Four years after a major remake, WVNY-Channel 22 is pulling
the plug on local news coverage.
The ABC affiliate struggled to win a slice of the local news
market and never managed to wrestle more than a single-digit share
of the market from local stations WPTZ-Channel 5 in Plattsburgh,
N.Y., and WCAX-Channel 3 in South Burlington.
The South Burlington based station's 25 reporters, anchors and
producers were told Tuesday that their last newscast would be
Friday evening at 11, said Erik Storck, general manager. He would
not reveal the details of the employee severance package. Employees
are employed through Sunday.
The station will remain on the air with regular programming and
national network news. "We had a very good product. We were going
up against two 45-year-old behemoths," said Eric Greene, who anchored
the newscast. "We saw our influence on them."
A revamped and modernized Channel 22 news was introduced in August
1999 after owner Straightline Communications of Connecticut invested
almost $2 million for the new format including new cameras, equipment
and a new set. Greene was imported from big city market Cleveland.
The station offered news cut-ins to the "Good Morning America"
show and a half-hour newscast at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. "Our approach
was we wanted to bring in a fast-paced, very video-oriented, news-you-can-use
type situation," Storck said.
The young, aggressive reporters and bold presentation was intended
to set the station apart from the two more established stations.
The budget for local news accounted for about one-third of the
station's total budget, Storck said. "We ended up being in the
very low single digit ratings. We got a little piece of the pie,
but after four years it just wasn't going to work economically,"
Storck said.
Advertising was not closing the gap to pay for the news, he said.
"In today's economies, oftentimes the cost of the news could exceed
the revenue of the news, but it adds value in other areas," Storck
said. "In this case the spread was just too great." Channel 22
was moving into a broadcast market with two well-rooted stations
with more power to reach more viewers, Storck said.
On top of that, Vermonters don't watch television as much as
people elsewhere in the country, and they proved to be slow to
change their viewing habits, he said. "People here grew up on
CAX," Storck said. In addition, the economy started to sour about
a year after the station revamped the local news format, he said.
Asked if the station was for sale, Storck said, "Our investors
are always looking for other opportunities or deals if approached."
Losing a local news outlet is never good for the community, said
Traci Griffith, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication
at St. Michael's College in Colchester. "The problem with losing
even a small player in a small market is now the diversity of
voices that should be out there isn't there," Griffith said. "You
would see stories (on Channel 22) that you would not necessarily
see on the other stations."
Greene delivered the news to viewers at the end of the 6 p.m.
newscast Tuesday. He told viewers to stay tuned for "a pretty
huge announcement, at least I think so" before the newscast's
last commercial break. When the break was over, Greene said: "It
is with deep regret tonight that we must tell you after four years
that WVNY will be ending its news operation. ... Speaking for
all of us, allow me to thank you for your support over the last
four years. Our last newscast will be this Friday night at 11."
