Oregon Media Insiders

katu also went widescreen at 4:30

My reaction's fairly dispassionate, but the graphics seem a little heavy and saturated. The over-the-shoulders aren't so much over-the-shoulder as they are taking up half the screen, particularly combined with those distractingly animated lower-thirds. And the logo in the bug sort of fades amorphously into the call letters, looking more like a trapezoid. But really, they're just graphics.

Rod Hill introduced a new three-day forecast, saying that it was "hopefully" the days when he knows what the weather will be like. Then he followed that with the ten-day trend, or seven extra days he's not so hopeful about, I guess. He looked like he's trying to be more animated. He kind of lept across the screen and gave us jazz hands to show us the clear skies approaching on the satellite picture.

I enjoyed the new graphics popping up on top of the commercials most, though.

So far, and this is my own take, I like what I'm seeing. The new graphics are interesting, I like the "Fisher Flag" treatment of the 2, generally it's working overall.

I got a few screencaps over at my own blog, with some comments of my own, if I may put that in.

Maybe I get a little too into my logos, but 2's new logo makes me smile. Seriously. It's a lot more fun and energetic than the old, static, locked-down feeling of the old one.

Samuel John Klein, a/k/a ZehnKatzen
graphically involved at http://zehnkatzen.blogspot.com

It sounds like the ads didn't originate from KATU or KOMO's websites but rather were inserted on the end user's computers due to some sort of spyware. I haven't heard of this before but I guess the malicious hackers are getting more creative in how they deliver their material.

Mark me down in the "not a fan" column. I'm really disappointed they dropped "The Spirit of the Northwest" as their tagline. How long has KATU had at least "Spirit" by their name?

The graphics are too busy for my taste. I've never understood the Vegas lower-third technique. We're supposed to watch video, right? Its easier without fly-in 2s to cope with.

It was interesting to watch the morning show this AM and hear talent express slight trepidation about their "makeover". There were a lot of miscues in the show... At one point talking about a crime victim (in the opening tease of course) over a freeze frame of Al Gore. Carl recovered and cleverly said that Gore was the victim of the Nobel Prize.

It was even better to see the look on Rhonda's face when Carl, sarcastically, said that she looked good in red. Lol...

Overall it looked like an attempt to fox-ify by those who don't really know how.

Dissappointed. They could have jazzed up their old look without going as far as they did. I find it pretty hard to watch.

I see that KATU has inherited the problem KGW has occasionally with burned-out light bulbs on the anchor desk. Specifically one just above the new 2 logo on the front of the anchor desk. It doesn't take long to change a burned-out bulb, especially when adapting a new logo that you want people to notice.

And some reporters last night had microphones with the new logo, but many still were using ones with the old logo.

Overall though, I like the new graphics.

Have their been studies done to show that graphics can really change viewership? I mean, if I'm a longtime KGW watcher, is a red flag on KATU's logo really going to make me switch? Shouldn't a station simultaneously launch a "new look, new focus (new team, newer smarter news..something along those lines)" campaign to go with it? Otherwise, it's just a new graphic which, to me, won't make a big difference in my viewing habits.

Just saw it for the first time tonight and it's a nice update.

Too bad they couldn't come up with fresher branding than the tired, old "On Your Side." Regardless of the market, it seems like stations that use the "On Your Side" branding are always stations that are nowhere near 1st place.

I still like "live, local and late breaking", a golden oldie!

Does anyone know the production company of Katu's new sound scheme sorta thing?

I'm hoping to hear some reasonings for the change in graphic presentation and dropping the "Spirit of the Northwest." I always thought "spirit" was kinda cheezy (reminded me of that cheer we've got spirit, yeah we, do we got spirit, how bout' you?)
Any research to show that these changes impact ratings?

I can't believe with everything else going on they led with a new red light camera.

I think all 3 stations lead with something different. KOIN was live in front of city hall and KGW was live in front of the Justice Center. I guess that's what happens when there are slow news days. I guess they could have led with TOPOFF4 coverage, but because of logistical limitations, there really isn't anything to cover on that until Tuesday morning.

look no further than the producer and management. KATU has an interesting mix of very good, and very bad producers. Pratt is too weak-kneed to make the necessary changes.

I think the fake emergency preparedness drill is getting overplayed. Though it is important to make people aware of what is going on, the dramatics are being played up too much

As for where TV stations are located I'm pretty sure KATU is located in the West hills alongside KGW where they enjoy a great view of Mount Hood.

FOX12 and KOIN are located on the east side of the Willamette with a great view of downtown Portland and Waterfront park.

Am I wrong?

when is a new red light camera ever a lead in this size market?

So no one knows who made the sound scheme? Myhousemf said Cinemagic... but I think that was regarding who made the graphics package. Hrmmm... I wish I knew.

What's been going on with Score Productions' website? It has been literally MONTHS and MONTHS since they took it down for construction. But it hasn't gone up again. In fact, I think it's getting close to a year that it has been down.

That makes Deborah Knapp look even better lately? This isn't a snark about anything. I think she's the best anchor in Portland since Carol Jensen - and I'm not just talking about looks.

Deb's glowing because she's pregnant and happier than ever!

Could there be a blander local show than AM Northwest? Uninspired, tired, milk toast hosts, any author on a book tour passing through is thrown on the air, live uplink segments with the "stars" that look like they were mailed in. Could someone mercifully pull the plug on this relic of a show that needs to be put out of its misery? Clearly, 9-10AM on KATU is naptime for older boomers too ill to reach for the remote. Any sitcom would be an improvement.

Is it me or does KATU's new graphics look like they were designed by K-Marts marketing team?

I have read a lot of studies that boggled the mind as to why they were done in the first place; however, your news article stating that the health costs of smokers and obese people were less than healthy, thin folks beats them all. Should we all, then, smoke and get fat to bring the costs down. Of course healthy people live longer. Perhaps a law should be passed that limits the number of years we can live to help save money.

What a bogus study. I wonder who funded it.