Posted by chicagomedia.org on May 09, 2008 at 10:39:42:
BY ROBERT FEDER Sun-Times Columnist
Could Chicago television support two full-time local news channels?
With Tribune Co. already 15 years into its CLTV cable news operation, the prospect of new competition arose this week.
NBC announced plans to launch a 24-hour local news product in New York on one of WNBC-TV's digital channels while continuing its regular broadcast news programs.
With an expected November start, WNBC's new channel would compete against Time Warner Cable's NY1.
If the plan succeeds by mid-2009, published reports said, NBC would make similar moves at its other stations, including WMAQ-Channel 5 here.
It's one more way traditional news organizations could seek to adapt to the challenges of new technology, slow revenue growth and fragmented audiences.
Frank Whittaker, station manager and vice president of news at Channel 5, said there were "no plans right now" to add a full-time news channel here.
"We will be watching New York to see how things develop," he said. "We're always trying to find new ways to expand viewership. So if something makes sense, we'll take a look."