$5.00 October 2009 January 2010 Longform Drama THE SEARCH Paid Shows a FOR A JOB Mixed Blessing Navigating for TV News One of the Page 4 Toughest Job Markets Ever Return Page 8 of Leno Schedule Shift Brings Relief to NBC Affiliates Page 6 DuPont Awards Local Stations Wow This Year’s Judges Page 17 COVER IMAGE BY WIN MCNAMEE GETTYIMAGES FROM THE EDITOR Bad News vs. Good News We all know it is the worst of times. But who knew it was also the best of times? CONTENTS Just when some folks were wringing their hands over the demise FEEDS l 4 of local TV news, something comes along and rights the apple cart. Longform ads make big money for stations, but In recent times, local stations have been faced with declining do they blur the lines between news and revenues and budget cuts that have resulted in the continual commercials? *PBS' Gwen Ifill looks back at her streamlining of news operations and, in the most extreme cases, transition from newspapers to TV. *NBC affiliates the elimination of local news broadcasts entirely. are happy with NBC shifting Jay Leno back to As our story by Jon Lafayette in this month’s Feeds section points out, more and after their late news shows. *Editor & Publisher more are turning to product placement — paid segments that often appear to be news gets a buyer in the 11th hour. reports to the uninitiated — as a way to generate new, much needed income. Welcome though this new revenue stream may be, these reportlike product COVER STORY l 8 placement segments come at a price: In the worst-case scenarios, the integrity of a The outlook for finding TV news jobs in 2010 is station’s news department can be called into question, especially if they look too brighter, but seekers will have to do more for less. *A look at how media professionals should much like “news” and involve the station’s on-air news talent. go about finding work in today's climate. *Talent Is this the harbinger of a future where if there’s any local news content at all, it’s agents know where the jobs are, but do you need been paid for and dictated by a sponsor? one to land a position? Not so fast. A white knight has appeared, at least for the moment, in the form of the prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, which has selected SPECIAL REPORT l 17 among this year’s winners news programming from a total of six local stations — the Local TV news had a rough year with recession- most recognized in one year by the organization in two decades. driven cutbacks, but of 14 Alfred I. duPont- As the duPont Awards program director Abi Wright tells Elizabeth Jensen in her Columbia University Awards handed out this year, story about the award winners on Page 17, “The jury left with renewed confidence six go to local TV news programs. All the winners in the state of local television.” are highlighted in this section. Praise doesn’t come much higher than that. And it serves as a reassuring reminder that brilliant and meaningful journalism is as possible as always at the local level. SIGN OFF l 26 Just a little something to keep in mind the next time you see a TV report that looks Tom Petner describes what not to do in your a lot like “news,” but isn’t. search for a new job. —Tom Gilbert Editor NEWSMAKERS l 15 BUSINESS ADVERTISING SALES l 24 Ph: (212) 210-0748 Fax: (212) 210-0772 TECHNOLOGY l 25 Executive Producer: Jeff Reisman, [email protected] (212) 210-0748 EDITORIAL OFFICES Producer: Danny Schreiber, [email protected] (503) 723-9688 NewsPro (ISSN 2151-1764), Volume 1, Issue 5, is published Ph: (212) 210-0706 Fax: (212) 210-0772 Monthly, except for combined issues in January/February and SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE (888) 288-5900 Production Manager: Nicole Dionne November/December at Crain Communications Inc, 711 Third Ave, New York, NY 10017. / Periodical postage pending at New VP-Publisher: Robert Felsenthal, (212) 210-0262 Group Circulation Director: John LaMarca Circulation Manager: Nicole Chantharaj York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. 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Crain Jr. Visit us online at TVWeek.com/Newspro Treasurer: Mary Kay Crain David Kamis (1911-1996) NewsPro® is a registered trademark of Crain Communications Inc. January 2010 | NewsPro | 3 *INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS FROM THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL FEEDS NEWS STATIONS the paid segments. Former weekend anchor Vicki Liviakis, Longform Ads Pull in Revenue But who hosts commercial seg - ments “Medical Mondays” and Raise Ethics Questions “Living Green,” no longer does news, focusing instead on the By Jon Lafayette commercial production side. Two other medical segments The package is presented like continue to be hosted by something you’d see on the morning anchor Daryn Folsom local news rather than like a because her participation was traditional infomercial. Some- part of the contract. times it resembles a lengthy KRON continues to feature story; other times it’s experiment, using audience an interview with a local doctor feedback to gauge what or businessman, or a roundup viewers feel is acceptable, Grief of local tourist destinations. said. The station also makes But if viewers listen closely sure that it is more than and pay attention to the complying with Federal Com - disclaimers, they’ll realize that munications Commission rules they are being pitched a regarding sponsorship and product or service in payola. Noting that product programming that’s paid for by placement is skyrocketing, the advertisers. FCC is considering comments Such product placement about changing its rules for deals are being used in- sponsorship identification and creasingly to raise revenues for embedded advertising. TV stations pinched by the Greif added that local rival, recession. But they’re also NBC-owned KNTV, had hired raising questions about ethics away one of his commercial and preserving the credibility producers and has begun of local newscasts. airing similar programs. KNTV “Sponsorships are President and General Man- problematic for all sorts of ager Rich Cerussi de clined to KRON-TV’S “MEDICAL MONDAY” newsrooms, not just broadcast comment. newsrooms,” said Kelly Mc - magazine described the product, so it asks more for a While stations try to draw a Bride, ethics group leader for segments as having “the look 2-minute paid segment than it line between news and adver - the Poynter Institute, who and feel of a real news-talk would charge for four 2- torials, sponsored segments are stressed that stations ought to show, complete with a news minute spots, but he said the popular with some advertisers have clear policies to avoid the ticker scrolling past un- station did not have a specific precisely because of the positive appearance that they are derneath and Chyrons [the rate card for the segments. rub-off they get from the selling their content. graphic tags that identify the As a former news director station’s news credibility. But while most broadcast person speaking] that are and VP for news at KRON “Because they have a executives say there’s a clear pretty much indistinguishable parent Young Broadcasting, reporter that comes out and line at their station between from those you’d see on which is working its way out of actually does the segment, it’s news content that can’t be regular news segments.” bankruptcy, Greif said he may almost like having an en - bought, and other pro- Brian Greif, the in - be more sensitive to news dorsement from a radio disc gramming that incorporates dependent station’s new gen- values than other executives. jockey,” said Julia Tyndall, paid messages from sponsors, eral manager, said that its Because of that, the station marketing manger for La-Z- “from the audience per- move into locally produced has “made a number of Boy Furniture Galleries of spective, it’s very hard to tell paid programming has “added adjustments over the years to Atlanta, who last year the difference,” McBride said. quite a bit of revenue across make sure that it fits not only appeared on “The Daily 2” “They assume the worst.” the group, and at KRON it’s a the needs of the advertisers segments at the end of Last year, KRON-TV in San significant part of what we do but the needs of the viewers newscasts on Cox-owned Francisco caught a lot of grief now. It’s been a success.” as well.” WSB-TV in Atlanta, touting for airing paid advertising Greif said KRON views paid For example, he’s phasing the store chain’s home design segments. Mother Jones programming as a premium out the use of news talent in service.