WJRT Changes

[nonewsgoodnews]

Seems like a lot of changes going on at WJRT. I know the revolving door blame was placed on former ND but looks like new ND has a lot of the same issues. I was curious to see how it would go with Gray selling them and becoming Byron Allen. A little rough so far.
However, I did catch a new reporter on in the past week- Alyssa Erwyn. She is probably the best they have hired in quite some time. She clearly has previous experience and is the best reporter they have right out of the gate. It's nice to see the Flint Market not be a right out of college market destination. It used to be a second or third job. Angie, Matt and Terry of course continue to be professional and experienced. Dawn Jones always looks like she is angry and the world and not happy to be there. She needs to go. Kent, Miriam and David are very green.
It would great to see WJRT go back to being the juggernaut it was when Jim Bleicher was there. Since he left, it has been a downslide.

[Realist]

David is green because this is his first TV job. Not sure about Miriam. Kent came from WBKB 11 in Alpena and is stiff as a board.

I will say that the quality of reporters there went downhill since Byron Allen bought ABC12.

[MasterB]

Byron Allen thinks of ABC12 as a spread sheet and he is also a cheap skate with his cheap syndication shows that no one watches as well.

[SD45]

Alyssa Erwin was likely coming to 12 anyway. She grew up an hour from Flint. She's coming down from Marquette.

I remember when WJRT was like the AAA ballclub for Detroit. That ended about 15 years ago.

[whitebalance]

A far cry from the days of Bill Harris, Audrey Barnes, Larry Elliott, Joel Feick, Rich Fisher and many more.

[KeenerGold]

And what is with the picture quality (or lack of) on WJRT's newscasts? It looks like up-rez'd 480p.

[dirtymind410]

David is green because this is his first TV job. Not sure about Miriam. Kent came from WBKB 11 in Alpena and is stiff as a board.

I will say that the quality of reporters there went downhill since Byron Allen bought ABC12.

Byron Allen has taken local news to an all time low.

[mr v]

Stations across the nation have fallen in quality. Reporters are starting in markets that they typically would have needed 4 or 5 yrs of experience to reach.

[sinklair]

That’s not the reporters’ fault. Station managers, news directors, HR directors can hold the line on quality and experience… and pay better to get and keep veteran reporters. They choose not to. They choose to lower the bar. Don’t blame the reporter if you’re unhappy with the low standards at local stations. Blame the station and corporate managers.

[sinklair]

More media consolidation is coming.

Byron Allen is the latest rumor to be considering to buy Scripps.
https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2023/ ... uy-scripps

With all the idiotic moves they’ve been making (anchorless newscasts, mass layoffs), it would be good for someone other than Scripps to run these stations. Scripps has become another broadcaster focused on expanding its bottom line at the expense of doing journalism:
https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2023/ ... ps-layoffs

But let’s look at the record… name one good thing that has come from Byron Allen running WJRT? 12 list all its momentum after ABC-Disney sold it to SJL/Lily… and it’ has remained a distant second place station ever since. Byron has done absolutely nothing. He would do nothing to improve Sinclair either.

We need more local broadcast owners who actually want to invest and improve coverage of their communities. We don’t need owners who don’t even bother to know the towns or staff or issues facing their stations.

[MWmetalhead]

Allen would be a worse owner than Scripps, in my opinion.

[Editorcj]

The Scripps Family Trust would only sell if someone grossly over paid, Allen looks like a bargain shopper and more likely would go after Sinclair stations in a fire sale.

[Splouge]

Allen would be a worse owner than Scripps, in my opinion.

Allen ruins everything

[whitebalance]

ABC 12 Weekend News is a joke. Last night on the 6 O'clock there was one local story. It's all the national news you see again on World News with former 12 staffer Lindsay Davis. Kent needs experience. Kevin looks tired.
Byron has zero pride in product. He is just like Sinclair. Their 6 pm. Week day only News is cluttered with commercials and the annoying crawl. Stella's agent did her no favors putting her in that mess.

[Realist]

ABC 12 Weekend News is a joke. Last night on the 6 O'clock there was one local story. It's all the national news you see again on World News with former 12 staffer Lindsay Davis. Kent needs experience. Kevin looks tired.
Byron has zero pride in product. He is just like Sinclair. Their 6 pm. Week day only News is cluttered with commercials and the annoying crawl. Stella's agent did her no favors putting her in that mess.

Kent had several years experience at Alpena’s WBKB TV 11 (AKA We Barely Know Broadcasting) before coming to ABC12 earlier this year. He’s made no improvement on the air at WJRT-ABC12. He still comes across as stiff and wooden, just like the person he reminds me of - Howdy Doody.