THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 3, 1994 TAG: 9409050216
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
THEY ARE walking on air these days in the building that looks like a bunker in downtown Norfolk from where which Fox affiliate WTVZ broadcasts on Channel 33. There is a rosy glow around the station's studios and offices at Ninth 9th and Granby.
It is a joyous time for general manager Elise Kennett and her staff because on Sunday, the National Football League sets up shop on Fox at 1 p.m. with two games, including a 4 p.m. humdinger - Dallas vs. Pittsburgh.
Hello, John Madden. Hello, Pat Summerall.
There will be many more games to come on WTVZ including 14 that involve the station manager's personal favorites, the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins on Fox!
The National Football League on Fox!
The very, very competitive National Football Conference of the National Football League on Fox!
Oh, Lord. Has Kennett died and gone to a TV station manager's heaven?
``There has been a great level of excitement from the first day it was announced that the National Football League was coming to Fox,'' she said.
``We have sold professional football with our hearts.''
And sold.
And sold.
And sold.
Having the NFL games on WTVZ has meant additional thousands in revenue for the station, Kennett said. Having a one-hour pre-game show has also given the station the opportunity to sell more air time that's hot, and make more money.
What car dealer wouldn't buy time on a program hosted by everybody's favorite former Super Bowl quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, and featuring the man who coached the last two pro football champions, Jimmy Johnson?
``The National Football League has been like a Christmas present to everyone at the station,'' said Kennett, who at one time was a senior account executive at WTKR selling professional football.
Now it's her baby again.
Let me tell you what landing the NFL has done for WTVZ. It lifted spirits so high that Kennett and her associates are thinking really big now that Fox is a seven-nights-a-week-with-movies-sports-and-kids-programming network.
At Channel 33, they are thinking about and planning for a local nightly newscast at 10 p.m., which is a very good idea in a community that goes to sleep early and rises with the rooster.
It could happen . . . in 1995.
``We want very much to do a local newscast at 10, and to do it right,'' said Kennett. ``I can promise you that our newscast won't look like any of the other local newscasts.''
Fox is the hip network. Fox is the network that thinks you're old at 35. Fox puts on programs with flesh and flash, programs that appeal to viewers with the attention span of a gnat.
Do Fox stations put on local newscasts like that?
You betcha.
I guarantee you won't be seeing any droopy ol' Dr. Duane on Channel 33's local weather. No sleepy-eyed Anchorman Jim, either.
``We have some definite ideas of how to do a newscast,'' said Kennett.
It will sign on Monday through Friday and move quickly to the weekends. By 1996, don't be surprised if your Hampton Roads Fox affiliate is on the air with a full hour of local news at 10. The Fox bosses, all the way to chairman Rupert Murdoch, have been pressuring Kennett ever so gently to start a local newscast.
``Local news is in our future.''
If it is, ``NYPD Blue'' isn't.
Kennett said she considered picking up the critically acclaimed show from ABC because ABC affiliate WVEC refuses to run it here for fear it will offend a Bible thumper or two. It wouldn't be fair to viewers to put ``NYPD Blue'' on, and then yank it once Channel 33's local newscast signed on, she said.
So it's bye-bye ``Blue'' for now.
Fox has moved ``Melrose Place'' from 9 p.m. on Wednesday, where it evolved into a guilty pleasure for millions, to 8 p.m. Mondays. Does that worry Kennett?
She says no.
``It's scary any time you move a popular show, but I think this move will work. `Melrose Place' has been a strong show for us. It'll work on Mondays.''
Murdoch is a raider on the high seas of broadcasting, swooping down to buy stations that had long affiliations with CBS, NBC and ABC. Might Murdoch swagger into Hampton Roads and buy up CBS affiliate WTKR and dump WTVZ?
Kennett says she's not worried about losing the affiliation with Fox.
``Fox knows that WTVZ is one of its overachieving affiliates. We try to be the best we can be and never take our Fox affiliation for granted.''
It is a lovely thing to be a Fox affiliate these days.
Seen those billboards? ``The Redskins are moving to 33.''
Excitement is running high about the NFL telecasts.
Seen the clock and score box that Fox has been running in the upper left hand corner of the screen during the games? Neat. Play-by-play man Summerall and analyst Madden appear energized and born anew on the Fox football team.
``Pro football is special for us,'' said Kennett.
She feels so darn good about having her Washington Redskins on the station she manages that this sophisticated, smart-as-a-whip woman just might sit down and work up a budget for a 10 p.m. local newscast first thing Tuesday morning. Go, 'Skins! ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by Joseph John Kotlowski
"The National Footall League has been like a Christmas present to
everyone at the station," says WTVZ general manager Elise Kennett.
The season begins Sunday with two games, including Dallas vs.
Pittsburg at 4 p.m.
by CNB