WUSA encourages users to send in promos
Cory Bergman January 24th, 2007
The Gannett station wants users to shoot, edit and upload their own spots to promote the station. “How would you tell people what 9NEWS NOW is all about? Get crazy!” reads WUSA9.com. But not too crazy, of course. The promos “must have a positive message” and avoid slamming competing stations. And to get around music rights issues, anyone submitting a spot must pick from a list of pre-approved tracks posted on the site. Nifty. The winning spot will air on the station.
24 Comments Add your own
1. Cecil W. | January 24th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Typical Gannett… good way to avoid hiring a promotion producer.
2. Dave | January 24th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
I’m a promo producer… I think it’s a great idea to have a promo contest.
Granted, it would be dumb if they did this to avoid hiring a producer as Cecil alluded to; however, if executed properly, it could be very beneficial to the overall marketing strategy.
For one, I think viewers would trust a “citizen promo” as more credible than the standard “Where Live! Local! Late Breaking! Working For You on Your Side News Comes First”.
Dave
3. Cecil W. | January 24th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
It could work if it were a beloved station with beloved talent. Look at WPVI… a station with a legacy that still exists, and the public loves.
The problem is, unless it’s the weekend, no one is watching WUSA’s news. The best promo producer in the world couldn’t warm up the WUSA on-air team.
With the exception of the weather and possibly the sports guy, no one there is connecting with an audience.
4. Don | January 24th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
The instructions tell you to make sure the video is high enough quality to show on TV. Yet they show some dude shooting himself with a cell phone camera. If they get a single airable promo it will be a success.
5. Hussman | January 25th, 2007 at 6:46 am
I’ll have to check this out. May be a worthwhile idea to steal.
6. Everett W. | January 25th, 2007 at 8:38 am
WUSA’s noon newscast remains dominant at last check. Otherwise, that station doesn’t have much going for it.
7. Steve Houk, Marketing Director, W*USA | January 25th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Simply can’t help throwing my .02 in. First, this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, NEIN, NYET to do with personnel. No position was foregone in any way for this idea. We are at full strength. Wake up folks. Interactivity with viewers is the way to do business, and this was my way to start it happening here, it had zippo to do with not filling a position. And contrary to some of the other comments posted here, W*USA’s morning news was #1 this past Monday and continues to compete, and in HH’s our 11pm newscast does quite well. Look, competition here in DC is fierce, people have old habits we are working to change, and perceptions of past talent issues here are extremely hard to overcome. But ideas like our My Spot NOW, as well as other modern thinking, can only help us grow the station, and despite what the naysayers think, we will. Thank you, and God Bless.
8. thewashingtonchannel | January 25th, 2007 at 10:09 am
mr. w*usa,
“as well as other modern thinking”…but not a single mention of growing your web presence?
9. Steve Houk, Marketing Director, W*USA | January 25th, 2007 at 10:52 am
That was a blog response, I wasn’t selling W*USA to the masses. I was responding to people who are misinformed and not up to speed. But if I must respond again to yet another detractor (you could have a job just doing this all day in this business) we are working diligently and aggressively to grow our web presence each day. Web mentions abound more than ever in our news product, we submit more to the web every day in news, we have more reporters more than ever blogging and involved, we are using things like My Spot NOW to do create more web buzz, we just became the only station in the WORLD to stream in HD on our website as well as having our SD stream, the list goes on and on. Ou web folks are active and diligent. OK? If you care to learn more, just ask.
10. thewashingtonchannel | January 25th, 2007 at 11:27 am
touchy.
you were the one “throwing my .02 in” . i simply pointed out the obvious; a career tv person overlooking their career.
no need to lose it, pal. we’re pretty cordial around here.
come back more often… the door’s always open.
11. Everett W. | January 25th, 2007 at 11:37 am
To be fair, WUSA is a CBS affiliate whose Monday morning ratings this week no doubt benefited from TVs already left there after the previous night’s football.
12. Steve Houk, Marketing Director, W*USA | January 25th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
“Overlooking their career”? I don’t really get that. Look, I hear ya, but you’d be a tad touchy too if you had to beat down misperceptions about W*USA on a daily basis. Plus I’m a Pisces.
Sorry it sounded edgy. Not intended. Appreciate the dialog, sir….or madam.
But in response to Everett, sure we may have had some TV’s left on 9 due to the game, but it was markedly higher numbers than other post-football days, wasn’t even close in the ratings, and frankly, we are better than anyone else at that hour if people would just give us a chance. Plus our website had 250,000 hits Monday, a marked increase from normal, so people do trust us for something: severe weather coverage. We’re gettin’ there.
OK, I’ll simmer down now. Maybe….hahaha.
13. Cory | January 25th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
My two cents here, I think it’s a great idea.
I think TV sites are waaaay behind in engaging their users to submit video, and WUSA is getting creative and trying something new. I think everyone will be surprised at the submissions they receive.
14. Everett W. | January 25th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Thanks for the response, WUSA. All the best.
15. Steve Houk, Marketing Director, W*USA | January 25th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Truthfully it’s been slow on the submissions, mainly because it’s still a new thing to people, it’s actually largely a Gen Y thing still, plus we asked people to upload their vid to the site and that’s also alot to ask. I am hopeful after some reworking of some aspects of the concept that we can get more people to participate. But it’s been exciting seeing some thing come in and we hope it grows.
Best to you to, Everett!
16. Vicki Montevaux | January 25th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
My idea is to wipe my rump and use the paper to spell out WUSA … out news stinks!
17. Steve Houk, Marketing Director, W*USA | January 25th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Such class! Vicki I bet you have a truly lovely rump after painting a picture like that! NOT. But what is “out news stinks!”? Another funny quip?
18. thewashingtonchannel | January 25th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
vicky, that was uncalled for.
besides, there’s a camera angle known to man that would encompass that entire rump?
19. Gordon P | January 27th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Is surly Steve Hauk, a graduate of the Rob Mennie Genius School of Chubby Weather Girl Pokers, winning viewers for 9’s HD (Half Def) News with his Peewee Herman bitchiness? Back to you, Steve…
20. Steve Houk, Marketing Director, W*USA | January 30th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Gordon P: Hey Mr. Sweetness, give me a call at the station, I’d love to chat.
Oh by the way, it’s inane posters like you that get me bitchy. And I’m anything but surly, or chubby. And also, what in the heck does your comment really mean? Are you a frustrated failure in the business and that’s why yuo gotta bag people you don’t even know.
Damn, I knew shoulda stayed off this site…
21. Homan | February 6th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
I must say, I am a huge fan and dedicated viewer to WUSA. Just because they are not number one in ratings doesn’t mean they aren’t as good or capable as the other stations. I love the morning team (EXCEPT the traffic lady…sorry she’s just DULL and not very friendly…maybe good for radio but def not TV). I love Mike, Andrea, Kim. Noon team is great too JC and Howard are wonderful. And of course everyone on the 5,6, 11 PM. I don’t really watch the 7 PM…
I love the set, the personalities, their reporting on issues. Plus NBC 4 is goin down the train with all their recent budget cuts.
I like the interactive-ness of the my spot now. I think the 9 news “now” is catchy and plus its something original, just like how 9 is FIRST in HD.
Keep up the good work WUSA…you have my support all the way!
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