WPIX to Air 5 p.m. Newscast Starting in September

By Jerry Barmash

FISHBOWLNY

WPIX/Channel 11 is expanding its weekday news coverage. Beginning in early September, FishbowlNY has learned, the station is adding a 5 p.m. newscast each afternoon.

A WPIX spokeswoman says an anchor for the newscast hasn’t been chosen. But a likely candidate is Jodi Applegate, the face of Channel 11. She joined WPIX last October to solo anchor the reconstituted 10 p.m. news.

A source close to the situation tells FishbowlNY the new, one-hour broadcast will target women.

WPIX joins a crowded, competitive field in the 5 o’clock hour. Along with time slot regulars WCBS/Channel 2, WNYW/Channel 5, and WABC/Channel 7, WNBC/Channel 4 is returning to news at 5 p.m. in September, and shifting New York Live to 3 p.m.

This isn’t Channel 11′s first attempt at early evening news. News director Bill Carey  had an eight-month run at 6:30 p.m. On weekends, WPIX maintains an hourly 6 p.m. newscast with Jim Watkins that started in September 2010.

WPIX currently shows reruns of Friends at 5 p.m. each day.