Commentary

No Oprah? No Problem. WLS-TV Goes Local To Replace Her

WLS-TV Chicago's decision not to replace "The Oprah Winfrey Show" at 9 a.m. with another big, nationally syndicated show with a recognized host speaks volumes about the business, and the future of TV stations.

The perfect historical balance is that Oprah Winfrey started as a locally produced TV show on WLS-TV in Chicago -- before her show was syndicated nationally by King World Productions. This is virtually how all first-run syndicated shows got going in the late '70s/early '80s.

Given the difficult track record of some nationally syndicated shows -- as well as having to give up national advertising time to the TV syndicator/producer --WLS' move seems daring, frugal, and possibly a harbinger of what other TV stations should be doing. 

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Media analysts believe the future of TV stations is still bright -- even with the growth of alternative digital media.  But this doesn't mean holding the status quo.  

The thinking is that TV stations need to cater to their local audiences even better -- not just to offer up more local content, typically news, but to produce more niche, hyper-local programming, either on traditional TV platforms or through TV stations' new digital local TV signals. 

The good news for the ABC-owned station group that WLS is a part of it is, its outlets are strong, typically No. 1 in local news programs in virtually all its markets. That is obviously a good base to build on.  

Of course, this isn't a new idea. TV stations have been extending their local TV newscast throughout the day as a way to build better and strong identification with their viewers. This isn't to say that the Ellens and other syndicated talkers don't have a place. TV stations have a bunch of time slots to fill during the day.   

But those who want to succeed in the future -- and avoid the traumatic business events of 2009 -- need to identify local content, even if seemingly lower-rated at first, which can become a must-see for their increasingly niche audiences.

1 comment about "No Oprah? No Problem. WLS-TV Goes Local To Replace Her".
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  1. Tina Shiben from Southern Broadcast, July 22, 2010 at 4:17 p.m.

    The insightfulness on the part of WLS to produce a local show to replace Oprah comes because the General Manager was once a Program Director. The job which was not just about scheduling episodes of evergreen shows…

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