Sign of the Sweeps: Longtime Memphis Met’s “Big Announcement” Falls Flat

Dave Brown (Courtesy: WMC-TV)

Memphis chief meteorologist Dave Brown has celebrated 50 years in broadcasting, 35 of which was spent at NBC affiliate WMC-TV. But why was his name trending on Twitter Tuesday night?

Memphis Station “Sweeps” Other Competitors Under the Rug in February

WMC-TV wins the coveted ratings war in Memphis.

Memphis NBC affiliate WMC-TV consistently lauds itself as the most-watched television station in the market, and now recent ratings numbers prove it.

Station execs tell the Commercial Appeal newspaper they dominated every time slot for news. It’s the first time that’s happened for WMC in fifteen years, they say.

Orlando ABC Affiliate Grabs First in February Despite Lackluster Primetime

WFTV

In the race to win first among television stations, February tends to be a fickle month. Depending on who gets the rights to the Grammys, the Super Bowl — even “NCIS” can sway primetime and local news viewership as well.

That DIDN’T happen in Orlando, though. WFTV, the ABC affiliate for the market, placed first in most local news categories, TV Guy Hal Boedeker reports.

From his Orlando Sentinel blog:

WFTV scored both in households and in the 25-to-54 age group, which is most important to news advertisers. WFTV did get some late help from Charlie Sheen, who appeared in a special “20/20″ Tuesday night.

The most intriguing race, at least to this observer, was 11 p.m. weeknights. In the 25-to-54 age group, WFTV drew 31,200 viewers to WKMG’s 26,800, WESH-Channel 2’s 22,000 and WOFL’s 16,100.

WFTV drew a higher margin of total viewers during its 6 p.m. newscast, but for household ratings, it nearly doubled WESH’s 53,700, reporting 96,500 viewers at 5 p.m.

And that’s in the midst of American Idol.

Not an easy feat.

Shock Jock Brings Radio Commentary to Tampa TV

Bubba the Love Sponge

“Bubba the Love Sponge”–it’s a name hard to forget, even harder to stop listening to, as fans no doubt would testify.

Now those fans who enjoy listening to the shock jock in their cars can find him doing a slightly watered-down opinion on various issues, this time on television.

Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., CBS affiliate WTSP will give Bubba —  once fined hundreds of thousands of dollars by the FCC — a chance to say his piece twice a week on the station’s 11 p.m. newscast.

Video after the jump:

Is 55 Too Old for TV News, Even if It’s Working for Your Rival?

WPBF Logo

Laurel Sauer (Courtesy: WPBF)

In the world of today’s high-definition, younger skewed broadcasting industry, is there any room for an on-air personality half a decade from 60?

You’re probably saying sure, if it’s a man, because the glass ceiling for anchors and reporters tends to end sooner for women than for the opposite sex.

But according to the Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce station WPBF is betting on Laurel Sauer, and betting big: she’s currently doing special reports for the station during the February sweeps period.