WOWK Leaving Huntington

[genlock]

Topix forum says that Bray bought the Brickstreet building in Charleston.

400 Quarrier St, next to and with entrances to the mall. Neat!

[Scott Reppert]

...Jack Kane and Scott are talented...

HEY! Thanks!










Wait a second....

[Hoosier Daddy]

I hate this for Huntington, but its certainly a win for Charleston.
Centralizing the operations of West Virginia Media Holdings company in the state capital certainly makes sense.
Might be what is needed to turn the ship around.

[RADIOHEAD 1]

How will the move affect the 4:10PM WEATHER UPDATES on the "the Dawg" with Spencer and "the Crawdog.?" I understand the numbers doubled since he went on..

[oldtvman2]

What about all the people that will either lose their jobs or have to drive to Charleston? will they still have sales people in Huntington? will they still have news people in Huntington and at the other stations or will they all go the way of radio and just have computer operators and just ge glorified movie screens? It can't help having one person doing the work of four. and one master control operator switching two or more different networks. If all stations were the same network it would be easier, but when they are different it could get sloppy. I feel sorry for the lives of all the people involved as to the lack of jobs aviable in this area and for that fact anywhere but then bray never thinks of the people that work for him. he just wants to reduce that number and to heck with the quality of the product.

[genlock]

Bray will be able to ax 50% of his TV staff statewide.
A considerable savings in the personal service line item.
He will only have to have one HD studio setup.
It may work, nothing else has worked.
He will still run the Dutch Miller and Hospital spots.
If he expects to compete he has to do something radical.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

I hate this for Huntington, but its certainly a win for Charleston.
Centralizing the operations of West Virginia Media Holdings company in the state capital certainly makes sense.
Might be what is needed to turn the ship around.

You're smoking the same stuff Bray does.

Where the hell did you find his stash? Or his dealer?

[Big Media]

and one master control operator switching two or more different networks. If all stations were the same network it would be easier, but when they are different it could get sloppy.

Automation makes everything possible. Most automation systems have a single GUI for multiple playlists. You can even run several stations off of one video server. It's all very streamlined, these days.

I am actually surprised this isn't more common already. Since most stations are fiber feeding their transmitters nowadays, no reason you can't fiber feed a transmitter in Wheeling from a studio in Charleston.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

Automation makes everything possible. Most automation systems have a single GUI for multiple playlists. You can even run several stations off of one video server. It's all very streamlined, these days.

If you're running nothing but recorded material, automation makes everything possible. Cable and satellite providers do it all the time. Just try to switch live television, though. That's a problem.

I am actually surprised this isn't more common already. Since most stations are fiber feeding their transmitters nowadays, no reason you can't fiber feed a transmitter in Wheeling from a studio in Charleston.

It isn't "more common already" as you put it, because it isn't as easy as it looks. Bandwidth and lip synch issues are the most common problems that require $$$ to fix. NBC was hubbing Master Control operations for their O & O's in a couple markets. I'm told by some who had to make it work on a daily basis the only reason it worked was because GE had tons of bandwidth to throw at the problem.

Watch the statewide newscasts at 5:30pm on the WVMH stations outside of 13, and you'll see how it shouldn't be done. Or you can just read this board.

[Hoosier Daddy]

You're smoking the same stuff Bray does.
Where the hell did you find his stash? Or his dealer?

I know next to nothing about the technical ins and outs on how local television operates.
My comments were looking at this move from an outside perspective.
Looking at the business model of centralization and consolidation, if you will.

What would be the best solution here from a technical standpoint?

[genlock]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- WOWK-TV's decision to move most of its staff out of Huntington and consolidate operations in Charleston won't lead to any job cuts, said Bray Cary, who heads the company that owns the television station.

"If anything, we'll probably be expanding our news staff," said Cary, president and CEO of West Virginia Media Holdings.

By March, WOWK plans to move about 50 employees from its building in Huntington to a 15,000-square-foot office connected to the Charleston Town Center Mall, Cary said Tuesday. The office sits beside BrickStreet Mutual Insurance's headquarters.

WOWK already has about 50 employees at another office in Charleston, Cary said.

He said he and station staff members spent two months discussing the consolidation.

"We were trying to figure out how can our news organization grow our ratings and deliver the best product," Cary said. "Everybody said we needed to get under one roof. It's just more efficient management to have everything in one building."

Staff members wanted to move to Charleston because it's the political hub of the state, he said.

"We really believe Charleston is an ideal location," said Cary. "It's the crossroads of the region and the state. We wanted to be in the capital city."

Staff members were notified about the move last week.

Cary said some WOWK-TV employees who live in Huntington -- especially those who live west of the city -- would likely be disappointed by the move to Charleston because of the long commute. A majority of employees supported the change, he said.

"We're moving all the studios and everything to Charleston," Cary said. "We're just trying to get together so we can create a more robust product."

WOWK-TV plans to lease the new office space at 400 Quarrier St., beside the mall.

"We can design it to really reflect the new technology and other things that are important," he said.

The station will close its existing Charleston office at 13 Kanawha Blvd. W. after its lease expires next year, Cary said.

WOWK plans to sell its building in downtown Huntington. The property hasn't been listed, and the company hasn't determined an asking price, Cary said Monday.

A small number of employees will remain in Huntington, Cary said.

He said WOWK's move follows similar consolidations of Huntington and Charleston staff by competing local television stations several years ago.

WOWK-TV employees believe the move to Charleston will help boost ratings, Cary said.

"Our employees are hungry to win," he said. "The decision was based on how can we be the No. 1 station. Our people believe this move will create that opportunity and give them the tools to win."

Earlier this month, WOWK-TV announced that longtime news anchor Sandra Cole was leaving her job. Cole had worked for the station for 17 years.

[oldtvman2]

well I guess there will be less news form this end of the state and Ky and Oh. I'll just bet that no one but bray was for this change. I remember when stations were wanting to remote cortrol tv transmitters the FCC was told that they had engineers setting at the transmitters and wanted to move them to the studios and put them to work there. well when they went remote for some reason all the transmitter engineers were let go all except one and the boss. then what would have been a 20 sec off air was now an hour or more. their comment was untill they lost a certain amount of money they were still making money because of the reduced overhead. you can't get ratings when you are off the air and what if your viewer switches to another news show and likes it and never returnes? going to Charleston will not help only in brays little mind. but it will be in Charleston.

[chloesdude]

WOWK is leaving the Huntington studios... I wonder if WCHS might take the studio, since they seem to be growing in Huntington... Or WCHS or WSAZ could take WOWK's old studio and office in Charleston... hmmm

[lastone]

[Staff members wanted to move to Charleston because it's the political hub of the state, he said.

The reason isn't money, it's politics! Bray wants to be a 'player'.

"Live and local" from somewhere else.....

It's been 2nd banna since it was built and it will stay that way.

Don't let the door hit you on your way out. Perhaps a 'flash mob' copuld help you move.

de-frending your asses.

BYE

[Mr. Jones]

Wow. Even WSAZ is reporting it.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/WOWK ... 87908.html

[genlock]

Any way you cut it, It is a major loss for Huntington and a major gain for Charleston.
Charleston gained WVAH-TV and WPBY-TV over the last ten years as well.

[cgarison]

Wow. Even WSAZ is reporting it.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/WOWK ... 87908.html

Was WSAZ doing the happy dance now they control the news market in the Ohio Valley?

[Dave Loudin]

What do you mean "now?"

[cgarison]

What do you mean "now?"

(chuckle)

Yea, that is a bit of a "duh" word considering they have owned tri-state news for more years than I have been alive.

[unchoopfan]

It would be nice to still see a broadcast presence at 555 5th Ave after WOWK leaves town. Any chance Kindred or ClearChannel would consider a move, with a possible lease of the TV studio space to Sinclair for 8/11?