Oregon Media Insiders

It looked a lot like their 10PM newscast - crime, crime, crime, weather, crime, crime, crime. I'm not sure how that type of newscast will play so early in the day. I found it interesting that they pulled Kim from GDO 5-7AM during last few days of book. Either this 4PM show means a lot to KPTV or they've raised the white flag and surrendered to KGW. I guess KPTV couldn't have caught up anyway with only a few days left.

needed to win mornings, to make up for their smack down in late night news. What's going on over there? The late night numbers have got to be getting them down. Or do they only choose to focus on their slight wins?

A smack down in late night news??? Last time I looked KGW beat 2, 6 and 12 at 11:00, the only time all four stations go head to head. How anyone can compare 10:00 numbers to 11:00 numbers is way beyond me. Obviously people tend to go to bed around those hours, HUTs tend to go down. Comparing those numbers is ignorant. Its like comparing KPTV's 5 am numbers to KGW's 6 am. Not even close right. Head to head, KGW wins again.

You're saying the Party is over because KPTV lost 2 tenths of a point?

OK.. just trying to be clear.

I can see through your crap, but I just hope others can too. I have to admit it's good to see KGW crowing about the morning numbers again. Just one question.. where have you been the last year?

That is your ONLY job. Don't screw-up what others before you have built at KPTV. We were on a roll when you took over. What are you doing?

"We were on a roll when you took over..."

Obviously this person works in Beaverton at the station. I think it's pathetic you say it like that on this public website. Why don't you just go into his office and say it to his face? And if you think you can do better then speak up.

I also find it odd that Patrick's and other ND/managements memos are frequently sent out of the office and published on here. Where gossip is gossip that's ok, but I would be upset if every time I wrote a memo to my colleagues it was made so public.

Memos are leaked all the time. It's called "news." If you look at a newspaper you'll often see emails, memos, documents, etc published that were not intended for a wider audience. I'm not saying that the memos I publish here are the equivalent of the Pentagon Papers, but--well, I guess I am. They are, in a much, much, much less important way.

I've only heard from one ND on this issue, who was, ironically, Patrick himself. We were face to face, in fact, and he sorta shrugged and went "that's showbiz." Paraphrasing, of course. Indirectly, I've heard that Rod over at KGW just expects that stuff will show up here eventually. And of course I've heard from KOIN's lawyers from time to time, though that was a while and an ND ago.

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Lynn Siprelle * Fairy Blogmother

What does a 4.7 vs 4.2 rating/book mean in real numbers? Ie. number of viewers, percent of market share? Something? I just want to be able to equate it to some sort of tangible result. Cause it seems to me, in this context, .5 rating difference isn't that great of a 'smack down'. It just looks like a statistical lead. What's the greater meaning? I'm not trying to be cross, just trying to equate it with something?

KGW won 5-6 with a 2.3 in Feb 07, and won it again with a 2.3 in 08, despite staying flat.
KPTV had a 2.0 5-6 in 07, and a 1.9 in 08. a-.1 difference
KGW 6-7 went from a 4.3 in 07 to a 4.7 in 07. a .4 gain
KPTV went from a 4.5 from 6-7 to a 4.2. -.3 difference
KPTV was up .3 from 7-9 despite gains by the Today Show.
I'm not including the 4:30s because KGW didn't have one last year, but it has apparently helped them.

So, would I like to win every book? Absolutely. Is this is a "smack down?" Absolutely not. But congratulations to KGW. When people were having kittens about our victory party last May, I said we'd be big enough to tip our hats to 8 when they won. You won, we lost and the party is far from over. And no, I'm not Patrick. See you in May.

Is KPTV trending down or was February just a fluke?
There are a lot of questions. Is the Drew Carney factor finally kicking in for KGW? Will removing Kim from 5-7AM hurt KPTV or will Julie provide a new spark to the anchor team and actually improve ratings? Will KPTV give viewers more vegan strip clubs or will Joe V. be kept on a shorter leash? May will be the last book before KGW moves downtown. Will another station try to match this ambitious effort or wait and see if a PSC studio makes any difference? So many things to ponder and just 2 months until we all battle it out again. See you in May!

I can't imagine posting here about a newscast I've never seen, in a market where I don't live but since you feel comfortable doing that -- let me offer some background on what's happening in Portland. I'm not the original poster but I don't want he/she to look "a bit naive"

KPTV has been trending up for several years now. They overtook longtime leader KGW in the morning news race a few years back. It's been back and forth ever since with KPTV winning most times but KGW sneaking in a victory here and there.

This is the first rating book in recent memory where KPTV lost in a clean sweep TO KGW. It's even more interesting that KPTV is down year-to-year at 5AM and 6AM when all the other stations are up as the morning audience continues to grow. KPTV is not down much but it reverses a trend that been going on for several years. I think that's what the original poster was trying to say.

Now -- anonymous 5:43PM.. Where do you live so I can offer some uninformed opinions about your city's news?

I would be surprised if GDO sees a blip in its ratings due to Kim's scaled back duties on the show, and that's not a knock on Kim.

Like any good morning show, GDO is a formula where people can be plugged in and out of roles without much of a hit to the overall show. The formula is more important than any of the discrete parts (with the possible exception of Andy).

No one sits down and watches significant chunks of a morning show anyway. I bet most people have not even noticed that Kim no longer does the early hours - it's just a slightly different female voice they hear as they're eating their Rice Krispies.

I've worked in TV news a long time in several markets and I have to disagree. A good morning newscast relies on chemistry. Take away an important part of the team and you risk upsetting that chemistry. I suspect it will take a while for Julie to fit in completely, if it ever happens. If KPTV slips further in the ratings, it will happen because viewers no longer feel that strong connection to the anchor team. Most viewers can't even tell you why they've switched channels but suddenly they've sampled another station and found it more appealing. I've seen it happen in other places but usually because a popular anchor has moved on to a bigger market. You don't normally see a station risk a successful show by moving a popular anchor to another newscast. I'm guessing KPTV's management is either inexperienced and doesn't understand what it's done or Kim simply refused to keep working the early shift so they did what was required to keep her at KPTV. Just one person's opinion.

This is not a demotion for Kim. Kim wanted off the early morning. She couldn't take getting up at 2am anymore. Can you blame her? It was start her later as she wished, or lose her all together. Sometimes, you make the best of the cards you are dealt.

How can she be expected to head into work without any sleep?

Andy is the franchise along with Tony. They are both locked up with long term contracts. Drew is a really good talent who is frankly too good for weekends. He was brought on weekdays to help Andy prepare the graphics so Andy could come in a little later and go out in the field more. Now unfortunately Drew is heading back to weekends for a while until they replace Sophie who was doing weekend weather mornings who's now doing weekend anchor nights. It's all so confusing. Before you ask, yes they love Pete too.

At some point, I bet he lands with a steady weekday gig even if it's not KPTV. As someone up the string pointed out, he's too good to be doing anything less for much longer.

I totally agree. Drew is an extremely knowledgeable weatherman and a terrific personality so it's such a shame that KPTV can't keep his schedule consistent. He could easily be a chief meteorologist at any other station (and not just in this market).

I'm surprised you noticed Drew since nobody sits down and watches a significant chunk of the morning show anyway. Remember... it's just a formula. Drew can be plugged in or out like anybody else on the anchor desk.

Research clearly shows that most people sit down for long periods of time and watch morning shows rather than get ready for work and get the kids ready for school.

Also, GDO does not follow a formula and taking Kim out of the mix will clearly lead to the show's ratings downfall.

How could I have been so stupid.