Oregon Media Insiders

They're not number one in the all important demos. And their two late night newscasts get killed by KPTV every single night. Not sure they can really claim to be a strong number one in the mornings, since they and KPTV go back and forth by hundredths of ratings points. Early evening news, absolutely they're number one. The rest? Not so sure. But, if you listen to their promos you'd think they were dominating the world.

I haven't seen the demos lately.. Where does KGW lose? KGW can claim to be number one because they compete and usually win in many time periods. Other stations can claim a victory here or there.. but they don't win consistently across the board like KGW does.

In the time periods when all four stations compete, here are the 25-54 demo rankings for each station (from February '08):

Morning news time period...
1) KPTV
2) KGW
3) KATU
4) KOIN

Late news time period...
1) KPTV (10pm)
2) KGW (11pm)
3) KATU (11pm)
4) KOIN (11pm)
5) KPTV (11pm)
6) KGW/KRCW (10pm)

KPTV can charge (and receive) the most money in early morning and late night news time periods given these demo results.

KGW still charges (and receives) more per spot in the 5-7AM hours where both stations go head to head. Demos mean alot but it also pays to be the dominant news station in town.

I guess the party ISN'T over in Beaverton afterall.

What was the ranking for the early newses?

The true answer to why KGW is number one has to do with their owners, BELO. They care about the product that they produce. They're truly interested in serving the public interest and they're able to attract the best and most talented staff on all levels. That includes management as well. And it starts at the top, with a dedicated General Manager leading the charge.

10 years ago I recall watching local television because it was interesting, back when broadcasters served the local interest, because the public, once upon-a-time, owned the airwaves. Someone once mentioned to me, "...If broadcasters really wanted to serve the public interest, there wouldn't be commercials...". But that would be silly, wouldn't it.

Having the largest staff, the highest paid reporters and anchors and the most expensive set never does make the news more interesting, just a bit distracting and a little more aristocratic.

The pubic has not owned the airwaves since the FCC was invented.
Having the largest staff and highest paid staff comes from years of being known as the station that not only covers the news better than anyone else and can be relied on to be there when you need them, but also having the public image as the station that cares about the community.
Belo (KGW) works hard at maintaining that image. The current drive for the Oregon Food bank, the Christmas toy drive, little things like shredding days. They all reinforce the public image as the station that cares.
When viewers think of KGW they think of quality and tune in. When they tune in, their reporters and anchors and the rest of the staff give them a quality product that is unmatched in the Portland market.
If one finds that product distracting, feel free to look elsewhere and try to find something better.
Good luck.

You're romanticizing the past, Joe. It was crap 10 years ago, and 10 years before that. It was never, ever good. It was more fun, say, 30 years ago. Budgets were huge, the founders were still running the stations, and people did a lot of coke on the job. But the product was still crap.

GDO 6am Adults 25-54: 3.4/36
KGW 6PM Adults 25-54: 3.2/11

Wow.

I know I'm romanticizing, more appropriate I should be, as we all, holding the media to, that tired cliche, of a higher standard. Which is really all I meant to do. The media is an important factor in the checks-and-balances that make this nation work. The journalistic integrity should be held in high standard for a first-responder.

Here's the crux of it... This is a most unique time for Television. Stations are losing viewers left and right to the "new media", whatever that is. Most stations are only hanging on by their reputation alone. The future of the media outlets here in Portland, as is across the nation, are depending more and more on the younger generation, which I fall into. Now factor in Tivo that has the ability to skip over commercial content and all the various other "news" outlets available and revenue stations have a problem. I don't think I'm alone when I say, that I really don't watch local news, and with more and more saying that I don't think a station can survive on a "first responder; breaking news" kind of revenue.