Charlotte, NC - OTA - Page 163

WCNC is now broadcasting from renovated news studio, with newly built set. Somewhat resembles the modern style of NBC Nightly News, with bright blue backdrops and LED monitors. Overall a nice job, but will look even better whenever they eventually upgrade to High Definition. Maybe next year on that. Now, there is still an unconfirmed report that yet another news station shall soon build a new set, but that remains to be seen.

Oh my. lol At least on the 5 am news, I think all that bright blue, high gloss surfaces and if that wasn't enough the also wide very blue overlay with the newscasters name is pretty overwhelming. Maybe it's my 50 year old morning eyes but I could only look at it for a few minutes. They might think about adding a little contrast.

Despite all the blue, I think the news set on WCNC is deffinitely an improvement. But If they can get new talent and an HD set in the future, I am sure it will help their overall ratings on local news. It seems WCNC has always been the 'stepchild' out of all the major networks in Charlotte. It would be interesting to see them gain a more competitive position in the future.

Agreed.

I was somewhat asleep during the 5am news this morning, although I thought I saw Larry Sprinkle riding around in a lawn mower for some reason. But I do agree they should tone down the blue just a bit on the big backdrop behind the main anchors, perhaps with some silver/grey or brown accents. But overall I think the set looks very nice, and would be even more impressive if they ever upgrade to full HD.

And watching the 6pm news on WCNC, there is indeed entirely too much blue in the main backdrop behind the anchors. And there is a big black area below the skyline scene that needs to be changed. Just a small bit of twaking to add accents and contrast/tone down the blue. Some of that background color I believe can be altered by lighting, which they really need to do.

Until about 2008-2009 or so they seemed as if they might be moving towards equivalence with WBTV & WSOC in terms quality of talent & production standards. Since that time, and especially since early 2010, it's reversed direction and IMO in the worst shape that it's been in since they simply canceled the news in the 1980s.

Regarding WCNC in the past decade, I think they made a mistake in letting folks like John Snyder and Terri Bennett go. Brad Panovich - if you're reading this - that doesn't mean I think you're NOT a great meteorologist. John Snyder's replacement(s), however, well....sorry. And going further back, I still miss Alicia Booth - so easy on the eyes and ears. But, back to WCNC's new set - has anyone else (besides my son) noticed this? When they do a newsroom shot or report, note the banner on the wall in the back. It only has something like "NBC Charlotte" on it or something similar - more importantly there is no "36". Surely they are not considering another re-branding of the station name? It's only been 2 years (?) since they returned to referencing the station as "channel 36" after more than a decade of mostly "NBC 6". I really like station call signs and channel numbers somewhere in a station's slogan/branding. (Bob, I really wish you'd bring this up at the next staff meeting - some things you've mailed me the past few years had old WCCB Fox 18 logos on the return address. It got me all misty-eyed )

It was late 2008 when they started branding as NewsChannel 36.

I hope they don't go to the "NBC Charlotte" branding. I can't stand when stations do that - sounds so generic.

I hate to "hijack" the ongoing theme of WCNC and its new set, but this is too good not to share. A New York Post columnist has written about the hype local TV news makes over the weather - weather that most of us with any common sense knows is going to happen. Like I know I'm going to sweat in July, because I know it's...wait for it...HOT. And, I bet it's going to be cold come December and January - duhhh...I might need a coat. And the one thing I'm sure of - 1000% - that it will be dark at Midnight - unless you're reading this from Alaska:

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/another_silly_forecast_for_local_iRQph925bLxL6VD1j2Z28J

Yea..and if the wind blows hard it will usually break the weak and brittle genetically modified el-cheapo Bradford Pear trees that have been weakened even more by improper trimming..That is NOT a violent storm tearing down a big 60' OAK Tree!
(insert consultant scripted head nod in agreement with concerned look between anchors here)
Edited by bdfox18doe - 7/18/12 at 8:23am

Regarding WCNC, I think they may be rebranding as NBC Charlotte, as that new logo is now displayed in the newsroom and on studio monitors. But the newcast is still called Newschannel 36. The call letters WCNC are now referenced only in regard to the website wcnc.com, which is a change from a few years back when WCNC was the prominent identity. So they have gone from NBC6 to WCNC to Newschannel 36, and now to NBC Charlotte. But why would it be so hard to brand the station WCNC-36, with the subtitle Carolinas News Channel, displayed next to the NBC logo? That would take care of all concerns, including the call letters, channel number, and network affiliation. I think it is to their credit that WBTV and WSOC have always been identified as WBTV Channel 3 and WSOC Channel 9 in their respective branding without any back and forth games with their respective logos. The heritage of classic call letters seems to mean something to those stations, whose ratings seem to justify a loyalty to their brands and a quality of product.

Here's the email I just sent via the website of the station formerly known as WRET, WPCQ, ActionNews36, WCNC TV 36/Cable 6, NBC6, Carolinas News Channel, NewsChannel36, and now (???) -

Okay, this is going to get right to the point. I like the new set, and that's my only positive comment. I don't like what appears to be (another) re-branding - this time to "NBC Charlotte". I guess I should have called or emailed with my elation a few years when you finally returned to referencing "36", i.e., "NewsChannel 36". I never did like NBC6 as this only served the cable viewers. Satellite TV or OTA viewers during this era had to be scratching their heads. Why is it you dislike "36" so much? You also have the option of using "22" since that is your actual broadcast channel, since analog (36) was turned off a few years ago. I just don't like NBC Charlotte - too close to sounding like FOX Charlotte - then there's 107.9 The Link and now 102.9 The Lake. I see a disturbing trend here (in Charlotte TV/Radio branding).

Okay, back, to a final forum comment. I just thought of "cause and effect" - it was either 1977 or 1979 - had WCCB remained ABC, WSOC remained NBC, and then WRET (36) remained Independent and ultimately a Fox affiliate, what would the discussions on this forum look like today. Hmmmm.......

Eric

Not that they are the only station to do this, but it is an excessive amount of rebranding over the years, isn't it? And I like Tyler's idea. Why don't they just call themselves WCNC Channel 36 and call it a day! What they need to focus on is their news talent and an HD set.

I think this latest rebranding at WCNC is being initiated by NBC, as it is being utilized at their O & O stations as well. They are using NBC Washington, NBC California, and NBC New York on their websites, although the 4 logo is there as well. But no mention of WRC, KNBC, or WNBC.

WRET was owned by Ted Turner (RET are his initials) and in the 70s. In the pre-satellite TV days of the 1970 Turner had managed to get the station carried on some non-local cable systems in the Carolinas. I remember it being on the cable in Myrtle Beach & Conway in the 70s. When they did the switch to NBC it created a bit of an issue on these systems as that caused the Charlotte NBC affiliate to be carried there. Cox cable also carried WCIV, WECT, & WIS which then gave the Myrtle Beach/Conway area 4 NBC affiliates on its system. Imagine the years in court rooms something like this would cause today.

I think Turner sold the station when he moved on to start CNN and to make his ATL station, 17 a satellite superstation. If i remember right, 17, was carried on the Charlotte Cablevision system in the late 70s along with WDCA, 20, another independent at the time. This was when WPCQ was born.

I miss the days of the truly independent TV stations and stations there were very oriented towards the local community instead of national brands. I remember as a young teenager watching WRET were the weekend horror/sci-fi movies hosted by the costumed Dead Ernest (if I remember the name right). There was also a Movie 36 program. They were proud of their channel # then. On the other stations there was Fred Kirby cartoons and its tie-in to Tweetsie Railroad, Dialling for Dollars movies, wrestling from the Crocketts, etc. All of this connected the viewer to the station and the local area. It seems to me that WCNC completely misses this now, their biggest advantage over satellite TV, and that is creating a local connection to its views. Constant re-branding doesn't do this.

According to the FCC and RabbitEars, WTBL-LP channel 49 in Lenoir has switched to digital and is now known as WTBL-CD. Is anyone able to pick it up? I live in Blowing Rock and I can't get anything from it, even though their service area is now much greater than it was with their analog signal.

I checked out WTBL at 10pm last night - to see if it was digital - and I was still getting an analog signal. Seems strange they filed a "license to cover" about 2 weeks ago, yet they're still analog. Maybe an engineer here can provide some insight.

Eric

When you place a TV or translator on the air, it is considered "Program Test" under a CP. You have 10 working days to file for a license to cover the CP. You should not file for a license until the transmitter is on the air. When you file for a license you sign it saying you have performed a Proof of Performance, power level is correct and frequency is correct.

Difficult to say, but it's possible their digital equipment failed after putting it on the air and they reverted to analog while it is repaired.

- Trip

I notice that I am able to receive WBTV again without any issues. Maybe they fixed whatever was broken there.

I am receiving WSOC mapped to 9-9. But, WAXN is not mapped. It is showing as RF 46-2. It is mixed in with WJZY's mapped channels. I have rescanned my TV several times and WAXN still appears as RF 46-2.

From the Cool Springs tower.

It is working correctly on 9.5 and 64.5 WSOC-CR. RF30.

It is also working on the China Grove translator with WAXN correctly mapping as 64-7 and WSOC mapping as 9-7. The China Grove translator is on RF36.

But as for the Statesville translator (in Cool Springs), I am having the exact same experience as you. My tuner picks up WSOC from this site and correctly maps it as 9-9. But WAXN from the Statesville translator does not map at all and only displays on RF 46-2 mixed in with WJZY's mapped channels, just like you experienced.

Because the Statesville translator (in Cool Springs) is turned away from Winston, I have not played around with it much. Despite that fact that my home is LOS and under 30 miles from Cool Springs, I cannot get this signal 24/7. It appears to be nighttime viewing only on WSOC from Statesville. But at any rate, this is strange behavior from the Statesville translator where WAXN is concerned. Perhaps, others may be able to share additional feedback.

Fortunately,the China Grove translator is working well for me. So I use it frequently for WAXN viewing and have forgotten about WAXN on the Statesville translator. But perhaps viewers in and around Statesville would like to know what is going on? Maybe others with more information about the Statesville site (Cool Springs NC) can post.

After watching WCNC news for the past week, I have reverted back to WBTV and WSOC. WCNC is still a work in progress, and I agree their quality has declined a bit in the past year or so. And the main backdrop behind the new set does need to be redesigned. Way too much blue. Although the main anchor desk and weather center is very nice. And I'm sorry Bobby Sisk is now gone. He was very polished and professional, and I enjoyed his real estate reports.

I've had almost stopped watching WCNC news, after it being my primary news for years because of the declining quality. The blue is really distracting so I don't watch it at all now. Someone really dropped the ball on that considering what it must have cost to build those sets in the first place. At the moment I think the two best news shows are the morning one on WSOC and the 10pm on WCCB.

I am sending somebody to Statesville tomorrow to look at WSOCTV2. Its a simple setting in the PSIP Generator. We don't have the network connection in yet so this can not be corrected from Charlotte. Thank you for your patience.

I'm in Statesville, and from the first day it was on the air, my Panasonic TV displays both 9-9 and 64-9. I just checked it again to be sure.

I just did a new scan on my Vizio television. WAXN still shows as RF 46-2 and WSOC as 9-9.