Programming Change: no more weekend morning news

  by Christian Grantham - February 4th, 2008 - 10:22 am| Programming, WKRN | 6 comments

Here is a message from WKRN General Manager Gwen Kinsey regarding our weekend morning news shows.

“We have made the decision to stop producing a local newscast in the mornings on the weekend.  The audience available weekend mornings is very modest. Eliminating those telecasts enables us to direct more reporting resources to our weekend evening and Monday through Friday programs, as well as increasing the resources we have to provide on the internet in a 24/7 news day.”

The news - as told by our viewers

  by Christian Grantham - January 11th, 2008 - 11:14 am| New Media, WKRN | one comment

The Tennessean had a nice blurb on how our WKRN viewers told the story of yesterday’s storm using their cellphone video and pictures. You can see the photos and videos on Nashflix.

As (yet another) round of menacing weather swept through Middle Tennessee Thursday, residents were quick to offer digital pics and videos of flooded driveways and golf ball-size hail.

NashFlix.com, an online aggregator of local multimedia, featured user videos of everything from Dell employees in Nashville gathering in the hall as the intercom boomed “This is not a drill” to a swollen, rushing creek bed in Leiper’s Fork that had been dry 24 hours previously.
[Weird weather videos flood into NashFlix - Tennessean - 01-11-08]

Young Broadcasting to sell KRON-TV

  by Christian Grantham - January 10th, 2008 - 12:20 pm| WKRN | no comments

Good news for WKRN and our parent company.

KRON-TV, a multi-award winning station, is one of the most prestigious broadcasting properties in the country. Until 2006 when it became an affiliate of MyNetwork TV, KRON-TV was the largest independent station in the United States and the only independent VHF station in its market. KRON-TV is a unique station with an important position in the market as the television news source for San Francisco. The station, due to its many hours of local programming, is benefiting from the industry trend towards increased localism.

Young Broadcasting stated that its goal was to conclude an agreement for the sale of KRON-TV before the end of the first quarter. In addition to the station’s considerable assets the buyer will benefit from certain favorable tax attributes.

“When we purchased KRON-TV in 2000 we believed we had acquired a jewel and we still feel that is the case today. KRON-TV is one of the most valuable television stations in the country”, stated Vincent Young, Chairman of Young Broadcasting. “Our decision to sell is based on the high level of interest in the property that we have received. It is purely a strategic economic decision, allowing us to benefit from the proceeds of the sale to further our future corporate initiatives.”
[Young Broadcasting Inc. to Sell KRON-TV in San Francisco - Business Wire - 01-10-08]

Programming Change: New Hampshire Primary

  by Christian Grantham - January 8th, 2008 - 8:40 am| Politics, Programming, WKRN | no comments

Tune in tonight for a special look at the New Hampshire Primary live at 7:30pm CT.

Due to the increasing amount of political news on the eve of the New Hampshire Primary, we have scheduled “ABC News Special 2008: The New Hampshire Primary,” tomorrow night (Tuesday, 1/8/08).  The ABC News special will air live in the 8:30 - 9:00 PM ET time period, replacing “Just for Laughs” in the Eastern and Central time zones.  Stations in the Mountain regions may carry the ABC News Special live in local time if they choose. The disposition of this ABC News Special in the Pacific Time Zone will be advised.

UPDATE 6:37 p.m. - ABC has changed the schedule for the program to 8-8:30 p.m.

WKRN 2007 online traffic growth

  by Christian Grantham - December 27th, 2007 - 1:25 pm| New Media, WKRN | no comments

Thank you for making 2007 a year of growth for WKRN’s online presence. This past year, our online audience grew 58% over 2006. Our blog audience grew 83%, and WKRN.com’s audience grew 45%. 

The New Year will bring more change here at WKRN and more opportunities to provide you compelling content and tools that help make your online experience better.

Apartment complex sinkhole

  by Christian Grantham - December 7th, 2007 - 10:38 am| City Government, Property, Public Safety, WKRN | one comment

Marty Potter just wants someone to fix it before someone gets hurt. Andy Cordan has the bigger picture tonight on News 2 at 5.

“I’ve called Metro Codes,” he pauses; his eyes search the sky as he counts inside his head. “At least seven or eight times,” the 37 year old tells me. “I finally called the police,” he says. “The officer got down on the edge and shined his mag light down there. He told me to call Codes. Finally someone at Codes told me to call waste water. So I’ve been calling them and nobody has returned my calls.”
[Sinkhole - ThatIsMessedUp - 12-07-07]

Viewer generated content on WKRN

  by Christian Grantham - November 29th, 2007 - 6:14 am| New Media, WKRN | one comment

This is one of our first on-air promos for our user generated content site NashFlix.com. The promo introduces a simple step to get viewer generated content to WKRN directly from cell phones. Viewers on the scene of breaking news can now report what they see by capturing pictures or video and sending it from their cell phone to pix@wkrn.com.

Our first on air use of viewer generated content through NashFlix was from a viewer who shared this video of hail. The hail fell at the home of a viewer near Percy Preist Dam in Woodland Pointe a couple of weeks ago. The video came in right before our first newscast that afternoon. You can see how the online content was integrated into our on-air broadcast here.

Examples of content viewers can capture on their cell phones:

• video of severe weather events
• major traffic events
• high school sports
• public meetings
• celebrity sightings
• your thoughts on some of our top stories

Are you listening?

  by Christian Grantham - November 28th, 2007 - 11:41 am| Public Safety, WKRN | no comments

WKRN-TV is looking for individuals who listen to scanner radios. We’re searching for volunteers who listen at home, at work or as a hobby. Someone who spends a lot of time at home or indoors is needed. No equipment will be provided. If you are from the following counties (Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson), and you might be interested in assisting us, please contact Mike Wright at mwright@wkrn.com or call 615-369-7229.

WKRN Christmas program changes due to Titans

  by Christian Grantham - November 28th, 2007 - 9:42 am| Programming, WKRN | 3 comments

• A Charlie Brown Christmas, which was preempted last night by Titans on 2 with Jeff Fisher and the Titans Game, will air Sunday December 2nd at 4:00p.m.
     
• Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town will now air Sunday December 9 at 4p.m. due to Titans on 2 with Jeff Fisher airing December 4 at 7p.m.

Titans’ game will delay ABC programming

  by Heather - November 19th, 2007 - 11:06 am| Programming, WKRN | 44 comments

The Titans’ game will be broadcast live on News 2 Monday night, delaying regularly scheduled programming on ABC

The following will air Tuesday morning:
12:35 a.m. –Dancing with the Stars
2:05 a.m. – Samantha Who
2:35 a.m. – The Bachelor

Coverage of the game on News 2 will begin on with a special edition of “Titans on 2 with Jeff Fisher” at 7 p.m. 

The game will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Watch News 2 at 10 p.m., after the game, for complete highlights.

UPDATE 11-20-07 6:01am - Nashville viewers can still vote online by clicking here. Voting closes Tuesday at 11a.m. CT. You can also watch Dancing with the Stars online right here (click the ABC SHOWS play button on the right) or on WKRN.com typically 3 hours after the show airs on the Pacific coast.