State Journal-Register: Springfield getting new TV news

[Tweed]

http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/45683.asp

"Springfield viewers looking for local news created in the city soon will have something they've never had - a choice between two channels.

Beginning in April, WCFN-TV, Springfield's UPN affiliate, will air a half-hour local news broadcast at 9 p.m. each weekday. WCFN broadcasts on Channel 49.

Its debut will mark the end of WICS-TV's monopoly on television news targeted at Springfield, a monopoly held by the NBC affiliate since its debut in 1953. WICS-TV broadcasts on Channel 20.

"Springfield viewers have asked for this, and asked us many, many times," said Russ Hamilton, vice president and general manager of WCFN and its sister station WCIA, the Champaign-based CBS affiliate for the Springfield-Decatur-Champaign television market. NexStar Broadcasting Group, in Irving, Texas, owns both WCIA and WCFN."

This is great news from Springfield. Competition is always good. Maybe the new station will focus on investigative reporting to gain a competitive edge over WICS. However, a 9:00pm newscast will mean that people can watch both newscasts as WICS reports at 10:00pm. They also noted that FOX may re-run the Chicago news broadcast. It's interesting that people are demanding more local news, or at least that people think there is a demand to be informed.

[Radical Activist]

1. Thanks goodness!

WICS TV news is the most worthless, right-wing, lazy, moronic piece of crap local news station I have ever seen. Their bias for Republicans and business is extreme and they often miss big stories in Springfield. When I lived in Springfield I would often tune into the Decatur station WAND because they did better Springfield coverage than the Springfield station. I just hope UPN is better and that Springfield doesn't get two bad stations.

[Tweed]

2. Yeah, my family was friends with Jack Connors

You may remember him as WICS' general manager who would come out and deliver televised "op-eds". I was in high school at the time so my understanding of politics isn't nearly as clear as it is now, but it seems to me like most of his thoughts leaned to the right and very pro-business. Which would make sense being that he had the bottom line when it came to what was on. Adding more to this argument is the fact that my mom would get angry at Mr. Connors only when she saw him on TV and she is a fiery liberal. I imagined they stayed away from politics when conversing.

[AntiSmirk]

3. Connors Was Tolerable

Mark Hyman is NOT!

WICS is a Sinclair station and I have been waging war with them for a year or so over Mark Hyman's wingnut "commentaries". I rarely agreed with Connors but he wasn't a rightwing propagandist either