Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 6, 1993 TAG: 9403090020
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MELANIE S. HATTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But WDBJ (Channel 7) says the show was snatched away before the station had a chance to bid on it.
WDBJ's contract expired in August, but the negotiations for the program were handled nearly two years ago. Kingworld - the distribution company that owns "Oprah" - approached WSET, Dwiggins said.
WSET made a bid and won. Dwiggins said he thought WDBJ had put out a bid too. But Jim Shaver, vice president of news and programming at Channel 7, said Kingworld came to him saying there was a bid already on the table and that his station would lose the show if it didn't come up with a higher sum.
Shaver said he was surprised at Kingworld. "We took a huge gamble with her [Oprah] years ago," he said. "But this is a money business."
Shaver said the amount WSET paid for "Oprah" was 50 percent higher than what WDBJ was paying.
"The offer we made is clearly in line with the price of programming," Dwiggins said. "That's the only thing we have to offer our viewers, and programming is expensive."
Neither Shaver nor Dwiggins would mention figures.
So WDBJ is airing "Maury Povich" at 4 p.m., instead of "Oprah." And WSET has moved "Donahue" to 4 p.m. to make room for the talk show queen.
Now WDBJ is considering their options at 5 p.m.
"There are plans for several different programming, but we're not at a point to say" what those changes will be, Shaver said. A newscast at 5 p.m. is under discussion.
What draws people to Channel 7 is the newscast, Shaver said. But, "it takes lots of money to do news because we have a certain standard." And it would take more equipment and people. Nothing can be decided until a new budget is approved at the end of the month, he said.
If WDBJ does go ahead with a newscast at 5 p.m. that will affect WSLS's "First News at Five."
"It's competition. If there's room for three newscasts at 6, there's room for two at 5," says James DeSchepper, general manager at Channel 10. His early newscast has already established an audience, and DeSchepper hopes to keep the news audience at that time.
Beginning Sept. 13 is syndicated episodes of "Cops" at 5:30 p.m., "which has a strong male appeal," he said, and should provide counter-programming for "Oprah."
DeSchepper believes "Oprah" will "achieve some of what [Channel] 13 hopes, and that is to get a larger audience leading into their newscast. The program won't be as strong at 5 on 13 as it was at 4 p.m. on [Channel] 7 because of the audience."
Mostly women watch "Oprah" and they have more time at 4 o'clock, he said. At 5 p.m., women are busier with children and preparing dinner. Plus more children and men are watching television by that hour, he said.
by CNB