WPLG is taking Dr Oz out of the 4pm slot, and replacing the show with a newscast to directly compete with WSVN. On-air promos are already airing telling viewers Local 10 News at 4pm is set to begin airing January 13th.
And Channel 10 will have to work for their ratings. For one, WSVN has aired news at 4pm since September 2006 and seems to do well against Judge Judy even though its lead-ins aren’t A-list. Channel 10 also hasn’t done well historically at 5pm – that’s why a few years ago they replaced that newscast with Dr Phil, and decided to focus more on the 6pm show which always gained viewers and placed at or near the top in the ratings pretty regularly.
But that is not all.
The mandate “be more like 7” from PN bosslady Barr, and having a boss at the helm who cut his teeth at WSVN is bound to cause similarities between the two stations to crop up. And this one will be the most apparent one yet. The new news set.
We’ve always thought WPLG dropped the ball not taking advantage of the huge space where the current is. The one they have now is an off the shelf, pre-made design by FX Group (one of several) for clients who want to save money. And with a big, beautiful new facility it always felt like it was an afterthought. Or more like they ran out of money once the building was done.
SFLTV has learned that set designer FX Design Group is allegedly involved with the project scheduled to début soon-ish. We haven’t been able to pin down exact details, info is kind of all over the place but we’re pretty sure there would be a 2-story open newsroom view behind the anchors. Some tipsters characterized it as being “inspired” and a “copy” of the WSVN newsplex circa year 2000 (What? No neon lights?). While others say it would be closer to the set of Palm Beach ABC affiliate WPBF – created by FX Design Group.
No thank you
Diego, you don’t want to watch 2.5 hours of Laurie Jennings?
Heck no
I would rather watch Paint dry than her with that pound of Makeup on her FACE
Now Kristi
Yes Ill watch her
Please.. Diego stop with the sexist remarks. They all wear makeup. Laurie Jennings IS the highlight of that show. Calvin Hughes is good for one thing.. putting people to sleep. . Watching him IS like watching paint dry. And flat, dull paint to boot. And when he has that fake laugh… huh huh huh huh.. he’s a joke.
Interesting news for sure..
Curious to see this new set as well.
Yay…finally a new set. They do have a lot of studio space but the current set makes it look small. Wonder what will happen with Studio B aka “Putney Studio?”
Any news on who will be anchoring the 4pm block? Will this give Kristi Krueger a permanent home rather than just serving as a fill-in?
And, not that I care, but is PLG keeping Dr. Oz at a different time or is it going to another station?
Doctor Oz is moving to 3pm and Katie at 2:07am. Hopefully Kristi will anchor the 4pm show.
If they use any of those ditzy cheerleaders that they try and pawn off as reporters channel 7 will bury them since they are on at the same time. Let’s hope the new director will place information above entertainment unlike their morning news “joke”.
dude, are you serious. The Channel 7 reporters are all fluff, and no substance. The only thing they do is parade their faces in front of the camera. They’re as believeable as Miley Cyrus would be giving the news. All they got is T & A …
10 is headed in that direction.
Enough with the 4pm newscasts! 6 may be a hot mess, but they caught my attention when they had a 7 pm airing for those of us who have the luxury of working in corporate America…
When is WSVN getting a new set or updates? I am tired of the small screens and dark background. Give us more of WHDH.
It all makes sense to me now! I been noticing all Local Graphics and promos have become flashier and colorful like 7News. Pretty soon it’ll be just a 7News lite. If the strategy work remains to be seen. I’ll have to see the set first.
Gee what an original strategy… Be like 7. No-one’s ever tried that before.
I worked in Miami for years, and no-one can do 7 like 7.
Wish them luck. They’ll need all they can get!
Where did you get your information about the new set? You may want to double-check with your sources…
WPLG set (by Sabca Productions) looked sort of over-the-top and stood out like a sore thumb. Never particularly liked WPLG 2009 set. I hope that new WPLG set could and might be by WrightSet, which recently designed new set for sister station KPRC Houston… unless WPLG is opting for different designer (and I’d be okay with either Devlin Design Group or James Yates Production Design).
Of the other English-language Miami stations… WTVJ set (by Clickspring/Black Walnut) still looks nice. WFOR set (not sure if it’s by Jack Morton PDG or FX Design Group) looks good. I really wouldn’t anticipate WSVN (and sister station WHDH Boston) getting news set makeover anytime soon. Of the Spanish-language stations… We’re seeing Sabca designed sets on WLTV and other Univision O&O’s. I could picture WSCV getting new set, if they didn’t get set makeover in 2012 or 2013.
I’d also be okay with WPLG getting FX Design Group set, if the Miami ABC station doesn’t go the direction of WrightSet, Devlin, or James Yates.
WPLG is trying so hard to be WSVN.
NEWS FLASH: It will NEVER HAPPEN.
Love Laurie Jennings & Trent Eric to death – but not enough to switch over from WSVN.