Things are a bit grim around here....
From TBO.com:
By TED JACKOVICS The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 14, 2008
TAMPA - The Florida Communications Group said today it is offering voluntary buyouts, including severance packages, to about half its 1,326 employees, including those with The Tampa Tribune and WFLA, News Channel 8.
The program is aimed at reducing staff and other costs in a difficult economic environment in the Tampa Bay area, said John Schueler, president of Florida Communications Group, which oversees the operation of The Tribune, WFLA, TBO.com and other Florida media outlets.
Schueler said the program includes severance packages depending on years of service with the company for eligible employees.
For example, some employees would be eligible for severance up to 39 weeks. Schueler said that if not enough employees accept the severance offer, layoffs are possible.
He said that FCG has not determined the amount of money the company wants to save or the number of employees it must shed but that the cost savings needed are significant.
In addition to the Tribune and News Channel 8, FCG, a subsidiary of Media General, includes TBO.com, Centro Grupo de Comunicacion, Sunbelt Newspapers, Suncoast News, Hernando Today and Highlands Today.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
NBC 2008-2009 Schedule
The new NBC 2008-2009 schedule was recently announced, so I have been examining these new programs very closely in order to attempt to predict their ratings success (or failure).
Generating estimates for new programming is truly an art form. We RDs typically use past performance history of similar shows to indicate the type of audience that may watch a particular show. This involves analyzing each show and trying to find a similar show on my network or any other network that can be used as a similar comparison. In addition, much like the stock market, I like to say "past results do NOT guarantee future success".
NBC made it tough this year by not providing pilots to watch. Its very difficult to understand the tone and feel of a show from a single paragraph written description, and thus it is difficult to find comparison shows. NBC also varied from the "norm" on a number of points. One, most networks announce their Fall schedules in meetings called "upfronts", usually held in May. NBC announced its schedule a full 6 weeks early, getting the jump on the competition. The downside is, as previously mentioned, no pilots to preview these programs. The advertising community must judge the strength of a new show simply on the strength of the person describing ("selling") the show. I can see where this will get very iffy, as the schedule filters its way down to the local level.
Secondly, NBC presented not just a schedule for Fall, but a full Fall-Winter-Spring-Summer 2008-2009 schedule. Knowing, as I do, NBC's proclivities towards frequent program changes, I am not likely to trust that the schedule presented to me will actually ever air in its entirety.
Generating estimates for new programming is truly an art form. We RDs typically use past performance history of similar shows to indicate the type of audience that may watch a particular show. This involves analyzing each show and trying to find a similar show on my network or any other network that can be used as a similar comparison. In addition, much like the stock market, I like to say "past results do NOT guarantee future success".
NBC made it tough this year by not providing pilots to watch. Its very difficult to understand the tone and feel of a show from a single paragraph written description, and thus it is difficult to find comparison shows. NBC also varied from the "norm" on a number of points. One, most networks announce their Fall schedules in meetings called "upfronts", usually held in May. NBC announced its schedule a full 6 weeks early, getting the jump on the competition. The downside is, as previously mentioned, no pilots to preview these programs. The advertising community must judge the strength of a new show simply on the strength of the person describing ("selling") the show. I can see where this will get very iffy, as the schedule filters its way down to the local level.
Secondly, NBC presented not just a schedule for Fall, but a full Fall-Winter-Spring-Summer 2008-2009 schedule. Knowing, as I do, NBC's proclivities towards frequent program changes, I am not likely to trust that the schedule presented to me will actually ever air in its entirety.
My apologies...
My sincere apologies to anyone who may have been reading this blog and frustrated by the lack of updates recently. Thus is the life of a TV Research Director - work tends to wax and wane, and lately my work has been all waxing and no waning.
Some exciting changes are afront here in my work, most of which I am not at liberty to speak of, but which revolve around the company looking towards the future of local media. Where are we, as a company, going to be in five years? I have no idea, and I'm not sure if anyone else knows either, but these are exciting and terrifying times for all of us in the media business.
Some exciting changes are afront here in my work, most of which I am not at liberty to speak of, but which revolve around the company looking towards the future of local media. Where are we, as a company, going to be in five years? I have no idea, and I'm not sure if anyone else knows either, but these are exciting and terrifying times for all of us in the media business.
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