In January, Minneapolis NBC affiliate KARE replaced syndicated show Entertainment Tonight at 6:30 p.m. with a locally produced show called Breaking the News.
The two hosts, Rena Sarigianopoulos and Jana Shortal describe the show as a “conversation not a newscast.”
Yesterday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported the show may need “repairs,” and noted a tweet from Shortal asking viewers what they wanted from the show was an attempt to boost ratings.
While the Star Tribune painted a picture of a show in need of help, TVSpy asked KARE how it defined success for the show.
KARE news director Jane Helmke told TVSpy the station “couldn’t be more pleased with the debut of Breaking The News at 6:30 p.m. weekdays and in fact, the 25-54 rating mirrors the former show in this time period to date.”
Helmke added the show is also available digitally which adds to its audience beyond the regular broadcast time slot.
In some cases a station can save money by producing its own shows instead of buying a syndicated one. If a station adds integrations or sponsored content, it could turn a tidy profit from existing resources. Though Helmke told TVSpy the station has no plans to do so at this time.