It’s a business decision and a curious one. Detroit’s Fox-owned WJBK-TV is starting an 11pm newscast – meaning 90 minutes of news from 10-11:30pm.
The Detroit News’ Neal Rubin devotes his column to this today.
This decision comes in the wake of a Crain’s Detroit Business report by Bill Shea that details the tumbling ratings of longtime 11pm leader WDIV-TV. A loss of nearly 100,000 households in 10 years.
So why this move? It’s simple. Fox thinks they can make more money selling advertising in an 11pm newscast then in Seinfeld reruns.
So even if there isn’t a great market demand (when was the last time somebody told you they wished there was more local news on at 11pm?), it’s good for us in the public relations business. Another half hour might mean more time for our clients’ news.