Channel 8 Challenges the Senses and Sensibility

CLASSIFIED ADS MAY BE DANGEROUS!

Or maybe not, although KFMB-TV(Channel 8) seemed to suggest as much in a recent report. Maybe Channel 8 simply was trying to cement its growing reputation as the National Enquirer of local TV news.

The story about classified ads on Channel 8 stemmed from an East County woman’s allegation that a man advertising for a roommate almost attacked her. Although the man did have a police record, no charges were filed.

But wait. There was a hook, a sensational hook, the type of hook the Channel 8 news department seems to crave. Didn’t a girl get attacked just a few months ago after answering a classified ad? Two attacks (well, one attack and one alleged attack) in a year! Why, it’s a trend!

So the folks at Channel 8 made it their lead item, playing it as their most important, earth-shattering story of the day. Instant news. They seem to create this type of story all the time.

Sometimes they take a real story and turn it into their own brand of tabloid TV story.

This lead item from last week: SEA WORLD MAY BE IN TROUBLE!

The speculation turned out to be accurate. They got a break, as did Channel 39, when Sea World canceled its TV ads, practically handing the story to the TV stations. Ah, a scoop.

Channel 8 pounced, providing viewers with a scintillating, in-depth interview with its own general sales manager, which is certainly worthy of a merit award for extra-cheesy video. Its only other source was an industry analyst, who basically reiterated the well-known woes of Sea World’s parent company. Of course, the story did give the station yet another opportunity to show footage of Orky squishing a trainer.

Two days later Channel 8 again was leading its 5 p.m. newscast with Sea World, reminding viewers that Channel 8 “broke the story.”

Well, that wasn’t true. Channel 39 was on the air the same night as Channel 8, sans interview with its general sales manager, with the same information, plus the first speculative reports that Sea World executives had been fired last week. It’s just that Channel 39 ran the story, which at the time was primarily speculation, in a more appropriate place further into the newscast. Channel 8 reported the rumor about the executives being fired two days later, flashing Neil Morgan’s San Diego Tribune column.

Such fast and loose handling of stories is routine at Channel 8. Maybe they are understaffed. Or maybe they’re simply lazy. On the opening day of the Del Mar races, they told late-night viewers, “No one knows the effect satellite wagering will have on Del Mar, but today there was a good crowd.” They could have learned that there hadn’t been a good crowd (it was down about 20% from last year’s opening day), by making a telephone call.

Of course, there also is Channel 8’s well-established reputation as the King of the Sleazy Tease, the quickie commercial breaks designed to lure people to watch the 11 p.m. news. Recently Channel 8 titillated viewers with, “Find out what Tammy Fay is up to!” followed by, “An unwanted surprise in a can of beer--a rat!”

What’s next?

Film at 11.

Notes and quotes: Al Janis, KCST-TV’s No. 2 sports guy, quit after seven years with Channel 39 when he was presented with a two-page memo detailing the station’s unhappiness with him. “I was tired of the uncertainty,” Janis said. “I asked them point-blank whether I would be kept around. I couldn’t continue working for people who clearly didn’t like my work.” Janis, who is due to be married later this month, recently bought a house in Leucadia. He said he wants to stay in San Diego. Channel 39 has hired Kevin Hunt from Milwaukee, who will start in September. Until then, Whitney Southwick and Steve Roah, a free-lancer from Los Angeles, will fill in. . . .

The next few months should go a long way in deciding the future of “The Wave” in San Diego, which in a year has never created anything more than a minor swell. In the most recent ratings book, KSWV-FM (102.9), a.k.a. “The Wave,” pulled a dismal 2.0 overall rating and trailed KIFM (98.1) by three points in the key adults 25-54 category. Meanwhile, the Wave’s Los Angeles flagship station, KTWV-FM, has been plummeting like a ratings brick.

The local station already has taken some damage-control measures. It no longer takes the straight satellite feed of The Wave’s new age (read: modern elevator music) programming during the key 6-9 a.m. slot, prefering to program its own mix of light jazz. KSWV also will get a boost from a new transmission tower, expected to come on line this week, which will dramatically strengthen its signal. The station is expected to launch a new promotional campaign for the Wave within a few weeks. . . Channel 39, an NBC affiliate, is going to unveil its new look, new staff and all the other changes during the Olympics, which will air on NBC. It is also making a big push to sell local ads for the Olympics, even airing commercials designed to lure advertisers. One ad agency source said packages of commercials are going for at least $100,000 for the Olympics, although Channel 39 local sales manager Bob Sexton said ad packages can be bought for less. Ad agencies expect the Olympics to be a big draw, since most of the main events are scheduled live during prime time, unlike past years. . . .

Channel 39 isn’t the only station making changes. Channel 8 is almost ready to unveil its new news set, along with new music. Channel 8 has finally broken open the piggy bank to buy digital effects, the last station in town to do so, which gives it the ability to do those neat roll-ins and moving graphics. . . .

Reporter Loren Nancarrow is leaving Channel 8 to go to KPIX in San Francisco.