THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501110038
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
CBS AFFILIATE WTKR (Channel 3) this week started a 4:30 p.m. newscast anchored by Tom Randles, thereby escalating the battle for the hearts and minds of viewers in the late afternoon and early evening.
Earlier this year, ABC affiliate WVEC (Channel 13) launched a 5 p.m. newscast to showcase anchorman Terry Zahn, who quit NBC affiliate WAVY (Channel 10) after more than a decade there. Four months ago, WAVY countered by starting a 5:30 p.m. newscast to go with its early news at 5.
Now here comes Randles at 4:30.
Wait. There's more to report from the local news battle-field.
WVEC, the leader at 5 and 6 p.m. in the most recent Nielsen ratings, but a third-place finisher with its 11 p.m. newscast, moved last week to do something about that. Promos on Channel 13 announced that its 11 p.m. newscast was getting a new look: ``Fresh stories at 11 by nightside reporter Lauren Yee.''
When your humble columnist tuned into WVEC's 11 p.m. newscast a couple of times last week, I didn't see any sign of Yee or anything that looked like local and national news that hadn't been on the shelf since the 6 to 7 p.m. news hour. Who are these folks kidding?
(Yee finally did pop up a few nights ago, reporting on a fire.)
All 11 p.m. local newscasts are twice-baked potatoes.
At about the same time WVEC indicated it wanted to juice up its 11 p.m. newscast, late-news leader WAVY showed it was digging in to hold the one-point ratings' lead over WTKR at 11.
Channel 10 is using on-air announcements to knock Channel 3's ``Eleven at Eleven'' news package as old news in fancy dress.
While I wait for Yee to show up consistently at 11 p.m. on WVEC, I also wait for WAVY to show me that its 11 p.m. newscast is livelier and different than the competition.
Barbara L. Hamm, WTKR's news director, said she won't comment on WAVY's digs about ``Eleven at Eleven.'' Bet she's steamed.
In announcing the new showcase for Randles at 4:30, Hamm also confirmed reports that weather reporter Janice Lee has left WTKR.
``It was a personal decision. We'll miss her.''
The search for her replacement has begun with Tal White taking up the slack for now. Hamm also said that her decision to start the local news parade at 4:30 in the afternoon has nothing to do with the latest ratings book which showed Channel 3 in third place at 6 p.m. and second at 5.
``This decision reflects our renewed commitment to local coverage,'' she said.
What all of this means is this: You can tune into coverage of local news, weather and sports earlier than ever before in the afternoon, at 4:30 p.m. on Channel 3, be carried through the 5 o'clock hour by either Channel 3, 10 or 13, and see more local news at 5:30 on WAVY.
Then comes additional local news at 6 on WAVY, WVEC and WTKR. That's a lot of small talk from the anchor teams.
Elsewhere in local TV:
WVEC says it's appointed Brian Smith weekend sports anchor, succeeding Mike Fabrizio, who left the station. Smith's been a photographer and reporter at a station in Richmond. He's a Virginia Commonwealth University grad.
WGNT, the Portsmouth independent station soon to be part of the United Paramount Network, is still buying up gobs of syndicated programming.
The latest is ``University Hospital'' from producer Aaron Spelling who still hasn't gotten the word that women hate being displayed as sex objects on TV. In this trashy show, which signs on Jan. 21 at 8 p.m., nurses wear short skirts and hardly ever study because they're too busy partying.
Public Broadcasting, in league with Virginia Wesleyan College and the World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads, takes one last look back at 1994 tonight with a program at the college's Boyd Dining Hall. The speaker is Robert Siegel of National Public Radio's ``All Things Considered.'' Dinner is at 7. by CNB