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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:
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: