Ticker Runs Out for Local, Decades-Old Business News

The daytime business news offered for more than three decades by KWHY-TV is gone from the airwaves after a slow transition that paralleled the rise of Spanish-language programming in Los Angeles and digital media.

For nearly 33 years, Los Angeles-based KWHY offered business news, analysis, a running ticker and the market commentaries of the late flamboyant stockbroker David Paul Kane on its Channel 22. But demographics and technology dictated change: A decade ago, the station went to a bilingual format, offering business news by day, then switching to Spanish-language news and entertainment after the markets closed.

The Spanish-language format was so successful for the independent station--owned by Harriscope of Los Angeles Inc.--that it switched to a Spanish-only format last October. It then moved its business news to KJLA Channel 57, where it purchased time. But Friday marked the last telecast of business programming on that station.

The programming, however, is available in a high-speed, live streaming Webcast, at https://www.biznews1.com. Those with a digital television can also watch it on DTV Channel 42 KWHY-TV.

The streaming Webcast has been available for the last year, but Friday’s final broadcast on KJLA nevertheless prompted calls from disgruntled viewers who have watched the program for decades.

“We’ve been on for 33 years with business news, and it had a lot of brand identity,” said KWHY-TV General Manager Martin Dugan. “That dies hard. We hope to carry that flag on to this new distribution platform.”

Spanish-language viewers pushed the station’s ratings through the roof, making it the second-rated Spanish-language station in the country after KMEX.

“The demand for our Spanish-language programming was so strong,” Dugan said, “we were forced to satisfy viewer demand.”