The Newsroom

International News Presentation: Past and Present

(February 2007)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
MO
Mouseboy33
In one video you can watch the birth of Tabloid Local News in the US. If you've never watched WSVN Channel 7 Miami this is a quite interesting video.
Briefly WSVN (formerly WCKT) was previously an NBC affiliate. NBC decided to pull it affiliation and buy its own station. This left WSVN without any network programming. (WSVN did eventually affiliate with the fledgling FOX network) Ratings dropped dramatically. This left the owner with a quandary. They decide to make "news" their ratings draw. They adopted a fast pace crime driven format. The likes that have never been seen on US television. Previously WSVN (As you will see) was very sedate and hokey. This format change resulted in SOUTH FLORIDA'S NEWS STATION. Flashy and loud and slickly produced. They produced more hours of news of than any station in the country. Ratings increased dramatically and they are still the among the top rated English-speaking stations in Miami From the late 80 until now. Many struggling stations took note of WSVN's dramatic rise from the ashes and adopted this "if it bleeds it leads" format. This model spread across the country. Though not to the frenetic level seen in Miami. The late 80-90s were a particularly bloody time in Miami with the drug wars causing an escalation in violence. WSVN regularly reported every bloody crime, and sent cameras to shoot every blood-stained body covered in a white sheet lying in the street. They became so synonymous with crime that many Miami hotels blocked WSVN from hotel room tv's. Hoteliers felt this would drive away tourists.
Today WSVN is still the flashiest over the top station in Miami and certainly in the USA. Their sister station WHDH CHannel 7 Boston (NBC) adopted the format when they were bought by the owners of WSVN in the 90s. Though they are slightly more restrained in the format. (There was an uproar in Boston when the sale was announced in the 90s)
WSVN has pulled back on the crime coverage somewhat from its height in 90s. But they still are the loud station that clawed if way back from death.
Say what you may about their tabloid approach to tv news (Which I equate to the SUN, MIRROR, or DAILY STAR newspapers). They do most things in house. They create their own music. Which is unheard of and highly unusual. They also produce all graphics in house, which is also not done and highly unusual. They produce a slick (albeit trashy OTT) product that has always had very good production values and branding that has left an indelible mark on Local TV news in the US. Have a look at the news open across the decades until today ending with the most famous dramatic closer on tv news in the USA:
NY
NYTV
To my recollection, the same person who created the WSVN format, Joel Cheatwood, also created the News2 branding for New York City's WCBS (which was dropped soon after) and became an executive for Fox News Channel until recently to join Glenn Beck's Mercury Radio Arts.
NY
NYTV
While i understand that CNN International has its own thread, the domestic CNN does not, so i'm not sure if this really fits this particular thread.....
CNN/US has been making changes to its lineup which included the axing of "Around The World" (formerly CNN Newsroom International) which an hour-long program combining the resources of CNN/US and CNNI and hosted by CNN/US's Suzanne Malveaux and CNNI's Michael Holmes. The last show was February 7th
MO
Mouseboy33
NYTV posted:
To my recollection, the same person who created the WSVN format, Joel Cheatwood, also created the News2 branding for New York City's WCBS (which was dropped soon after) and became an executive for Fox News Channel until recently to join Glenn Beck's Mercury Radio Arts.

You are correct. The biggest example of its spread was the venerable WBBM in Chicago. Look at this example from 1992. They hired WSVN Composer Chris Crane to do the music. They hired the scary-voiced Scott Chapin to do the voice overs and they hired many WSVN anchors and reporter. Ratings rose dramatically. But soon after the News Director left to go to KCBS (Los Angeles) to work his magic, station GM calmed down the heavy-handed tabloid approach and after couple of years at the top ratings dropping in to the toilet and have never recovered.
Last edited by Mouseboy33 on 20 February 2014 11:09pm
NY
NYTV
NYTV posted:
To my recollection, the same person who created the WSVN format, Joel Cheatwood, also created the News2 branding for New York City's WCBS (which was dropped soon after) and became an executive for Fox News Channel until recently to join Glenn Beck's Mercury Radio Arts.

You are correct. The biggest example of its spread was the venerable WBBM in Chicago. Look at this example from 1992. They hired WSVN Composer Chris Crane to do the music. They hired the scary-voiced Scott Chapin to do the voice overs and they hired many WSVN anchors and reporter. Ratings rose dramatically. But soon after the News Director left to go to WCBS (Los Angeles) to work his magic, station GM calmed down the heavy-handed tabloid approach and after couple of years at the top ratings dropping in to the toilet and have never recovered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1dUFUR_WQI

Correct. By the way, WCBS is in New York, you meant KCBS Los Angeles. And WCBS would later recover at WNBC's expense
MO
Mouseboy33
NYTV posted:
NYTV posted:
To my recollection, the same person who created the WSVN format, Joel Cheatwood, also created the News2 branding for New York City's WCBS (which was dropped soon after) and became an executive for Fox News Channel until recently to join Glenn Beck's Mercury Radio Arts.

You are correct. The biggest example of its spread was the venerable WBBM in Chicago. Look at this example from 1992. They hired WSVN Composer Chris Crane to do the music. They hired the scary-voiced Scott Chapin to do the voice overs and they hired many WSVN anchors and reporter. Ratings rose dramatically. But soon after the News Director left to go to KCBS (Los Angeles) to work his magic, station GM calmed down the heavy-handed tabloid approach and after couple of years at the top ratings dropping in to the toilet and have never recovered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1dUFUR_WQI

Correct. By the way, WCBS is in New York, you meant KCBS Los Angeles. And WCBS would later recover at WNBC's expense

Didnt even notice that mistake. How messy.
WW
WW Update
A compilation of news intros from MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Center) from 1991 to the present day:



(They have used American news themes throughout.)
Last edited by WW Update on 21 February 2014 2:20am
MO
Mouseboy33
A compilation of news intros from MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Center) from 1991 to the present day:
(They have used American news themes throughout.)


Unfortunately not the best cuts of those themes.
WW
WW Update
A great compilation of European news intros from 1985 and 1986:



(Via Raymie at tvnewstalk.net)
WW
WW Update
Here's a pre-launch sales presentation for CNN, the world's first news channel:

WW
WW Update
NHK. Japan, 1974:

WW
WW Update
From 1986, the explosion of Space Shuttle Challenger as seen on CNN, including about 30 minutes' worth of regular news before the ill-fated launch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rDg7S46ijM

Follow the "Related videos" links for subsequent hours of CNN coverage from that day.

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