WSJS signs on with Dave Ramsey

Just heard a spot on the Curtis Media-owned 600/1200 WSJS radio that the station plans to air the syndicated Dave Ramsey show beginning next week in the mornings before Rush Limbaugh. This will push aside J.R. Snider's "Triad Live & Local."

While I like Ramsey, the ongoing favoring of syndicated programming over local talk is starting to irk me as well. You?

E.C. :)

CBS-2 Looking for a News Director

Okay, calling all you news directors out there...CBS-2 WFMY is looking for a news director. Just got this in my CareerBuilder inbox...and it is significant:

WFMY-TV is searching for a motivated and versatile leader for our news team in developing multi-platform efforts. Our multi-media News Director will understand and boldly advance WFMY’s brand, multi-platform news content, storytelling and innovation. A vision of the online and digital future is especially important. This position requires an individual with solid journalistic judgment, and a news philosophy that emphasizes quality and unique content. Our people are our most important asset and the News Director must be a true leader with a keen eye for talent, strong motivation, coaching and development skills, and the ability to maintain a positive culture where creativity thrives.

· Strategically lead and manage WFMY’s Information Center

· Clearly and consistently communicating an aggressive, focused vision for our product

· Building and growing an energetic, skill-rich, focused and innovative team

· Developing relationships with third parties to plan and implement successful content sharing partnerships

· Planning, prioritizing and maximizing the available financial resources

Requirements

· Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism with 3-5 years of management experience in a related field

· Demonstrated innovative leadership, communication, and staff development skills

· Solid journalistic judgment and a news philosophy that emphasizes quality and unique content

· Strong ethical standards and integrity are a must

*****************************

E.C. :)

Segmented media...is it still relevant?

The Piedmont Triad continues to have an unusually segmented media market.

The Winston-Salem Journal will not report on anything east of the Forsyth County line, the News & Record will only use wire stories for things that happen in Winston-Salem, CBS-2 WFMY continues to have a Greensboro focus while NBC-12 WXII continues to have a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County slant, 600/1200 WSJS radio has a Western Piedmont focus...you get the idea.

Does segmented media still have relevance?

In my opinion, I would say no...for you have some that want a much larger picture of what's going on in the greater Triad market (for this niche, outlets such as News 14 Carolina, FOX-8, and FM Talk 101.1 WZTK have been instrumental in covering the entire area).

Thoughts?

E.C. :)

Media General consolidates printing units

The Business Journal reports that Winston-Salem Journal parent Media General will consolidate its production and distribution services effective Feb. 1.

The brand-new Operations and Distribution Solutions Group will print and distribute Media General's 24 daily newspapers, including the Winston-Salem Journal, as well as more than 275 weekly papers and niche publications, the article says.

E.C. :)

Brad Krantz now a fan of TMW, wants more radio discussions

FM Talk 101.1 WZTK's Brad Krantz sent in this very kind letter, as he is now a fan of Triad Media Watch...and wants more discussion about local radio:

Hi Erik...

Brad Krantz here... having been on the air here and living in Greensboro for 22 years, the shocking lack of attention by the print media to radio in this market is worse than anywhere I've ever worked... Charlotte, New York, Washington, Des Moines, Columbus. Any articles about radio in the N&R are (95%) of the time about SATELLITE radio, which reaches a tiny percentage of the listening universe, comparatively speaking. If you didn't know better, you'd think everyone suddenly stopped listening to AM/FM about 7 years ago. Nothing could be further from the truth, as (terrestrial) radio reaches 72% off ALL consumers every day, which still makes it the number one overall medium by reach. Many more people listen to any of the top 20 stations in our market than any of the tiny publications you list. Many more people get their politics and their political ideas from radio stations like ours and WSJS than from even the daily metro dailies. While you had the Clear Channel layoff story, it was a really big deal media story both locally and nationally, especially since CC management was cynical enough to announce all the firings on Inauguration Day, thinking the story might be buried that way.

I noticed you didn't list any radio stations as links among your "local media." Should you decide to change that, our website is www.fmtalk1011.com ....

Good luck with the blog!

Brad Krantz
6-10am
WZTK

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Brad:

Thanks for your comprehensive letter...We listen [to 101.1] religiously....

...My blog is still rather new, but I'm continuing to add links as I can, so no; I haven't forgotten radio.

If anything, I put out a post recently--inviting those who love and appreciate local radio to pass on their scoops. Outside of the good folks there at 101.1 and Scott Griffith at 'SJS, I don't really have many scoops and connections to local radio (I'm looking for as many as I can)...but I wholeheartedly agree that local terrestrial radio continues to play a vital role in this area. If anything, I would love to see more of a role local radio has here.

Thanks again for the note, as I'm heartfelt to see Triad Media Watch grow so quickly in the local blogosphere...and beyond. Many of the comments recently have stated that attention to local media has long been overdue in this area. Its continual success will depend on you, so spread the word (and the occasional on-air mention won't hurt, either)!

All the best,

Erik "E.C." Huey
Editor
Triad Media Watch

***********

E.C. :)

News & Record on life support

via Ed Cone...apparently, a memo was circulated among News & Record employees from publisher Robin Saul...the situation down on E. Market Street is now dire.

Even though we anticipated these tough times and budgeted for these poor market conditions, the actual performance of our revenues has been worse than expected...

...Beginning in February the News & Record, and all Landmark Publishing newspapers, will require all full-time and part-time employees with benefits to be scheduled for five (5) unpaid days off during the year. At the News & Record these days will be scheduled one day per month through the end of June 2009. The first day will be President's Day, Monday, February 16, with the remaining four days to be announced shortly. Vacation days cannot be used for these days since our intent is to reduce payroll expense.

To minimize inconveniences and confusion for our customers and employees, the News & Record will notify the public we are "closed for business" on these five designated days. We will publish a newspaper and online products on all of these days; therefore, those employees required to work (and those employees regularly scheduled to be off on that day) will have their unpaid day scheduled for a different time during that same payroll period.

We have also decided to enact a wage freeze for the rest of this year, effective immediately. Employees who are promoted or who take on significantly larger responsibilities in a restructuring may be considered for more pay, since we need to work more efficiently in a leaner organizational structure.

*****************************

E.C. :)

Lots and lots and lots of PSAs on 'SJS

Is it me, or have you noticed too...that there are an awful lot of PSAs that run on WSJS (600/1200AM). One would expect many PSAs to run at night or on the weekends, but I hear a lot of them during the weekdays.

Could this be that local ad revenues are down, and local spots are on the decline, prompting the increased airing of PSAs?

No offense, but when once can start humming the theme of some PSAs, you know it has been aired way too much.

E.C. :)

Triad tops in nationwide inaugural viewers

Someone told John Robinson at the News & Record that the reason the Triad TV market was tops in inauguration viewing was because there are a lot of people out of work here...
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N&R:

What were you doing when President Obama was sworn in? Probably watching on TV.

The Piedmont Triad TV market, which includes Greensboro, Winston-Salem and 15 counties, produced the nation's fifth-highest percentage of viewers Tuesday. Nielsen Media Research estimates that 42.3 percent of households in the market watched.

Nielsen tracked ratings on 16 broadcast and cable networks from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus two additional networks from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ratings are for households only and don't reflect viewership in offices or public places.

The Raleigh-Durham market led the nation at 51.2 percent. The Washington market ranked No. 2 at 47.7 percent, meaning not everybody in D.C. was on the National Mall.

About 30 percent of homes nationally tuned in.

*************************

E.C. :)

Journalism died in 2008-nationally and locally

From this week's White Noise column over at YES! Weekly:

Our industry in crisis

Sorry for the delay, but I only just recently remembered to check the annual tally on the Papercuts blog, which keeps a running total of all journalism jobs lost in the US. It seems 2008 was a banner year for the site: At least 15,554 journalism jobs were lost last year. The 2007 total was 2,185 . Final numbers for North Carolina are not in just yet — we’re still waiting for totals of layoffs announced last year from the Winston-Salem Journal and the News & Record, for example. But the two biggest fish in the pond, the Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer, accounted for most of them: almost 450 job cuts between them. The 2009 ticker at Papercuts is well underway, with 327 journalism jobs lost this year as of press time.
*************************
E.C. :)

Premature speculation about Goren

GreensboroSports.com this morning reports that in fact a deal is not completely in the works for former WXII sports director Dave Goren and Wake Forest University, as was previously reported. But their site thinks he may be a good fit for CBS-2 (WFMY) or the growing-News 14 Carolina.

We'll be following it...

E.C. :)

Dave Goren joins WFU

The one thing about sports anchors: they're recession-proof.

This from GreensboroSports.com...former NBC-12 (WXII) sports director Dave Goren has landed an opportunity at Wake Forest University, where he will take on some Demon Deacon broadcast duties.

Good for him, we wish him well.

E.C. :)

An eerie quiet at the Enterprise

I recently sent an e-mail to High Point Enterprise editor Tom Blount about the paper's unfilled education beat (recently made vacant by former long-time reporter Katisha Hayes, who left to pursue a Master's degree).

So far, no response (even though I was actually interested in going back to work for the ole' HPE, having worked there back in 2000-2001).

It leads to wonder what's going on at the Enterprise these days, with its corporate parent Paxton Media Group ripping the Durham Herald-Sun into shreds not long ago. The HPE endured some layoffs sometime last year, according to widely-published local news accounts. It leads me to suspect the pub will leave non-essential beats unfilled (even though I wouldn't consider education a non-essential beat).


E.C. :)

Clear Channel to cut staff

The Business Journal reports that radio conglomerate Clear Channel will axe about 7% of its work force, or about 1,500 jobs nationwide, in an effort to cut costs. Word out on the street is that ad revenues are down...way down.

Locally, Clear Channel owns WCBT-FM (94.5), WMAG-FM (99.5), WMKS-FM (105.7), WTQR-FM (104), WVBZ-FM (100.3). It is uncertain as to how the cuts will affect these Triad-area stations.

E.C. :)

Robinson celebrates 10, debuts Washington Watch

News & Record editor John Robinson celebrates 10 years at the helm of Gate City's daily, this while the pub unveils a new Washington Watch column.

Robinson:

Yesterday was my 10th anniversary as editor of the News & Record. (I'd have posted this yesterday but I was busy celebrating.)

The N&R's Washington Watch, a new Tuesday feature, will, according to Raleigh correspondent Mark Binker:

...keep tabs on our federal legislators and news from Washington that affects the Triad. If you have suggestions or questions, drop staff writer Mark Binker an e-mail.

It's nothing new to have a Washington column, or even a Washington-based correspondent, and in these tough economic times, the N&R is unlikely to get a Washington correspondent. But I'm interested to see how this develops over time. I wish them luck.

E.C. :)

YES! Weekly plugs TMW

Thanks to Brian Clarey from YES! Weekly for a nice plug for Triad Media Watch. And yes...I will become a regular reader of your column now :)

Watching the watchers

Guilford County activist, sometime politician, substitute teacher and former journalist Eric EC Huey has started a blog called Triad Media Watch (triadmediawatch.blogspot.com) after reading a copy of the Sunday, Jan. 4 edition of the Greensboro News & Record. “TMW will be a regular examination of all things related to local media, print, TV and radio. This area lacks a regular “media columnist” so a lot of people, especially in Guilford County’s active blogging community have a lot to say about the direction of local media.” Um… ahem. Besides a few critiques on Greensboro’s Daily Paper, Huey, who has worked for the High Point Enterprise and the Las Vegas Review- Journal, takes a few shots at local TV news. Huey also writes the Guilford School Watch blog and GreensboroMetro blog, and ran unsuccessfully for Guilford County School Board last year. — BC

********************************

E.C. :)

CBS-2 parent announces furloughs

Arlington-Va.-based Gannett Inc., publishers of the USA Today and CBS-2 WFMY's parent company, announced yesterday it is asking its 35,000 U.S. employees to take a week off with pay sometime in the first quarter. The furloughs are spread out across all divisions from the print side to the broadcast side. Almost certainly, Channel 2 will be affected.

The ironic part is that WFMY is hiring. Will a hiring freeze now go into effect at the big-2?

E.C. :)

TMW needs YOUR help

Judging by the comments in these first few days of Triad Media Watch, this site may have struck a chord with at least one or two of you. But the eventual and overall success of this site will depend on you.

That's why I'm enlisting your help. Become a deputy reporter/local scooper of Triad Media Watch. I'm asking those of you who follow local TV and radio (and their respective personalities), along with the local smaller dailies/weeklies around our area to send in your scoops and tips (triadmediawatch@gmail.com is the official site e-mail address).

It's going to take some time for this site to become successful, but it is starting to take off, and I appreciate your humbled support. And please spread the word; tell 10 of your friends.

E.C. :)

Robinson defends recession reporting

Only days ago, I questioned whether our local media outlets were accurately covering the Triad's recession. Now, News & Record editor John Robinson defends that reporting in a blog entry today.

Here's an excerpt:

...when layoffs mount -- and the news business is only one of many industries facing rising unemployment -- foreclosures climb and bankruptcies go through the roof, we write about it and it seems negative. People read it, begin to worry and stop spending. But there's no way to put lipstick on that pig, to coin a phrase. It's news.

Still, we do look for stories that fuel and inspire the human spirit and, in most news publications, you can find them all over the place. During these times, though, they don't have quite the same impact.

****************************
Thoughts?

E.C. :)

Dave Goren thanks his fans

A pleasant surprise opening up this morning's News & Record...a letter from former NBC-12 WXII sports anchor Dave Goren, who was let go last month after his contract was not renewed (see previous coverage here).

Here's Dave...in his own words:

Last month, WXII (Channel 12) elected not to renew my contract. So, after 20 years with the station, I will no longer be able to continue my on-air relationship with Triad viewers.

In those 20 years, I have come to think of those viewers as friends, and I would like to thank them for all of their support, encouragement and friendship.

Since news of my situation was reported, I have been overwhelmed with kindness from people I’ve worked with over the years, people whose stories I’ve covered, and people who were complete strangers. But I have come to find out that those people were never really strangers at all.

When you do your job in a public setting, people feel they know you. And I am the one who is so much better off for having known them.

So, thanks to all of you!

Dave Goren
Winston-Salem

**************************

All the best, Dave.

E.C. :)

A gentle, subtle plug for the Telegram

(via GSO Telegram)

I ran into this publication by accident, I'm afraid to admit. But I like what I see, and since we are of the alternative media, we have to help each other.

So I'm plugging the Greensboro Telegram.

The GT was mentioned in a short blurb this past October in the YES! Weekly. Here's what it said:

Online publication launches in Greensboro

Randall Gregg, publisher of several print and online newspapers, announced the launch of his latest online publication, the Greensboro Telegram, on Monday. Two years ago, Gregg started the Raleigh Telegram, an online newspaper which currently receives 70,000 hits a month. “I think traffic will be a bit less on the Greensboro site,” Gregg conceded. “It’s a small-town paper in a big city.” Gregg said the Greensboro Telegram will focus on the small stories, like the dedication of a historical Edward R. Murrow marker, which was held in Greensboro last week. Gregg said the website would feature photo galleries and streaming video as well. “We try to not just get the story, but show it to our readers, too. We want it to be fun; we want people to enjoy it.” Gregg added the Telegram will be non-partisan in its political coverage. Check it out at www.greensborotelegram.com.

All the best for success in the 'boro.

E.C. :)

Staffs merge at Rockingham County papers

Rockingham County's own Jeffrey Sykes reports in his blog today that the staffs of the Eden Daily News and the Madison Messenger are merging with the Reidsville Review (see this scoop from GoDanRiver.com).

All three pubs are owned by the Richmond, Va.-owned Media General conglomerate.

Yet, another example of journalism dying a slow death in the Piedmont Triad.

E.C. :)

Irresponsible

It's one thing to rerun wire copy as is. It's another thing to rerun it when THERE ARE MISTAKES IN THAT STORY.

Case in point...the News & Record just posted a story from the Charlotte Observer (via the AP) to its online site about a "go-around" at Charlotte-Douglas Intl. Airport yesterday. The airline involved was "America West."

Trouble is...that airline NO LONGER EXISTS!

(I should know...I work for this company)

Someone tell John Robinson it's US Airways now. But the comments that poor old Charlotte Observer reporter is receiving are ruthless.

An example:

Sensational journalism at it's best. Is it any wonder that the Observer has become so irrelevant with such reporting as Mr. Perlmutt displayed? Let's look at a couple of irresponsible pieces from this article, that earned a front page, bold letter headline. -Fact check - "America West flight 1525... America West is a part of US Airways." As mentioned in a previous posting, the individual operating certificates of AWA and US are no more. It is now only US. You might be able to find an old AWA employees still wearing an AWA uniform, but that's it. Don't rely on outdated flight tracker websites that may still show old AWA info. - From your own source, Kathleen Bergen, an FAA spokeswoman in Atlanta, "These ‘go-around' procedures are not uncommon", "At Charlotte/Douglas, you probably have one or two ‘go-arounds' a day", "It's a safety procedure", "There was no danger".
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Could this wire copy not have been checked...and edited first?

E.C. :)

JR defends the N&R

News & Record editor John Robinson yesterday defended the newspaper in his weekly Sunday column as a paper "coping in tough times."

Right.

Here's an excerpt:

Our commitment, in all places, is to be accurate, fair and independent. We owe that to you to help you navigate this crazy world.

Is it your commitment? Because everything I read, with respect to the scandals down at City Hall, suggest otherwise.

I particularly like Joe Stafford's comment:

One of the areas of highest interest to our community is education. Proforma coverage of the meetings is about all we get. No follow up to Mo's arrival. No questioning whether if we call Mo Mo, does that mean that kids can call their teachers by their first name. No stories on the lack of materials in textbooks in the classroom. No stories on the fact that many systems are doing much better than ours with less money. No announcements on how many of our children are going to challenging colleges. Our School Board does some things right and some things wrong. When is the last time you saw an article critical of anything the School Board has done or not done.
******************************
E.C. :)

Is our local media accurately covering the recession?

One question...do you think our local media, from print to broadcast, is accurately portraying the real issues surrounding the recession here in the Triad? I'm not so sure they are.

For instance, today's News & Record reports that the area as a whole is weathering the storm quite well, according to UNCG local economist Don Jud. Is it really?

I wrote on my sister blog GreensboroMetro the other day that our area cannot sustain an economy on $9/hour service jobs while continuing an attempt to be relevant.

So when I see articles like this, I have to step back and scratch my head and wonder...do they really get it?

E.C. :)

Some thoughts about 'XII

Last month, we witnessed a departure that was way too early.

Long-time WXII-12 veteran sports journalist Dave Goren was shown the door last month as his contract was not renewed. And while I'm not the biggest sports nut in the world, you have to admit Goren was a nightly fixture, who knew sports, locally and nationally. His departure was way too soon, and coupled with other changes going on at our NBC affiliate, I'm not so sure if NBC-12 is heading in the right direction with its news product.

And while we certainly wish him well, you also have to admit why they can let Goren go, yet keep morning traffic ditz Jennie Stencil on board?

E.C. :)

Departures at CBS-2

Just reported that Rosemary Plybon is coming back to CBS-2 WFMY...at the same time, two others are leaving.

Weekend sports anchor Jamie Baldwin said goodbye along with meterologist Robb Ellis. It is uncertain where both of them are headed.

E.C. :)

Rosemary's Back at CBS-2

CBS-2 Morning anchor Rosemary Plybon is heading back to the anchor's chair from maternity leave. Her first day back will be next Tuesday morning, according to her station blog.

Frank Mickens, who's filled in for Plybon, will vacate her seat this coming Monday. He'll remain in the anchor chair for the noon news, he reports on his blog.

E.C. :)

How can the N&R be saved?

Judging by the first couple of comments from you, it seems as though a site such as Triad Media Watch is long overdue. Thanks for the thumbs up!

Now I don't want this site to be a gang-up on the News & Record, because frankly, every media outlet in this area could use a little shake-up (and every media outlet will be examined here on TMW). But the N&R seems to be in the focus lately.

In the last post, some of this paper's issues were laid out. And if you know me, I like to balance the bad with the good.

So how can the N&R be saved? Let's hear your ideas.

Aside from a new parent company, publisher and editor in chief, I think the N&R can benefit with a local on-air media tie-in, similar to the on-air relationship with FOX-8 and the Winston-Salem Journal (and the Journal has its own set of issues also). I thought a natural relationship could exist with CBS-2 WFMY and the News & Record. It may not be too late to set up a marriage and return some credibility with this paper.

I would like to see more localism return to the paper; less reliance on wire copy, more reliance on reporters, in the field, getting the story; local stories...umm, this would require hiring staff. There are a lot of out-of-work, veteran journalists in this area just chomping-at-the-bit, ready to begin working again.

I would like to see less puff pieces (too much of that in this past Sunday's paper), more hard news. With the litany of problems this city is having, our paper should be covering all angles and all sides of these stories...they're not. And why is the Rhino Times continually scooping the N&R on hard news in this town?

This starts the list...now it's your turn. Let's get a conversation going about it.

E.C. :)

Help Wanted: N&R needs a new parent company

The chatter among the Greensboro bloggers is that it is probably time for Greensboro News & Record editor John Robinson to go.

Among the ongoing fallout of the David Wray/police blackbook/city manager-corruption/wiretap/insert-your-city hall-scandal-here, many are charging Robinson for failure to accurately and fairly report what has been going on inside City Hall and our City Council.

And yet Mr. Robinson touts changes being made and buy-outs among its last remaining veteran journalists.

Honestly, the only changes I'm seeing is that the paper is getting worse. It's almost unreadable now.

Many of you who've known me for a while know that I wrote for Robinson's local competitor, the High Point Enterprise, almost 10 years ago. I've applied many times for reporting gigs at the N&R, to no avail.

And now, I blog. And I substitute teach.

Journalism is dead in the Piedmont Triad.

And you know what? The smartest thing the N&R could do is to sell the pub and keep on moving. Landmark Communications, N&R's Norfolk, Va.-based parent company, sold The Weather Channel. Since then, TWC has been exploited on every angle by NBC-Universal. It was a good sale. I contend that it is possible that Landmark could be building up its Virginian-Pilot and Roanoke papers, and probably would not mind dumping the N&R to any joe that has a buck-and-a-half in its pocket...likely, the buck-and-a-half that I wasted on yesterday's pathetic excuse for a Sunday paper.

Community journalism is broken out into menial break-out sections when it should be part of the main pub. Blinders are put up when anything happens west of the Guilford/Forsyth County Line in favor of wire copy. I miss the stand-alone business section. The local job section is only four pages now...the N&R really needs improvement, and fast.

E.C. :)

A waste of $1.50 spurns Triad Media Watch

This past Sunday was the first time in a long time that I bought a Sunday News & Record. Unfortunately, it was a $1.50 I could've kept. This past Sunday's paper was probably the worst one I've seen in memory. In the metro section was very very little local copy. A lot of state wire copy. Stories that could've been in the Life section. Stories that could've been part of the "A" section.

It was that disappointing section that I decided to march ahead with an idea that I have had for a while now to begin putting together Triad Media Watch.

From the one that brings you "Guilford School Watch," TMW will be a regular examination of all things related to local media, print, TV and radio. This area lacks a regular "media columnist" so a lot of people, especially in Guilford County's active blogging community have a lot to say about the direction of local media. I hope to provide that outlet here on TMW.

So welcome, I'm glad you're here. Let me know what you would like to see and see more of. Please comment regularly and participate. And don't hold back.

Welcome to Triad Media Watch.

E.C. :)