By Jerry BarmashTribune Company's WPIX airs 30 hours of news programming every week and has won Emmy awards for its morning show, The PIX11 Morning News, and nightly broadcast, The PIX11News at Ten. But the CW network flagship station is probably best known to local viewers as being home of such water cooler hits as America's Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, and 90210.
"Our challenge is holding the younger viewers, or convincing them to watch our news at 10 o'clock and in the morning," says Bill Carey, news director at WPIX. To help the station best its competitors, prospective hires must be able to attract an audience. According to Carey, because WPIX isn't expected to be the "main" station in New York City, it's crucial that his on-air talent think outside the norm of traditional TV news. He cites Larry Mendte and Lionel, who do commentaries on WPIX, as examples of such forward-thinking.
"I'm looking for an authentic and yet unique style that stands out and is compelling... If it looks like it could be on the other stations, it may not be right for us," he explains.
Broadcast Union News: WPIX keeps cutting budgets, laying off Emmy Award winning staff, automating functions, freezing pay and benefits, all while putting out stories like this one talking about "forward thinking", and "unique style". With all the cuts, this is just moving deck chairs around on the Titanic. - BD
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