THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 11, 1995 TAG: 9504110063
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
IF YOU PLUNKED down $76 million to buy CBS affiliate WTKR in Norfolk, what changes would you make at Channel 3? Or would you make no changes at all?
I put those questions to readers of this column, inviting them to call my Infoline number (640-5555, Category 3333). About 100 responded.
Some said they liked the station as it is - orangy news set and all.
Ed Hughes, who has been anchoring newscasts in this market for decades - I think he goes back to black-and-white TV - has a fan club out there.
From Sally L. in Chesapeake: ``If there is a shakeup at WTKR, Ed Hughes should not be part of it. He does a good job. The new owners should see that he stays on.''
From Margaret S. in Norfolk: ``WTKR is a good station just as it is. Ed Hughes is the right man to anchor the news. I feel comfortable with him. He is the anchorman. Watching him makes me happy.''
Let's hope they read this column in New York, Ed. The New York Times Co. is the new owner of Channel 3.
Other readers do not share the opinion of Margaret S. in Norfolk, who likes WTKR just as it is.
From Peggy Miltier in Portsmouth: ``Bring back Ann Keffer from the Peninsula and make her the No. 1 female anchor. On sports, replace John Castlberry with the hunk, Jim Hale. And get rid of that horrible red-orange news set.''
Other suggestions that popped up on Infoline: Run the Tom Snyder late-late-night talk show immediately after David Letterman at 12:35 a.m., arrange closed-captioning for the hearing-impaired on local newscasts and, for those without any difficulty hearing, broadcast in stereo.
From Stephanie K. in Chesapeake: ``Why does Snyder have to wait until we see a rerun of `Northern Exposure'? Put him on earlier. Give Tom Randles and Jane Gardner their walking papers. They are the most annoying people on local TV.''
Looks like Snyder is in the 2:07 a.m. time slot to stay. Closed-captioning on WTKR's local newscasts is on the way, said a station spokesman. And stereo sound will likely be added by the new management, the spokesman said. It already comes through on cable.
Other advice for the new owners: ``If I were the new buyer, the first change I'd make is to get rid of that `Eleven at Eleven' feature on the late news. The on-screen clock thing is a stupid idea. Give me the news without all the other stuff. I watch Channel 3's late news only on Wednesday and Saturday nights to get the Lotto results.'' - Ed Norton, Portsmouth.
Pat DeJesu in Virginia Beach is another reader who would toss out the ``Eleven at Eleven'' segment. ``I love the station's anchor people, but I would get rid of the ugly orange set,'' DeJesu said. ``It drives me away from the station. I don't like the `Eleven at Eleven' thing during which they give the weather twice. That's a waste on time. Who thought of that?''
``Eleven at Eleven'' was launched by a news director who has since moved to Atlanta.
``I'd tell Bob Matthews on sports to forget all that bam, wham, bang stuff he does on the air. That style went out years ago.'' - Patrick Belcher, Virginia Beach.
``If I owned Channel 3, I'd definitely get rid of that awful red and orange decor on the news.'' - Francis Beamon, Portsmouth.
Connie, also in Portsmouth, said she'd ask anchor and weather reporter Carol Horton to change her hairdo. Loose, the bangs, said Connie.
Vivian Young in Norfolk casts another vote for Hale, saying, ``He should be top man in sports, followed by Bob Matthews and John Casteberry.''
And there's the suggestion from 17-year-old Kevin Maynard in Virginia Beach. If he were the new owner, Kevin would show nothing but ``Beavis and Butt-head'' all day long with a little Regis and Kathie Lee thrown in, followed by Letterman at 11:35.
The New Times Co. is not a Beavis and Butt-head kind of comapany, Kevin. by CNB