Promotion

WCJB, a legacy station in Gainesville, Fla., was losing news viewers and revenue three years ago. This May, its 11 o’clock news ratings was up 48% in adults 25-54. See how the ABC affiliate turned itself around.

Frank Radice: “Why not use news promo time to actually report the news, like a headline menu service, and direct viewer attention to the next show coming up? Instead of one story or one image, it becomes something more useful.”

This is another great example of how TV station marketing can be a force for good. “Seeing the protests first hand, I knew we had to do something from a marketing standpoint,” said Aaron Liversedge, KSHB’s creative services director.

What if TV stations used some of their advertising airtime for messages that address social issues like injustice, racism and discrimination? “We can be a force for good,” says Emily Barr, president of Graham Media Group.

“Most local TV news marketing doesn’t drive viewership.” That’s a startling statement from Marv Danielski, who directs news promotion for Sinclair Broadcast Group’s stations. But in this Market Share Executive Interview, he reveals what he has found does work in 30 years in the trenches.

A new spot by WAVE Louisville, Ky., is taking its advertising message up a notch with a 60-second commercial that sells its services with sizzle. The spot not only promotes its creative production and reach to potential advertisers, it also acts a news image spot that sells its news ratings performances as well.

High school seniors graduating in 2020 and excited for their moment on stage got their dreams dashed when the coronavirus crisis forced schools to delay, cancel or postpone graduation ceremonies. In Jacksonville, Fla., Bob Ellis, the general manager of Graham Media’s independent WJXT, said he felt compelled to do something to help “fill the emptiness so many people felt at having to stay home and have those graduations cancelled. It seemed a natural to go and figure out how to make it happen.”

When four news-producing TV stations in Richmond, Va., joined together in a promotional campaign pledging solidarity to the people of their city during this coronavirus crisis, little did they know that they would end up influencing “journalism on the other side of the globe.”

“Unscripted and as real as it gets, and even shot on their own iPhones,” said Scott Brady, WDRB Louisville’s creative service director. “We wanted the news personalities to drive the content, and share their unique perspective with detail from these past six weeks.”

The multiplatform push to support local businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic kicks off with a call-to-action PSA, launching immersive webpages across all eight stations, and building a community-driven social media activation movement.

Former CBS chief communications executive, novelist and humorist Gil Schwartz died Saturday morning at his home in Santa Monica, Calif. at the age of 68. His death was unexpected, but was due to natural causes, according to CBS. Schwartz retired as senior EVP and chief communications officer of CBS Corp., in November 2018 following nearly 40 years at CBS, Viacom and Westinghouse Broadcasting.

WTVR, WRIC, WWBT and WRLH decided to join together to send one message to Richmond, Va., viewers. The campaign features the main on-air talent from each station in every spot airing on all four stations. The campaign also showcases each station’s logos and news vans in every spot. “This was a true top-to-bottom team effort. It was a pleasure to work so closely with the creatives in this market, and I am extremely pleased with the results,” said Erik Candiani, WWBT’s marketing director.

After a company-wide competition, the winning design was submitted by Cox Media Group employee Kim Colombero, art director for CMG-TV in Jacksonville, Fla.

Calhoun will take on the role of EVP of communications on May 4. She succeeds Johanna Fuentes, who is leaving the ViacomCBS network to head global communications at Warner Bros.