Post by gartv on Nov 26, 2008 21:45:31 GMT -3
Recent changes in the Macon market.
WMAZ-13 (CBS)- Dodie Cantell, the general manager for WMAZ has been "promoted" to become the general manager for WTLV & WJXX in Jacksonville Florida. She was selected after the Jacksonville GM accepted a position in Tampa at WTSP-10.
All stations owned by GANNETT.
Also, WMAZ recently changed their graphics and theme music to a Gannett specific news theme package. While the graphics are trendy, the music is just as irritating as the previous package.
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WPGA-58 "ABC Macon"- New local morning show is a simulcast of a local radio show featuring three very popular locals, former WMAZ-AM and WMAC-AM radio host Kenny B, Former news anchor Liz Jarvis-Fabian and popular Macon Telegraph columninst and editorial editor Charles E Richardson.
WPGA has tried several times to nclude one of Macon's well knowns in a local TV production. Former WMAZ anchor Tina Hicks and former WMGT and WGXA anchor Ron Wildman each anchored failed news efforts for WPGA
WPGA recently dropped its 11pm newscast while keeping its 7pm newscast. ABC Macon does not have any competition at 7pm and their outsourced news product must surely get clobbered in the ratings at 11 with two strong stations, WMAZ and WMGT having newscasts at 11pm.
It is clear that since WMGT re-started their news department in 2004 that the other stations stepped up to improve their product. WMAZ got a "new" set (hand me down from WXIA) and offered new features and has changed their appearance at least twice since 2004
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WGXA- Fox 24 recently changed their graphics and news theme AND returned WEEKEND newscasts to their schedule. All newscasts are at 10pm, now 7 days per week
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DIGITAL TV
WMAZ- has three digital channels , (13.1)Standard,(13.2) High Def and a channel dedicated to 24 hour Doppler weather radar (13.3). Signal quality is the WORST of the local stations. Very difficult to recieve over the air the screen freezes frequently or simply goes black. I don't subscribe to cable but I am told by many who do have cable that the HD picture quality for WMAZ is the worst of the local stations available on cable.
WMUM (Georgia Public Broadcasting) Also has three digital channels, (29.1)Standard,(29.2) "GPB Digital" and (29.3) "GPB Knowledge" with alternate programing. Most people may not even know about the GPB Knowledge as there are no listings for it and there has been no promotion for it. Also, WMUM's reception is about as poor at WMAZ.
Technically, it is considered that Digital stations with channels from 2-13 are considered "weak", the opposite of the old analog signals where UHF channels from 14-83 were the weaker signals to the VHF channel range from 2-13. WMAZ's digital channel is 4 and WMUM's digital channel is 7.
WGXA (FOX), WMGT (NBC), WGNM (TBN) and WPGA (ABC) all have more reliable digital signals. All of them only have ONE digital channel in operation, the only station to not offer High Definition is WGNM. In the case of WGMN, they shut down their old analog signal over a year ago. Their analog was a low power signal, so antenna viewers will get WGMN over the air for the first time via their digital signal.
Macon is the only market in Georgia where their digital TV stations do not offer additional networks, usually those that were unavailable.
Examples of digital subchannels offering new network options to a market:
ALBANY, where WSWG is a primary CBS affilaite offering MYNetwork TV on its subchannel "WSWG DT2"
WSWG is sister to (and operated by) WCTV in Tallahassee, also a CBS station with MyNetwork on a subchannel.
SAVANNAH's WSAV & AUGUSTA's WRDW each have MyNetwork broadcasting on separate digital subchannels
All of these stations with separate digital subchannels operate and appear as if they were separate television stations even having separate channels on the local cable system.
None of this is offered in the Macon market and while WGXA was supposed to offer MYNetwork on a separate digital sub-channel. This has not happened. The ONLY way anyone gets the MY Network is via subscribing to satalite. I get it through WWOR in New York City via dish network.
WMAZ-13 (CBS)- Dodie Cantell, the general manager for WMAZ has been "promoted" to become the general manager for WTLV & WJXX in Jacksonville Florida. She was selected after the Jacksonville GM accepted a position in Tampa at WTSP-10.
All stations owned by GANNETT.
Also, WMAZ recently changed their graphics and theme music to a Gannett specific news theme package. While the graphics are trendy, the music is just as irritating as the previous package.
-------------------------------------
WPGA-58 "ABC Macon"- New local morning show is a simulcast of a local radio show featuring three very popular locals, former WMAZ-AM and WMAC-AM radio host Kenny B, Former news anchor Liz Jarvis-Fabian and popular Macon Telegraph columninst and editorial editor Charles E Richardson.
WPGA has tried several times to nclude one of Macon's well knowns in a local TV production. Former WMAZ anchor Tina Hicks and former WMGT and WGXA anchor Ron Wildman each anchored failed news efforts for WPGA
WPGA recently dropped its 11pm newscast while keeping its 7pm newscast. ABC Macon does not have any competition at 7pm and their outsourced news product must surely get clobbered in the ratings at 11 with two strong stations, WMAZ and WMGT having newscasts at 11pm.
It is clear that since WMGT re-started their news department in 2004 that the other stations stepped up to improve their product. WMAZ got a "new" set (hand me down from WXIA) and offered new features and has changed their appearance at least twice since 2004
---------------------------------------------------
WGXA- Fox 24 recently changed their graphics and news theme AND returned WEEKEND newscasts to their schedule. All newscasts are at 10pm, now 7 days per week
----------------------------
DIGITAL TV
WMAZ- has three digital channels , (13.1)Standard,(13.2) High Def and a channel dedicated to 24 hour Doppler weather radar (13.3). Signal quality is the WORST of the local stations. Very difficult to recieve over the air the screen freezes frequently or simply goes black. I don't subscribe to cable but I am told by many who do have cable that the HD picture quality for WMAZ is the worst of the local stations available on cable.
WMUM (Georgia Public Broadcasting) Also has three digital channels, (29.1)Standard,(29.2) "GPB Digital" and (29.3) "GPB Knowledge" with alternate programing. Most people may not even know about the GPB Knowledge as there are no listings for it and there has been no promotion for it. Also, WMUM's reception is about as poor at WMAZ.
Technically, it is considered that Digital stations with channels from 2-13 are considered "weak", the opposite of the old analog signals where UHF channels from 14-83 were the weaker signals to the VHF channel range from 2-13. WMAZ's digital channel is 4 and WMUM's digital channel is 7.
WGXA (FOX), WMGT (NBC), WGNM (TBN) and WPGA (ABC) all have more reliable digital signals. All of them only have ONE digital channel in operation, the only station to not offer High Definition is WGNM. In the case of WGMN, they shut down their old analog signal over a year ago. Their analog was a low power signal, so antenna viewers will get WGMN over the air for the first time via their digital signal.
Macon is the only market in Georgia where their digital TV stations do not offer additional networks, usually those that were unavailable.
Examples of digital subchannels offering new network options to a market:
ALBANY, where WSWG is a primary CBS affilaite offering MYNetwork TV on its subchannel "WSWG DT2"
WSWG is sister to (and operated by) WCTV in Tallahassee, also a CBS station with MyNetwork on a subchannel.
SAVANNAH's WSAV & AUGUSTA's WRDW each have MyNetwork broadcasting on separate digital subchannels
All of these stations with separate digital subchannels operate and appear as if they were separate television stations even having separate channels on the local cable system.
None of this is offered in the Macon market and while WGXA was supposed to offer MYNetwork on a separate digital sub-channel. This has not happened. The ONLY way anyone gets the MY Network is via subscribing to satalite. I get it through WWOR in New York City via dish network.