Nothing alienates a viewer faster than teasing “bitterly cold weather on the way” (or similar)…only to have me (the meteorologist) have to spend the next four minutes contradicting the tease…..(which in the past I never approved or was rarely consulted on). Glad to say that it’s not a problem at the smaller-market station where I work now…. but was a constant battle in larger market stations where I have worked in the past.

Producers in those larger markets seem bound and determined to sensationalize every story…to the detriment of our business and our credibility.

Nuff said.

SCL

TV stations and newspapers in small markets are better positioned to do more online than are their big market counterparts.

Why? Just look at the Lawrence Kansas Journal online. Or the St Albans Messenger. Hardly major markets, either of ‘em. But ridiculously great local news sites. They’re better positioned because they know exactly what their community needs, and they give it to ‘em. Less worry about focus groups and the like - more action.

Small market websites are a growth industry. I’d take a bunch of them over their gross audience equivalent in one large market. The advertisers in small markets are screaming for more efficient ways to spend their limited ad bucks. Local merchants who could never afford TV advertising can afford advertising on that very same TV station’s website.

If a given small or medium market station can own that space, they will become major success stories in the time that major market stations are still debating over whether to offer local ad search. 100,000 people sharing information at your site is a business model.

So no more “small-marketing thinking” excuses or insults. People in small markets work ridiculously hard with limited resources. They do more, with less. And that’s the future. The real enemy is “small-vision thinking.” That’s endemic in big markets, too.

You have some scary dreams…..

at the risk of sounding like that other commentor, thebrokenrecordchannel, i’ll stop now.

then refer to it as such: our web channel. or even web channelS for those stations of daring.

and how about linking to the other web channels your station group owns? there’s space in everyone’s nav bar that i’ve seen to do this, why the hell haven’t you been doing this all along?

you’ll be able to charge far more for it simply because it sounds richer.

you have to sell your content because there will never be money in online advertising and brick and mortar stores will never have web sites.

those were the assumptions that underpinned all web site business planning just 10 years ago.

thta’s why, any newsroom or news director or general manager who doesn’t wake up and smell the ones and zeroes is nuts.

sorry to be shrill Barney, but…

Everyone should do what they believe is achievable. Those who do more are more likely to succeed. If I use hyperbole to make a point, it is because this stuff is URGENT and there are not enough people in our industry reacting that way.

I agree with Chris: “Wonderful SUGGESTIONS.” (My emphasis added. The great thing about consultants you pay for is that you can decide what of their advice is worth taking. “All or nothing” is unnerving and again, to me, distracts from the very valid and valuable messages you impart.

What, if we don’t all do as you say in Year 3, do the Year 4 Resolutions come with warrants? Weapons?;-)

I promise to work on all of these issues in our small-market newsroom, as best as I can, Steve, and to keep visiting LR as long as you encourage, proselytize and champion the value of the changes needed, but not throwing out the baby, bathwater, tub and house.

I just don’t buy the late ’90s pre-bubble-burst game of “if you don’t buy ALL of what I say you’re a timid little idiot who is making buggy whips.” It was BS then, and it’s BS now. Many things WILL change in the world of TV news, and fast, but not EVERYTHING TOMORROW. Figuring what NEEDS to change, and how fast, and how to make it BETTER and not just DIFFERENT… ah, there’s the rub.

Do I sound like an old curmudgeon? Sorry - I happen to think I’m Rush Limbaugh’s worst enemy - a moderate. I want to set ACHIEVABLE goals, and not pretend everyone can stand on their head and crow like a chicken, because it’s today’s craze;-)

I am by no means in the network news business, but I find you recommendations not only insightful, but highly entertaining. Now I’ll sit back, watch my local news, and see if anyone takes your sound [free!] advice.