26th, 2011
2:23 pm
I’ll continue to watch Ellen on WXIA at 4pm like I have always done. Got tired of Oprah many years ago and don’t need that much coverage of local news everyday..
Martha
April 26th, 2011
2:24 pm
Do not do this without Linda Stouffer, please! Linda and John are the best looking newcasters on air today. And they are the future of WSB.
I agree, CBS is going to be really hard to top on the 4PM slot. I, also, will no longer watch ABC when and if they stop General Hospital.
joe
April 26th, 2011
2:24 pm
Unless we have a real threat of snow in winter or tornados in spring, I don’t watch any local news at all…or national for that matter. It doesn’t take 3 hours of local news to tell us that there were 3 house fires, 2 murders, 1 rape and a gangbanger smash n grab at the mall. And nationally, it is the same old story different day…new uprising in middle east, taliban killed someone in Afghanistan, unemployment rose again, as did the price of gas (thanks Obama for not drilling at home, you rock, NOT).
Blue
April 26th, 2011
2:28 pm
What really irks me is having to sit through 10 minutes of stupid meteorolgy crap that no one cares about just to get to the 5-day forecast.
Do we really need to know about arctic systems moving in from Alabama, the air mass in Tennessee, the Baroclinic Zone from north Georgia, the Gale Warning coming from the mid-West, etc … WHO CARES!!! These meteorologist take themselves way too serious!
Let me know if it’s going to rain tomorrow then get the heck off of the screen.
Mountain Man
April 26th, 2011
2:29 pm
I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!!!
carlaroqs
April 26th, 2011
2:40 pm
jim miller, baby i am soooo sorry. this is not a site where you give out personal information. do you read the comments???????????? you are going to get crazzzzyyy mail. the comments are so harsh, i was kinda hoping monica doesnt read this, but… for your sake, maybe someone decent will forward your request to her.
Monte
April 26th, 2011
2:42 pm
Now glenn burns can hijack all three hours of the newscast with dire predictions of hail cores and straight line winds.
Luther
April 26th, 2011
2:43 pm
I want more Karen Minton all snuggled up in her Spanx outfits.
Fred (with a capitol "F")
April 26th, 2011
2:51 pm
@enoughisenough, the fourth paragraph the station manager said they hired 20 people to help support the extra hour including 3 reporters and 3 cameramen. That sounds like extra jobs to me.
Following Other ABC-Affiliates, WSB Prepares to Launch Newscast in ‘Oprah’ Timeslot - TVSpy
April 26th, 2011
2:52 pm
[...] tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the station has staffed up to meet the demands of an [...]
carlaroqs
April 26th, 2011
2:54 pm
pmuckle, wow has been banned from every blog but Rodney’s. just ignore him and maybe he will go away.
PR
April 26th, 2011
2:59 pm
At WSB “if it bleeds, it leads”.
2nd Cup
April 26th, 2011
3:12 pm
@Jim Miller: WSB can’t be received in Waycross via cable because your ABC affiliate is WJXX/ch. 25 out of Jacksonville. Can’t have two ABC affiliates on the same system.
foodffight
April 26th, 2011
3:12 pm
Monica promised to retire years ago. When is she going to keep her word?
up north
April 26th, 2011
3:15 pm
This is so foolish. It must be for advertising dollars. Heck, you can see the same news story on Sunday night at 11 PM that was originally broadcast at 6 PM on Friday! There simply is not that much news. They repeat the same stories from 12:30 to 1 PM that were on at Noon everyday, anyway. At least Bachman gets a break. He is much better than Farmer.
DG
April 26th, 2011
3:26 pm
Actually, their morning broadcast now starts at 4:30am. All total that will be a full 7 hours of repeat news stories.
Josh
April 26th, 2011
3:32 pm
@pcBobby: You just MADE my day. I was just commenting to a friend how Glenn Burns wife must have to take a Xanax after every “severe weather” outbreak, which you clearly point out happens regularly. He is in constant FREAK OUT mode, and it’s more fun to listen and laugh, then even care about what he’s saying. Well done, sir!
Connie Armbruster
April 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
WSB already repeats the same stories over and over again! Enough already!
SOS
April 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
FORGET THE FREAKING NEWS…..SAVE OUR SOAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wooleybare
April 26th, 2011
3:37 pm
just what Atl needs….another hour of NOTHING news reported by the talking heads.
Chuck
April 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
How many times can you rerun the same d@mned clips of house fires, car wrecks and perp walks? We have only begun to see…
Ellen
April 26th, 2011
3:44 pm
Really? MORE news? Do we really need that? Why not find an old comedy that’s in syndication to show instead? The news is depressing enough, do you have to start airing it at 4pm?? Oh I should clarify, the Channel 2 news is depressing enought. I won’t be watching that’s for sure.
My $0.02
April 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
What news? More news coverage on the drunk and disorderly conduct of Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan and the like. How about real news? If I never hear another story regarding Charlie or Lindsay (not that I listened to them anyway), it would be too soon for me!
mmsurvivor
April 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
The air time between 1 and 3 I will be watching something else. IF I wanted watch a food show then I would watch the Food Network. IF I wanted fashon, the I would watch Style or Bravo. Will not watch channel 2 when these shows appear.
Mr Ed
April 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Surely there is another courtroom tv show that could go on in the daytime. Animal Court?
Hollywould
April 26th, 2011
4:52 pm
Glenn Burns once said ” I will show you for sure where the storms might hit” My wife still cracks up on that one.
Steve cripps
April 26th, 2011
4:57 pm
There’s a reason PBS has gained viewers and the local commercial broadcasts should (in part) get the credit. WSB means …. We’re So Boring
roge
April 26th, 2011
5:22 pm
It will be much better when Monica leaves. Getting tired of the wigs and outdated clothes.
Patrick
April 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
So now WSB can spend extra house running several different commercial breaks teasing for some story “coming up later, you’ll want to hear about this!!!” only that the actual story, WHEN they finally run it, is about 12 seconds long and consists of the same footage (usually of something exiting like a tree stump in a field or some empty apartment steps, or flashing emergency lights that could be stock footage) looped twice or three times for dramatic effect.
And even then, they’ll come back from commercial, run this stupid boring short story that says nothing about anything, and then they’ll scoot right back out to another commercial. So it’s about three minutes of commercials, 30 seconds of “news” and then immediately another three minutes of commercials.
Why do people settle for this? Why don’t they fight back and demand better?
Who is the customer here? The viewers? No of course not. They are the product. And they are gathered up like insects stuck to a glue strip and SOLD to the advertisers. All these little 30 second news clips do is keep the insects -the viewers- lured into walking toward that glue trap.
Best thing about a modern TV is that button or menu option that lets you delete channels. There are, after all, about 40 free HD channels in Atlanta and hundreds more on cable or satellite. Choose wisely what you watch.
DebDoes
April 26th, 2011
5:42 pm
I participated in the marketing research he mentions in the article. .I didn’t like the combination of anchors they had for the evening time slot. It appears they are compromising and moving Monica to an earlier time, for now. There is tough competition in the Atlanta market and WSB appears to be lagging behind.
Jamie
April 26th, 2011
5:49 pm
I won’t watch this programming, but I’ve gotta say, John Bachman is the bomb. He’s an awesome anchor. Ms. Pearson, on the other hand, is unbearable. I realize she appeals to a much older demographic, but her constant emoting, exaggerated facial expressions, etc. are just so over the top. I quit watching the 6pm and 11pm news because I couldn’t bear to watch her. Her “retirement plans” have been announced for years, but she can’t bear not to be in the public eye. Everyone has their time and she should gracefully walk into the sunset, and spend time with her kids and grandkids. If WSB wants viewers at 4pm, they should have Erin Coleman, Jovita Moore, or Linda Stouffer co-anchor with Bachman.
Timely Reality
April 26th, 2011
5:53 pm
When will they learn we are tired of the daily dose of murder and mayhem!
Gardener
April 26th, 2011
5:53 pm
another hour of Monica Kaufman????? No thanks
I LOVE WSBTV!!!!
April 26th, 2011
6:07 pm
Jamie I TOTALLY agree with you. Erin Coleman, Jovita Moore, and Linda Stouffer are the bomb. I really like channel 2. I don’t watch the ENTIRE news cast (like many people on here do). They have had the same anchors for years and are now giving the young people a chance. Is it me, or is their station really clear?? **shrugs shoulders**
Cant believe!!!!!!
April 26th, 2011
6:14 pm
Monica let it go!!!!!!!!”,,,,,,,,why u afraid to go,,,,,,your time has passed “omg”
CHRIS
April 26th, 2011
6:24 pm
HEY WSB ; Here’s a sure-fire way to get people to watch your station. Have some dumb A_ _ hole start off the pre-program by this creative intro, ONLY ON CHANNEL 2 NEWS you will see an exclusive tape of an elderly person at the Happy Place retirement home eating beans and passing gas. And later you can add AND FILM AT 11.
Johnjon
April 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
one more reason the watch ellen at 4. at least she’s entertaining.
pb
April 26th, 2011
7:15 pm
Jamie,
You are correct. Monica is too much to bear. Had her day a long time ago, like back in 70’s and 80’s, but needs to go into the TV news sunset. My mother used to watch her back in her early 1980’s- Monica was fresh and fun back then.(My mother is 83 now.) Channel 2 needs fresh people.
North Fulton
April 26th, 2011
7:23 pm
The same six stories, one of which will be a fire, and one a c-store hold up, now repeated 18 times rather than 12, for 3 hours.
And don’t forget the repeated opportunities to exagerate the impending life ending storms about to desimate the entire region.
Only Katie Couric could be more annoying.
mmmmmm
April 26th, 2011
7:23 pm
Don’t they get it they will be losing alot of viewers at 12:00 noon when ABC makes the tragic fatal error of taking off All My Children at 1:00 after 40 years at 1:00 and One Life to Live at 2:00. I have not watched Oprah at 4:00 since she used her show to endorse Obama and sunk Hillary Clinton’s Campain. Look at the mess we are stuck with.
I had planned on leaving WSB for news and ABC for everything unless they come to their senses about AMC and OLTL. AMC and OLTL were still pulling in 2.5 million and 2.8 million viewers per day. ABC did no advertising at all for OLTL and it out pulled General Hospital the week prior to the cancellation announcement. It is also at the Elementary school pick-up time. Most of us viewers suspect that no one is counting all the people who record it and watch at night or everyone that watches the showings on Soapnet in the evening and middle of the night.
Real Houses Wifes of Atlanta gets the best ratings of all the ROHW’s series and it has only recently this year hit the 2.8 million viewers in Primetime at 10:00 P.M. slot once a week. Not daytime. So the Ratings for the Soaps are still really strong. How many shows have a 40 + years worth of loyal followers besides 60 minutes.
ga female
April 26th, 2011
7:25 pm
When is WSB going to get over the “Formula of a White Male and Black Female anchor”. Why can’t a White female ever have a chance at being the anchor chair weekday evenings. Is this about Sex and race?
Total Action Eyewitness NewsWatch Plus
April 26th, 2011
7:32 pm
I seldom can tolerate Monica but watched her handle the anchor duties solo recently.
She talked about someone getting robbed at “an AT&T”. The person was robbed at an ATM.
A few minutes later, after reporting on the Jesus statue that was vandalized, she began reading the story a second time. After a moment she realized the error.
Why couldn’t John Bachman replace Monica right now?
Oh, that’s right, his melanin lacks the appropriate hue.
Eddie
April 26th, 2011
7:54 pm
When I was a Kid in the late 70’s and early 80’s reruns of Star Trek would come on in that time slot. How much news do one town needs. Soon local news is going to be 24hrs.
Brenda Love
April 26th, 2011
9:20 pm
I am a 46 yr old soap fan and I count . I count all the news shows on all channels all the time airing bad news . Why would I want more of that . I don’t! Save the Soaps!
Brenda Love
April 26th, 2011
9:21 pm
Enter your comments here
Stu Kleitenic
April 26th, 2011
9:30 pm
I wish Linda Stouffer would wash her hair. Take a look at it next time she is on tv. Ewwwwwwww
Jay
April 26th, 2011
9:46 pm
I’m glad John Bachman will be the 4pm anchor. Rodney, did Bill Hoffman say what would happen with the weekend newscast? Will it be just Linda or will someone join her?
A lot of these comments sure are funny. I’ve heard them or ones like them for years around here. Since Channel 2 still dominates in the ratings, I assume the 100 or so people here must be the few who watch the other three channels’ newscasts.
Do any of the people who complain about the negative news on channel 2 watch 11Alive? They are doing newscasts that you apparently want to see: lots of feel-good feature stories and less of an emphasis on the crime stories when they are reported.
For all the people that think channel 2 reports on too much crime, just know that they only report a fraction of the crime that happens every day. Plenty of murders, rapes, robberies, and shootings go unreported even by channel 2.
In this day and age there are so many resources for news. It’s impossible for one news outlet to cover everything, so if you are truly interested in being well-informed don’t expect one TV station, one newspaper, one alternative paper, one radio station, one web site, or one blog to keep you updated on everything you want to know or shoud know about. Instead check out all news sources and compile a list of those you like and follow them.
The comments about too much news on channel 2 miss the point of the increase in local news programming. Yes, it brings in more money directly to the station. But the stations don’t expect you to watch news straight through from 4:30am to 7am or 4pm to 7pm. They put it on to give people a choice.
People in the metro Atlanta area are up-to-date with technological advances, so a lot of people have DVRs. The national average is at least one-third of households. Do people that complain about the length of the newscasts or the quality of the stories use their DVR to forward through what they don’t want to watch? I do, and it helps a lot.
Lastly, I get a kick out of all these people who don’t want more local news on. What do they want instead? People mention talk shows, soap operas, game shows, and old comedy re-runs. Yeah, real quality stuff. As if they couldn’t get these things on hundreds of other channels.
shelley
April 26th, 2011
9:48 pm
Guess WSB can now have the entire 4-5 time slot for their breaking news since they won’t have Oprah to break into everytime someone in Atlanta stubs their toe or has a flat tire.
Squirrel
April 26th, 2011
11:03 pm
They need to get that good lookin’ weather gal Markina from Channel 4, then they would be sure to get watchers!
Tonya
April 26th, 2011
11:17 pm
If ms. Monica still want to be readin the news with people like John Backman she need to try and look younger. She be needin some new dark brown wigs cuz she look like his grandmama.
tvBoy
April 26th, 2011
11:44 pm
could some1 please get my grandma off the TV news – please????? God, i have respect for the history of monica on atlanta news – but every1 else on the air is like 30 and stands out like a (real old) sore thumb!!!
Almost Native Atlantan
April 27th, 2011
12:29 am
I can remember when there was a LOCAL NEWS SHOW on Atlanta radio, and I miss that. On my ride home from work, I would much rather catch up on news of the day rather than to listen to a sydicated talk show.
What a great opportunity for you, “WSB-AM 750 and NOW 95.5 FM” to take advantage of this time slot and prosper!
Truth Squad
April 27th, 2011
3:09 am
I just have to laugh at all the Monica haters out there. Turns out they are also Obama haters too (yeah more drilling will make gas prices go down…that’s why we have more “news”…because people do not even understand basic commodities pricing). OK, sorry for the rant.
The fact of the matter is that Monica is still here because she pulls in the ratings. In the news business, you don’t last as long as her if you aren’t pulling in the ratings and revenue. Isn’t it ironic how people who claim not to like her still watch? So she will retire when she’s good and ready and, like Bobby Cox, has earned the privilege to make that decision for herself. You don’t have to like her, but don’t act like you didn’t know she’s been #1 all these years. Even Neil don’t mess with Monica!
rod
April 27th, 2011
5:53 am
monica is like queen elizabeth and Jovita is like prince charles. the queen is 90 years and old and has lost it but loves the power while charles twists. monica has outlived her usefulnes while poor jovita sits and twists in the wind. monica, get a food taster.
carlaroqs
April 27th, 2011
10:43 am
rodney, so tired of you not posting my comments
carlaroqs
April 27th, 2011
10:59 am
monica wears wigs because cancer treatments damaged her hair and she wants options just like everyone else. no one expects you to watch news all day, again–it is called having options. if channel 2 was not making money off of monica, she would have been long gone. if you do not like her– do not watch channel 2, options, remember? the comment about not enough melatonin (sp?) in his skin– are you for real? check the ratio of Black anchors vs white ones,idiot
Angela
April 27th, 2011
11:17 am
There isn’t that much interesting local news… and I’m still so upset “One Life to Live” is going to be cancelled, that I won’t be watching ABC after January 2012 – especially not local news rehashes of the same stories over and over.
Daily news for: news channel 5 | AutoSkt Daily News
April 27th, 2011
11:25 am
[...] Channel 2 is not the only major market replacing Oprah with news instead of another talk show … The other 4 p.m. newscast in Atlanta is on the CBS affiliate WGCL-TV, which added a 5 p.m. newscast last fall. As for the pending departures of soaps … read full article… [...]
matt
April 27th, 2011
1:48 pm
Do people really watch this much local news. I for one have stopped watching local news in its entirety…but theres too much local news…It cant be getting a good or young demo – it must be old people. Fox5 has 4-5 hours of news each morning…On weekends, same for 11…Now Ch2 and other ABC affiliates seem to think we need 3 hours of local news (4-7p) every afternoon? Really? I think it gives opportunities for other stations to get interesting syndicated programming or create original LOCAL programming…Not an informercial like Cha 11 does at 11am but something like Chicagos WLS is doing by creating a local talk show….where is our version of AM ATLANTA or GOOD AFTERNOON ATLANTA? Someone come up with something original!
Backwoods Hick
April 27th, 2011
6:53 pm
@The Ghost of Ed Murrow–You forgot the most important part of your “news” recipe. After you add all the ingredients, you mix (not very well) and Repeat-and Repeat-and Repeat ad nauseum 4-5 times a day.
monica's hair
April 27th, 2011
9:53 pm
The problem with Monica’s hair is having it done too much. She use to have it done everyday at the old Rich’s downtown before it closed. They warned her repeatedly that no ones hair could sustain the amount of different color and styles that she put her hair through.
mmmmmm
April 27th, 2011
10:01 pm
WSB needs to let ABC know that we want our SOAP’s to stay or they will loose their market share. We will not be watching the noon news the 4, the 5, the 6 or the 11 news if All My Children or One Life to Live are not saved. There is no need to switch on the TV at noon if there is no All My Children at 1:00. I can go to the Gym. I can watch Nancy Grace at 2:00 on Fox and Stick with The Judge Shows on Fox and Judge Judy at 4:00. My 11 year old and 16 year old they love Judge Judy at 4:00 on Fox. I wil watch the news on 11 or another station at 6 and 11.
If the Rumors are true that NBC may pick up the SOAPS I will be sure to follow with the news.
Rhett Butler
April 27th, 2011
10:15 pm
Not another hour of news. Jeez.
Monica Pearson.. bless your heart… but frankly my dear you should let it go.
Just let it go.
TRU
April 29th, 2011
8:32 am
Thank you ALL! I needed a laugh..
WSB weather coverage the best
April 29th, 2011
9:34 am
Just a side bar. WSB-TV had the best severe weather coverage during this week’s tornado
and severe thunderstorms.
Soap Network
April 29th, 2011
9:43 am
For all you soap fanatics, go watch your shows on the Soap Network. My suggestion, P&G should purchase blocks of time on the Soap Network and continue sponsoring new episodes of All my Children and One life to Live for the hard core fans. The fan base on the Soap Network is built in and the demographic would be more specific to the needs of the advertisers. BET did it with The Game and
the shows ratings are through the roof.
Eric
April 30th, 2011
3:53 am
I don’t particulary care for Channel 2’s news… although 2 has several likeable on-air talents. I find the news presentation to be very bland and stale… as well as very negative and repeatative. I take that Channel 2 has no interest in a “Happy Talk” show… or positive and up-lifting stories.
We’ve witnessed the damage done from the recent cancellations of ‘Guiding Light’ and ‘As the World Turns’… I’m not very pleased with ABC’s decision to cancel ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life to Live’, in order to accomodate more cheap talk shows. I find the soap cancellations as very disrespectful to the fans, to the cast and crew of both shows, and to Agnes Nixon. I won’t be watching ‘The Chew’ (proposed cooking/food talk-show with Mario Batali and company) and ‘The Revolution’ (proposed lifestyle/weight-loss show with Tim Gunn). I may very well give up on watching ‘Nightline’, ‘The View’, and other ABC and Channel 2 shows.
Oprah has no interest in saving our soaps… according to a recent video that she posted on You Tube. I would be willing to settle with ABC cutting AMC and OLTL back to half-hour. If ABC has no interest in saving the soaps… I’d be interested in seeing NBC picking them up.
Paulette Vita Griffin-DelCasale
April 30th, 2011
12:07 pm
I used to be a loyal watcher of WSB-TV news; I will no longer be watching anything on an ABC network day or night due to the actions taken to destroy our Soaps & slap the faces of loyal fans some of which have been watching AMC & OLTL for 40+ years. Although I will miss the WSB news staff, especially the Severe Weather Team, I have already moved on and do not regret a thing. Good bye to GMA, Regis & Kelly, The View, and ESPECIALLY, Noprah ~ the biggest sellout of them all! Adios my friends, and all my family and friends have followed suit.
Suzanne Lanoue
April 30th, 2011
12:53 pm
There is no such thing as “Soap Network”. Maybe you are referring to Soapnet? They are owned by ABC and they are shutting that down, too. It sure would be great if someone else made a soap network, but doubt we will be that lucky.
K. P
April 30th, 2011
12:54 pm
LMAO…aging and shrinking audience??? Thanks but I’ve heard and rejected that spiel from Frons already.
I’m a 21 year old working college student who began watching AMC less than a decade ago. The genre is not dead despite moronic higher ups trying to make it so.
Also I’ve only ever watched a DVRed AMC and I doubt that is fairly counted in the outdated ratings system, The so called reality that’s supposed to lure me to ABC is exactly what’s gonna make me boycott the network. Screw the Chew. I want All My Children back, Here’s hoping NBC steps up.
Bubbles LaRue
April 30th, 2011
1:31 pm
I have always watched WSB TV….even when they were NBC back in the 70″s I watched it faithfully…when they switched networks to ABC I still watched it….when Monica was still Pearson, when Linda Faye and Gail Janus were the weather girls….I love all the newscasters and especially the Severe Weather team….BUT if they stand firm on cancelling out beloved soaps I will not watch anymore….11 Alive here I come. Thanks you very much
Andrea Dawson
April 30th, 2011
3:04 pm
Excuse me, Did you just say aging and shrinking. A 2.5 million fan base is great. If abc did any advertising for the soaps it would continue to grow. I am 44 and my daughter is 11. We both watch the shows regularly. Last I heard our age groups were not considered seniors. My Hoffman, you have just made an ass of yourself……
Tina
April 30th, 2011
3:05 pm
I think its terrible that ABC gets to dictate on what we want to watch on television…..the soap fans are not only the elderly, soap fans are from every age, every background, we are from all walks of life. I refuse to watch ABC once my soaps are gone!!! Brian Frons has no idea what the viewers want & he has no respect or regard for how we feel. I don’t understand how Mr. Frons can compare the viewers to “dogs that can be trained” & still have a job after making that remark, ABC has not only lost my respect, but has lost me as a loyal viewer!!!
gayle ls
April 30th, 2011
3:34 pm
ABC may soon be a part of broadcast history just like our beloved soaps. It’s going down!
NM
April 30th, 2011
3:41 pm
“As for the pending departures of soaps “One Life to Live” and “All my Children,” Hoffman said he appreciated how dedicated the soap fans are, but unfortunately, the audience was aging and shrinking. ”
IF the audience has been shrinking, then PLEASE tell me WHY AMC has been on the air for 41 years??? I would really like an answer to that. The audience’s are not shrinking and if you ask ANY soap fan, including myself, they watch their soaps every single day. For people who work during the day, they record and watch them in evening or over the weekend. The audience shrinking, is a load of BS. It’s Brian Frons vision that fans want more reality tv and cooking shows. Currently, there are 400 and counting reality shows on tv now, and over 20 cookings shows. Did Brian Frons ask the fans what they wanted, NO! He decided to kill the soaps, because they “cost” too much to make. Well, that’s a load of BS, because if they cost so much to make, they would have been cancelled A LONG TIME AGO! The Soaps fans DO NOT WANT anymore reality tv, anymore than non-soap fans want it. If we want to watch cooking shows, we can go to TLC, The Cooking Channel or The Food Network. What you guys AND ABC need to do, is LISTEN TO YOUR VIEWERS, because they are telling you want they want to watch, NOT what you think we want to watch!
@SoapNetworkComment-Since the whole world doesn’t have access to the Soap “Network”, which if you knew anything about soaps, you would have said, Soap Net, watching the soaps on the channel would be quite difficult.
ABC is committing “network suicide”, because NO ONE is going to watch them ever again.
Leona Di Marca
April 30th, 2011
3:50 pm
I will never forgive ABC for cancelling ALL MY CHILDREN. Over the years ABC has been my network of choice for daytime, primetime, national and local news. NO MORE! I am boycotting ABC except tor the soaps. I have been a loyal fan of AMC for many, many years and I am hoping that NBC or other networks will save this soap. SAVE the soap opera genre. Boycott ABC and boycott all things Disney.
lady katt
April 30th, 2011
4:08 pm
I may be aging but I am not shrinking. Soap fans are still going strong, and in big numbers. The fans of soaps are boycotting all other abc programing and will continue to until the network comes to its senses. There is a huge buying group among our age group, and we still control the big spending bucks. Sponsors that don’t want to help will feel the pinch in their pockets..
Diane Hoffman
April 30th, 2011
4:40 pm
I may be aging and shrinking (only because of because of my bones) but I do watch the soaps. If we are all shrinking it is because the ratings don’t include us. I am not dead yet and I don’t appreciate getting push under the carpet. I will still crawl out from under because I am still living! Please think of something you really love. Would you really want it to just go away and never come back? With cable, every age group should have on what they want to see. We don’t want people telling we can’t watch it because we don’t count. As long as we are alive, we count. Please save our soaps.
Betty Griffith
April 30th, 2011
4:47 pm
What Do You Know About The Fans Of These 2 Shows ??. NOTHING .Shrinking and Aging ,Let Me Inform You That They Range In Ages From Tweens To 80 Plus ..Our Shows Are Being Cancelled Without ABC Even Knowing How Many Viewers They Have …Did They Even For One Minute Take Into Consideration How Many Households Were Recording To Watch After The Dinner Hour ?.I Really Doubt It . I Recorded For 20 Yrs While Working ..If ABC Thinks Another Cooking Show And Fashion Show Will Bring In More Viewers Who Ever Came Up With That Bright Idea Has A Real Eye-Opener Coming Up …Can’t You Hear What The People Want ???.Leave Our Soaps On ..
Jeri Hoskins
April 30th, 2011
5:06 pm
Sounds lovely, however, consider my RSVP to watch cancelled, just like what ABC did to my favorite daytime dramas, AMC and OLTL. I may be part of the “aging and shrinking” demographic, but that has no bearing on why ABC is REALLY cancelling the shows. Daytime has been and always will be viewed by ALL age groups, from all walks of life. It really doesn’t matter how old a person is, if they are enjoying watching programs that allow them to relax and escape from the every day world, who is to tell them they are wrong?? The daytime dramas are not like primetime, where you expect them to have a shelf life of approximately 5-8 years; Soaps have been around almost as long as television has been on! However, its the big corporations who control the ads out there are missing out on their most loyal consumers when they try to ONLY appease and pull in a select number of demographics. Today’s economy is horrendous, and those of us who are in the 50+ age groups are not only raising second families, but also assisting our grown children due to job loss, etc. And not to mention, we are the grandparents who SPOIL our grandchildren with Disney. So really, its all a matter of what corporate heads who have been breathing the office air too long to realize AMERICA HAS CHANGED. To disregard and ignore their biggest consumers is suicide. We’ll see which companies are still thinking this way after the boycott is over. Until then, and when my soaps have disappeared, you’ll find me elsewhere on the TV dial.
Lisa Boland
April 30th, 2011
5:38 pm
Given all the empty reasons that Frons is telling us contributed to his decision to cancel the soaps, it sounds more like he thought he would make a name for himself by revolutionizing daytime tv. Well he defintely is making a name for himself. Not the one he wants. I wonder what demographic he falls under!
Amber Korakas
April 30th, 2011
6:04 pm
Very funny aging? I’m a 29 year old working mother and when I am not working and taking care of young children ages 4&5, I relax and watch my favorite shows All My Children, One life To Live and of course General Hospital. I love that this news broadcaster thinks that we need 3 hours of news! For what, background noise? Give me a break, when you have late afternoon news, most people aren’t glued to it like we are with our soaps! I would almost guarantee that if any if these shows were in a prime-time spot the ratings would go through the roof! Bottom line, ABC is making a huge mistake to can our shows to save what 40% of cost to run the new shows? Well too bad they will loose all of thier viewers and then they would have to cancel the new shows taking the place of our soaps! We have reality shows chanels, cooking chanels, fashion chanels and why add more to it? Why take away iconic, legendary shows that people love? We relate to these characters, we stop to watch and get a release from real life issues. We grow with the characters, see new styles, and expierence real life issues in the world from other perspectives! We don’t want news, we have news channels! Give me a break I think that you guys are idiots and by the time it’s all said and done ABC will realize that taking these shows off the air was the biggest mistake they could have ever made!
Dee Duran
April 30th, 2011
6:34 pm
The audience isn’t shrinking we were not noticed. We are being stereo-ed as lazy, homekeeper with nothing to do. Excuse me! However, many of us relaxed and enjoyed a good show after a hard days of reality at work. We were happy with what we had in our SOAPS. Watch us all come alive even the so called aging audience. We are not dead! NO BODY wants NEWS, REALITY SHOWS, or FOOD and FASHION. There is already a place for those wanta be entertainment. Final word congrats to you!
anita constantine-gay
April 30th, 2011
7:17 pm
“aging and shrinking” – well, lose the soaps and watch your viewers shrink away!
susan
April 30th, 2011
8:31 pm
Hoffman knows nothing about the audience for AMC and OLTL as well as Frons. There has never been an accurate survey for the actual viewers. There has to be consideration for the DVR and Soapnet viewers. Just watch the viewers shrink. You cancel our soaps ABC…We cancel you!
ppollard
May 1st, 2011
1:09 am
You are an idiot! We are not shrinking and aging. We are in the millions and are men and women, young and old, from all walks of life and areas. Before you make such a statement you need to do some research and get past the stereotyping!! You prefer a cooking show followed by a weight loss show …doesn’t that seem to negate each other? We are boycotting all abc,Disney and associated sponsors. We have the guts to stand up to the monopoly that is Disney. We have been loyal fans for over forty years have you been faithful to anything that long or do you have the guts to stand up too or continue being the big corporation’s yes man?
Krystal
May 1st, 2011
4:26 am
If by aging you mean getting older which you my friend are doing as well every single day….its a natural progression. I have recently turned 30 and have been watching the soaps over the years starting when i was very young. You may do as you like but I for one will not watch any cooking shows…I already know how to cook just fine!! I do it for a living every day. As far as the other stupid show no thanks if I want to live healthly then I’ll go out side and get exercise. If I want to be entertained which by the way soaps were and have always been entertainment I will watch anything but disney or abc. Small minded ignorant jerks are a dime a dozen its to bad you just had to show that you fit nicely into that box. Have a great day and I will enjoy any programming that is on a channel that is not abc.
Krystal
May 1st, 2011
4:41 am
Another thing I have known of nooooo person to ever be counted in the “Neilsen” ratings. I don’t think they even remotely correlate with what real people are watching. The news may be on at 4pm but so is the radio while I am cooking dinner or helping with homework. 10 oclock news is the only one I regularly watch.
Mims
May 1st, 2011
10:59 am
ABC wants to put on shows that are cheaper to produce yet will get lower ratings. What’s the point of producing shows that no one wants and won’t watch? Seems a waste of money to me. Also have read they’re adding a new show to primetime – Good Christian B*tches. Way to offend Christians in the audience, ABC. Apparently the people who make the programming decisions are sharing the same crackpipe.
Monica better watch it, they may farm her out because she isn’t in their precious demographic anymore.
get real
May 1st, 2011
12:58 pm
Aging eh? Interesting to know I am only valued until I reach 49. So I wont VALUE YOUR SHOWS EITHER!. Wow. Dumb comment but glad to know how we are really viewed. Buh byel
get real
May 1st, 2011
1:00 pm
by the way. i’m under 49 and i make 10k a month and i work. have kids. single mom. did it all with determination and tenacity. just see what a bunch of us “aging” viewers can do to a network. just check out FANS UNITED AGAINST ABC suckers!
Anne65
May 1st, 2011
3:20 pm
I am sitting here reading the comments. I just don’t understand what everyone means about the audience aging and shrinking. Perhaps they are dying and there are less and less numbers? No one to replace us?? I am 58 years old, feel like I am still 20 and watch All My Children everyday. Soaps are an American Tradition since the 1950s. I began watching All My Children with my mother the day it started (41 years ago). My mom died, I married, had my own children, raised them, went back to work. I, like so many others did it all!! Raised children (who are now 21 & 24 and watch AMC themselves), cooked, cleaned, worked in and out of the house. EARNED A LIVING. Believe me, lazy we are not. Soaps have been a form of stress relief for many of us. Just one hour of the day we have taken for ourselves to RELAX. Is there a problem with that? I resent the fact that the rating companies put an age limit of 18-49 on the ratings. Talk about a great case of discrimination !!! We are not dead yet. We live and breath just like anyone else. Aging? As I said, this is an American Tradition that we would like to pass on to next generation, who I am sure thousands and thousands will enjoy. So Daytime Drama has not shrunk in the least little bit. Those of you who disagree, fine – but it will not stop us!
CM
May 1st, 2011
5:57 pm
AGING AND SHRINKING? Last time I looked I was still 6′ LOL! Aging, you are only as old as you feel. And I feel it is time Hoffman, Frons and Sweeney get lost!. All you people want is MONEY and to me that spells GREED, let me see for people that know religion and the seven deadly sins, I believe GREED is one of them. I know probably opened up a can of worms here that they will come back with, who cares, Oprah, I watched her every day, not any more, She is sleeping with the Mouse. As far as Susan Lucci is concerned, looks like she also knew what was going on, please O has her and the rest of them on her show right smack before the announcement that they were cancelling, she knew too. They already had Lucci on DH, signed sealed and delivered. They are holding back on it now, because it will make her look like a liar. I saw how cozy she is with Frons. I love SL and her character, but you can see right through her. She was called to their office by herself, she admitted as such on Leno. Why by herself, so they could discuss the deal. Sorry I am really upset over this. The Chew and The revolution can both bite my left one, will not watch, FRONS AND SWEENEY MUST BE FIRED!!!
Yvette
May 1st, 2011
7:36 pm
Sounds dull. What do we need another hour of news for? You guys already repeat yourselves at 5 & 6pm. Oh well, doesn’t matter anyway because once AMC & OLTL are gone, I’ll have no reason to every turn the channel to WSB-TV.
Eric
May 1st, 2011
8:46 pm
Frons says that we (the TV viewers and soap fans) all want more reality programming. I completely disagree, because I don’t see that as being accurate at all. Eileen Fulton (Lisa, ATWT) has stated numerous times that “Foucs Groups” have played a major role in ruining the soaps.
I’ve never been a “Nielsen Family”, and don’t know of anybody else who has. I do agree that the Nielsen ratings system is very much flawed and out-dated.
I certainly hope that NBC will consider saving ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life to Live’… maybe airing them as half-hour soaps in the 2PM hour, after ‘Days of our Lives’. I could also picture NBC cutting ‘Today’ back to its original 2-hour format… and reviving ‘Later Today’ talk show at 9AM as well.
Eric
May 1st, 2011
8:49 pm
Furthermore… Susan Lucci appeared on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ last Friday (April 29)… and she too was “blindsighted” by the AMC and OLTL cancellations.
Lora Bivens
May 3rd, 2011
8:35 pm
I am 45 years old and have watched One Life To Live for 30 years! Guess what? IT’S THE ONLY SHOW I WATCH ON ABC! Don’t tell ME what I want to watch! And my 18 year old daughter watches it with me sometimes because its on my DVR NOT VCR! Let me asks this question what is the “AVERAGE AGE” OF THE PEOPLE MAKING THIS DECISION????!!!!! I repeat ABC will be wiped off my DVR forever if you cancel OLTL.
aurora
May 5th, 2011
11:24 am
AGING AND SHRINKING WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, ABC IS GOING TO BE AGING AND SHRINKING SOON IF THE SOAPS GO OFF, BECAUSE I’VE STOPPED WATCHING ABC EXCEPT THE SOAPS IF THEY GO OFF SO WILL I AND ALL OF MY FRIENDS. YOU’VE GOT SOME NERVE,IS NOT JUST OLD PEOPLE WATCHING THIS SOAPS IS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, IVE WATCHED THE SOAPS FOR YRS THEY ARE OUR SECOND FAMILY, AND NOT CAUSE I DONT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO, BUT I MAKE TIME TO WATCH THEM AND RELAX IN THE AFTERNOON. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!!!
Frances
May 6th, 2011
11:06 am
I wouldn’t mind the extra news if the news stations, including WSB had something to say. However, WSB repeats the same news @ 5 ,6, & 11, so now they will start @ 4, repeat @ 5, repeat @ 6 and finish up with 11. UGH!!!!!! And leave Monica alone, she has a right to work as long as she wants.
Tammy Lynn C
May 8th, 2011
1:19 am
I sort of agree with alot of people that we don’t need another 4 P.M. newscast. The concept is great in other time zones but not here. Im a homemaker and Im not going to turn on the news at 4 but I make one exception, John Bachman. Totally handsome and very friendly. I wish he could replace Justin Farmer. The perfect news team in Atlanta after Monica leaves the station is John and either Kimberly Kennedy or Pam Martin, who would be a pro but lacking that Jovita&John. Justin is very cute but comes across cold. WSB has a very strong male force but a very weak female force. (I suppose because of Monica.) The best newscast in Atlanta ever was on Channel 5. Forrest Sawyer and Pam Martin.