The TV Model Is Broken

I love television. I’m a student of the media. It was incredibly important in shaping who I’ve become.

TV’s model is broken.

There were seven channels in NYC when I grew up. Most cities had less.

No remote control. No DVR or VCR. You watched it when it aired. If two shows you wanted to see aired simultaneously–tough.

In 1960, Gunsmoke finished the season in first place:

1 Gunsmoke CBS 40.3 rating 65 share

That’s 40% of all homes and 65% of those homes where the TV was turned on!

Last week’s number one entertainment show was “Big Bang Theory.” It had a 5.1 rating.

In those more innocent days you had to be careful not to get hit by the falling bags of money! Not today.

Before WTNH was sold in 1985, Geraldine Fabrikant wrote this in the New York Times:

The jewel in the ABC-Capital Cities package is WTNH-TV, the Capital Cities station affiliated with ABC, that covers the New Haven and Hartford markets. Its 1984 net revenue was $24.9 million, and operating income was $14.6 million. That meant operating profit margins of 58 percent. During the past five years, the margin has never been lower than 58 percent, and it has been as high as 62 percent.

They took in $25 million at 8 Elm Street for an operation that cost $10 million to run!

Those days are long gone. Though the broadcast networks and their affiliates are still the dominant force, their audience is a fraction of what it was.

Technology has been the difference. The pie has been sliced into many more smaller pieces.

Whether they take advantage or not, most people are currently equipped to see shows without benefit of television. We’ve got computers and tablets and smartphones and they’re all very capable of video playback.

I knew Saturday Night Live was going to be good last night because I read tweets from the East Coast. Why did I have to wait to see the show? Only because it breaks television’s business model!

The same with this afternoon’s Cowboys/Redskins game. It wasn’t on in SoCal. I wanted to see it and did… don’t ask. Free and easy access to all the games breaks television’s business model.

We need local TV. We need local news and other local programming (scant as it is), but won’t have it for long unless TV stations find a new business model.

I can see a future where shows will stand on their own without a station or network. Netflix productions are a step in that direction, but why do you even need Netflix?

TV’s current model is broken. The more viewers realize it, the harder it will be to hold back the tide.

Times Change–Prices Too

You get a more stations nowadays, but they’re nowhere near as profitable.

Back when I was searching for gainful employment I made a hard push for an opening at KGTV in San Diego. I didn’t get the job. In retrospect that’s fine. Actually, it’s now finer. McGraw-Hill just announced KMGH has been sold.

I wish the folks at KMGH the best. The period between this type of announcement and a transaction’s closing is often unpleasant. The seller has every incentive to take a short term attitude and spend as little as possible. The product (and morale) suffer.

McGraw-Hill is known as a good company. Maybe they’ll be different?

It was interesting to see what $212 million buys in 2011.

The Broadcasting Group includes ABC affiliates in Denver, Colorado (KMGH-TV), San Diego, California (KGTV), Bakersfield, California (KERO-TV), Indianapolis, Indiana (WRTV) and Azteca America affiliates in Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, San Diego and Bakersfield.

Here’s how that compares to 1985. That’s when WTNH was sold by CapCities.

An entity controlled by the partners of Whitcom Investment and Anchorage-based Cook Inlet Region Inc. has won the bidding for WTNH-TV, an ABC affiliate in the Hartford-New Haven area, for which it will pay about $170 million, according to the sources.

That’s one station, the building on State and Elm plus the transmitter facility in Hamden for $170 million. The Hartford/New Haven market is comparably sized to both Indianapolis and San Diego.

As the NY Times reported in 1985,

WTNH-TV’s 1984 operating income was $14.6 million on net revenue of $24.9 million, resulting in a 58 percent profit margin. Over the last five years, the margin has reached 62 percent and has never fallen below 58 percent. The station’s margins are unusually good.

Can you imagine?

27 Years On-Air In Connecticut

Their partnership would later find its way to court, but back then they were amazing.

It’s entirely fitting that on this my 27th anniversary of being on-the-air in Connecticut I am not on-the-air. It’s been an upheaval year for me here in the land of steady habits.

May 21, 1984 when I began at WTNH Action News I worked with Al Terzi and Geri Harris. Bob Picozzi was our sports guy. I replaced the beautiful and gracious Beverly Johnson. Our two other weather people were Linda Church (at WPIX for a long time) and Bruce MacFarlane.

One day Bruce sort of disappeared and I’ve never heard from or of him again! Strange.

May I talk about Al? I loved working with Al. It can be argued he is the best known television personality in Connecticut.

He always listened to what I said and laughed when he thought I was trying to be funny–even when I failed. On TV that is the finest example of team player. I will always be grateful.

I remember that first September choppering up to the Big “E” with Al. We flew in this little bubble Engstrom cramped in with Al Notzel the pilot. As we walked into the grounds it was as if Al was a Deity. I have never seen more heads turn.

Geri on the other hand didn’t seem to get me. It felt like she disapproved of me every night on TV.

Later Al and Geri were moved off and John Lindsay and Janet Peckinpaugh were brought in. Lindsay never seemed to make the geographic commitment and soon returned to Colorado.

Al Terzi who had been demoted was paired with Janet Peckinpaugh. Their partnership would later find its way to court, but back then they were amazing.

Whatever “it” was Janet had plenty! She was the most glamorous anchor I’ve worked with. She was a real celeb. Viewers loved her. They couldn’t get enough.

My bosses were Mike Sechrist and Wendi Feinberg. I am still very close with both. I have thanked them dozens of times for this opportunity.

Helaine says I still have a lot of TV left in me. It’s good I’m not done yet.

Tim Wright Retires

If you don’t know Tim I ask you to judge his impact by the people who showed. I know I’m going to forget names so feel free to remind me.

Tim Wright’s been a shooter at Channel 8 for 31 years. He retired tonight. There are few in government, sports and politics who hadn’t run across Tim. Everyone in the media knows him. He is among the most relaxed people I know. No one laughs more, or more distinctly.

If you don’t know Tim I ask you to judge his impact by the people who showed. I know I’m going to forget names so feel free to remind me.

Bob Picozzi, Skip Church, Diane Smith. Kenn Venit. Former General Manager Lew Friefeld. Former everything else manager Stan Roman. Roseann. Nancy. Lisa. Nyberg, Kountz, Kramer, Baghdady, Finz.

The Chief.

Erin Cox is a new mother. She looked fabulous. She was radiant.

Tracey came after she dropped Tallulah off with Helaine. We are sitting.

Jose was upset with me.

Kent Pierce, Chris Velardi, Annie Roarke, Jocelyn (like Cher one name is sufficient), Kristen (ditto).

Rachel came from Boston.

Johnny Mongillo, the world’s most interesting man.

Connie and Marylee.

Dobratz and Pierson (unshaven and very Hollywood).

The food and open bar were on NABET the union that serves Channel 8’s photographers, engineers, floor crew, producers and directors. Thanks.

Tm’s been through film, then carrying a camera and large tape deck. We later shifted to camcorders — still bulky and now smaller and less expensive (though technically superior) cameras.

He has toted gear in every kind of bad weather imaginable. While reporters are in the truck writing stories guys like Timmy Wright are often outside setting up the live shot.

Tim will retire to South Carolina where the snow seldom falls and where he’ll never be asked to stay overtime or work a sixth day.

Someone commented it was “good to see Tim leave standing.” Yes it was.

Click for Ann Nyberg’s photos from Facebook.

Behind-The-Scenes Control Room Video

The control room is where the real action takes place during a newscast or any show for that matter. It’s certainly the place you’re most likely to hear cursing or need Maalox!

When friends visit the TV station they usually say they want to be in the studio. I know better. I always let them watch a little from the control room.

The control room is where the real action takes place during a newscast or any show for that matter. It’s certainly the place you’re most likely to hear cursing or need Maalox!

With our new control room in an functioning I shot a little video of our 10 O’Clock newscast. Fred Valenti is at the controls of the Ignite system.

The New Control Room

The control room is just the most obvious addition in a project which will replace nearly every wire and piece of gear at the station. It’s a crazily complex project.

A new control room is being constructed at work. That’s actually an understatement because the control room is just the most obvious addition in a project which will replace nearly every wire and piece of gear at the station. It’s a crazily complex project.

Instead of the traditional broadcast switcher we’ll be using Ignite from Grass Valley. Think non-linear editor or PowerPoint for a live broadcast. It’s more structured than a legacy control room but it’s a whole lot less labor intensive which seems to be the goal everywhere nowadays.

Here’s a very short video to show you a little of where we are.

Hurricane Gloria Video Surfaces

If you’re a longtime Connecticut resident you’ll remember Al Terzi anchoring with Janet Peckinpaugh, Diane Smith’s voice is there along with a waterlogged David Henry and some folks I just don’t recognize anymore.

My friend Ryan Hanrahan posted this video to his blog earlier tonight. I didn’t even know it was around. It’s from a special we did on WTNH after Hurricane Gloria.

If you’re a longtime Connecticut resident you’ll remember Al Terzi anchoring with Janet Peckinpaugh. Diane Smith’s voice is also there with a waterlogged David Henry and some folks I just don’t recognize anymore. And, of course, the Action News music!

It was 25 years ago. I look so young!

Ask Me Anything–26 Years Ago Today!

Please get rid of Geoff Fox. In my opinion, he is boring, loud, too loquacious and gives us information, ad nauseum, that we don’t need. Let him watch Channels 3 and 30 to get an idea of good weather presentation.

I’m currently answering all your questions. Read more about it here.

I’ve got a comment from Tony. “It seems like I have been watching you on the weather and listening to your corny jokes forever. How long have you been at Channel 8, sorry, News 8, and how old where you when you started?”

Amazingly Tony it was 26 years ago today! I began at WTNH on May 21, 1984. I replaced (the spectacularly beautiful and wonderfully warm) Beverly Johnson who went to San Francisco and later died tragically.

I was 33 then. That means I am now… old. Luckily I’m immature for my age.

In 1984 I worked in weather with Linda Church and Bruce McFarland. Linda’s at Channel 11 in New York where they should kiss the ground she walks on. She is great on-the-air. I have no idea where Bruce went. He vanished. Nice guy.

I have been on-air at News 8 longer than anyone else there. I think I’m the all time record holder.

Tony, as nice as your email is, I also get stuff like this from time-to-time.

Please get rid of Geoff Fox. In my opinion, he is boring, loud, too loquacious and gives us information, ad nauseum, that we don’t need. Let him watch Channels 3 and 30 to get an idea of good weather presentation.

The guy sent the email directly to me! What a jerk. OK–idiot, not jerk. Whatever.

The truth is not everyone is going to like you. And if like me you’re “high concept talent” people will form an opinion.

This one’s from a longtime blog reader David. “Who among the personalities we might remember (on air) at Channel 8 did you consider to be close mentors when you first arrived?”

I’m not sure I had mentors as in someone to take me under their wing. I was already 33 and had been on-air in radio and TV for 15 years. My ‘act’ was pretty well formed.

I can tell you our short lived anchor John Lindsay was responsible for me stopping smoking!

Helaine had been bugging me to quit my pack and a half a day habit. Finally I said, “OK, I’ll try and cut back.”

Back then you could smoke in the station and many people did. We used old film cans as ashtrays!

John, Bob Picozzi and I sat on the set for a wide shot when the news began. As we waited I chatted with John and told him what I was doing about my smoking.

“That won’t work,” he said. I was puzzled. He proceeded to tell me how I’d be back to my normal consumption in a week or two.

“You’ve got to say I’ve already smoked my last cigarette.”

That made a lot of sense. When I walked into the condo that night I slammed my pack of Lucky Strike filters on the counter, turned to Helaine and said, “I quit.” She thought I was bailing from the marriage!

I have never smoked another cigarette. Helaine was incredibly supportive through the first few months. She even returned an unused carton to Stop and Shop!

They weren’t mentors, but Al Terzi and Diane Smith were probably the most career helpful to me. They understood my on-air style needed support from my co-anchors. Both of them, more than anyone else back then, listened to my every word and laughed whenever they thought I was telling a joke.

Seriously, Al and Diane’s laughter often sold a line I’d delivered. They made me funny. I never asked either to do that, but they understood viscerally.

I miss having both of them in my life on a daily basis.

I will tell you two people who tried to help my career during the 80s. One was Al Roker, then working at Channel 4. The other was Spencer Christian, then at Good Morning America. Both were gracious and selfless–truly class acts. I would crawl over broken glass for either.

Janet For Congress?

Viewers loved Janet because she seemed vulnerable. Politics commands a thick skin. Can vulnerable and thick skin coexist? We’ll see.

The emails have trickled in over the last few days. Janet Peckinpaugh is thinking about running for the 2nd District congressional seat held by Joe Courtney. She’d be running for the Republican nomination against Daria Novak (who has appeared on this blog… and was a good sport about it).

I’d better throw in some back story, because as big as Janet was you might not know who she is!

Back in the 1980s the Connecticut television news race was divided this way: Channel 3, everyone else. In this case everyone else was mainly Channel 8. Channel 30 with much less reach as a difficult to tune in UHF station was specklike. Channel 61 wasn’t yet on-the-air.

The company that owned Channel 8 made a decision to get competitive. That was gutsy because WTNH was more profitable than WFSB! It had a smaller audience but also spent a lot less. The owner, Capital Cities Communications, moved their hotshot news director, Mike Sechrist, to New Haven from Fresno. Then they opened their wallet.

Not every move Mike made worked, but one was so successful it trumped everything else (next to hiring me, of course). He hired a young, sweet looking, Janet Peckinpaugh. I seem to remember her coming from Richmond, VA–but don’t hold me to that.

I can’t explain Janet’s success except to say she had that magical “it” that make some people on TV stand out. Actually, Janet didn’t have “it” as much as she had “IT!!!.” She was vulnerable and approachable. She was very pretty but not where women didn’t wanted their husband’s watching her.

With Janet (and a rejuvenated Al Terzi) our audience grew until we caught Channel 3 at 6:00 PM–an amazing achievement.

Helaine and I were friendly with Janet. She was always very nice to me on-the-air and off. We went to her spectacular wedding atop Hartford Steam Boiler Company. It was probably the most glamorous affair I’ve ever attended.

Then, for reasons still not clear to me, Janet left and the station wallowed. Think balloon and pin!

As is often the case in TV her earlier success did not follow her up I-91.

She was later involved in an ugly lawsuit and finally anchored at Channel 30. When last I saw her on-air she was the anchor on infomercials for a mortgage company.

Am I surprised she’s considering congress? Yeah. Not that I think about Janet often, but even if I did I’d never make this leap. OK, I haven’t known her for over twenty years. Everyone changes. Maybe a smoldering political fire has finally come to life?

Maybe there’s something in the DNA of people who do what we do? I have often thought about running for Congress. I have too much respect for my incumbent congresswoman to ever seriously consider that, but the thought’s there in the abstract&185.

We all have dirty laundry. Helaine reminds me of mine all the time. Imagine if your life was poked and prodded at by an opponent who wanted you gone! I’m not sure Janet’s so special in that regard, but maybe.

When Kevin Rennie blogged about this yesterday the mean comments weren’t far behind! Her unquestioned sweetness of the 80s is now questioned.

Viewers loved Janet because she seemed vulnerable. Politics commands a thick skin. Can vulnerable and thick skin coexist? We’ll see.

&#185 – After writing this entry a co-worker called me out for this paragraph. She said I made it sound like I could beat Rosa but won’t. I can see how that might be the impression. Let me clarify.

Rosa DeLauro is unbeatable in this district. Right now you would have to be a fool or extreme doctrinaire to run against her. There’s a reason few who want to serve in Congress do. There are people like Rosa already there.

To me that’s OK because I like Rosa.

God, I hope that’s more clear now.

I’m Back And Busy

Sometime soon someone will slip up and say the wrong thing. It’s like writing the wrong year on checks in January

I’m back at work tonight. It’s been a long time since I worked a full week. Some folks were sending email wondering if I was still employed. That’s a reasonable question all things considered.

First I had to take four days off for my mother’s surgery. The next week I was off the early newscasts while I created the maps and graphics we needed for our new look in weather (more on that in a sec). Last week my folks were visiting and I was off again.

I have no away time planned for a while! They’re stuck with me now.

I got to work early today, before 1:00 PM. It was the day of our switch to 16:9. I needed to make sure there was enough time to make the final changes.

I’ve written about this before. 16:9 is the shape TV is headed and, if your set is of recent vintage, what you’re watching today.

All the maps and banners were created before I left. Now I had to enable the newly shaped video on our main and backup weather computers and our engineers had to route them into the control room. Little things I’d forgotten suddenly became obvious, There were some moments when we all threw our hands in the air, but before long it was all working… and it looked good.

Tonight at 5:00 PM the station went live with the new shape and a new look. There’s a whole lot of red going on. The looks is more contemporary and bold.

I was astounded. Not only did everything work, but no one said “News Channel 8” instead of the newly minted “News 8.”

Note to readers: I don’t know why we changed. I’m sure there’s a good reason. OK–I hope there’s a good reason.

Sometime soon someone will slip up and say the wrong thing. It’s like writing the wrong year on checks in January. It will happen and the tension will be broken. Right now no one wants it to come from their mouth! Please, let it not be me.

Hopefully people who were worried about me are now happier. All across Connecticut people were saying, “Look, what’s his name is back.”

The Bottom Of The Coffee Cup Collection

We’re using cups I haven’t seen in years. Unearthing these cups is like going on an archeological dig.

My folks are here. It’s great having them. We’re trying to show them as good a time as is possible. Would you expect different?

Every morning Helaine makes decaf coffee for them (aka – warm brown water) and real coffee for me (aka – real coffee). Over the course of a day or two that’s a large number of cups going into a large number of cups.

Am I confusing you yet?

Between dishwashing cycles we’ve made it to the bottom of the coffee cup supply. We’re using cups I haven’t seen in years. Unearthing these cups is like going on an archeological dig.

I’m not sure where the orange WFIL cup came from, but 560 WFIL was Philadelphia’s premiere top-40 station in the 60s, and 70s. By the 80s music on AM faded. I’m not sure what WFIL’s doing today. Whatever it is would be sad to hear.

The WTNH cup has to be old just by virtue of the rectangular “8” logo. There was a time when TV stations didn’t realize viewers would watch local stations while getting ready for work or school! Our pre-Good Morning America newscasts were underfunded, understaffed and in many ways afterthoughts.

When I got the Good Morning America cup it was filled to the brim with coffee. It came from Harold, one of the GMA stagehands. It is indicative of the level of staffing and importance that show held. That was part of why I enjoyed doing GMA so much.

How many jobs still come with free coffee and someone to wrangle it? Don’t answer. Too depressing.

The Post’s Snow Lover Hates Me

Does seeing what he wrote upset me? Of course it does.

I got a mention in Jim Shay’s blog from the Connecticut Post&#185. The entry is called, “Weathering the anti-snow people.”

I tried to respond there, but the website fired off an error message saying it couldn’t connect to its database.

“[A] promising period of snow and cold temperatures are in the forecast.

No you won’t get that from the snow haters on Connecticut television stations. At the top of the list is Geoff Fox on WTNH whose anti-snow bias is enough to turn off the channel as soon as you see him. Sorry, Geoff, I’m tired of hearing that B.S. of the time you spent in snowy Buffalo. Why don’t you just tell the forecast instead of your shaking your head and have that condensending smug on your face when there’s snow in the forecast.”

fluffy-snow-deck-chairs.jpgWe’ve got to get Jim a spell checker. Actually, even if it was spelled right, what’s a condescending smug?

He’s mostly right though. I’m not exactly anti-snow (can one actually be anti-snow?), but I am a snow hater. Not Jim. His blog is named “Snow Zone.” Duh.

He’s unhappy with me. I suspect he thinks my admitted bias affects my forecast.

If it were only that simple.

He probably prefers those who predicted 100 of the last 25 inches of snow! To them hope springs eternal. All potential Nor’easters become Nor’easters. That’s not real life. That’s not me.

My forecast doesn’t make the snow come. As Dr. Mel says, “We’re in prediction, not production.” The snow is a passive observer. It does what it wants.

My job is to be as accurate as possible. Bias be damned. There’s no upside to being wrong. I’ve been wrong enough times over 25 years to know I want to avoid it (and to avoid humanity in general after I’ve been wrong).

Does seeing what he wrote upset me? Of course it does. No one wants to read along as the author tries to put you down (though, as hinted at earlier, it would be more effective if the Assistant Managing Editor of the Connecticut Post properly spelled his words and structured his sentences).

Stuff like this comes with the territory. I do a better job dealing with it than I once did. Anyway, the posting is not as bad as it looks because he wrote enough specifics to realize he does watch!

The blogger doth protest too much.

&#185 – The Connecticut Post was the Bridgeport Post. Like many papers attached to a downtrodden urban center with wealthier suburbs (Newark Star-Ledger, Camden Courier-Post to name two) it changed its name. That might be good for the paper while simultaneously demoralizing for the formerly named city.

Really? Did I Say That?

It wasn’t until today I saw the story… and I was actually clever in print.

Last Friday I was called by Susan Misur at the New Haven Register. She was writing a story about Hurricane Bill and was looking for some meteorological help. No problem. I like ink!

It wasn’t until today I saw the story… and I was actually clever in print.

“I think this cold front will stand between us and the storm like a bouncer stands at the door to a club. Hopefully, it will protect us,” said WTNH meteorologist Geoff Fox.

Do you really have to be a meteorologist to say stuff like that?

My 25th Anniversary At The TV Station

Sure, there will be more talented people. There might even be people who will stay longer–though that seems doubtful. But no one will ever be seen by audiences as large as we had in the 80s and 90s.

I remember driving back to meet Helaine after seeing Mike Sechrist in the spring of 1984. “I didn’t get it,” I told her. “They want someone older.”

I’d seen Mike hoping to fill his weather opening in New Haven. It wasn’t destined to be. But, surprise, I did get it–the weather job at WTNH.

I began May 21, 1984. Thursday was my 25th anniversary.

I can’t remember what kind of day it was when I started, but I do know I sat with Al Terzi, Gerri Harris and Bob Picozzi in front of a blank blue wall. We had no real set. All the backgrounds and frames were inserted using chromakey.

I did my first tease before my first weathercast saying a few words and ending with, “Well, how am I doing so far?” It was a line I’d first used on my first day in radio–probably stolen from someone much more clever. Gerri looked at me as if I’d just parachuted in from Mars.

In my 25 years she was one of two anchors who obviously ‘didn’t get me.’ Al, on the other hand, laughed at every joke I told–funny or not. What Al did was like comedy kindling and it helped establish me.

I have survived four general managers (with a fifth soon-to-be hired), ten news directors and scores of producers. I have outlived all the other on-air people at Channel 8 that day in 1984. Considering I’d bounced around radio for 11 years before getting to Connecticut that’s quite a feat.

I don’t know how it came about… these 25 years. It’s nothing you aim for. I seem to remember thinking of WTNH as a good stepping stone, not a final resting place. And yet I stayed.

For a while I filled in for ABC on Good Morning America. Maybe I thought the network would come calling–but they didn’t. So I stayed and stayed and stayed.

I built a very good life first for Helaine and then Stefanie. My parents moved to the area and then moved away. We set down roots. I tried to give back, especially with charity work.

You don’t go to work on day one hoping to stay 25 years. I certainly didn’t. It’s all one day at-a-time and then, all of a sudden, those days begin to add up. Prospective employers look at people who change jobs a lot as having baggage. Once you’ve stayed too long you’re looked at the same way.

There will never be another Geoff Fox in Connecticut. Sure, there will be more talented people. There might even be people who will stay longer–though that seems doubtful. But no one will ever be seen by audiences as large as we had in the 80s and 90s. That tonnage is gone. It’s affect is cumulative over the years.

I have a great job. I enjoy coming to work nearly every day. Even after 25 years no one will ever accuse me of phoning it in. I am a well defined personality and though lots of people like me, there’s also a sizable contingent who don’t.

No gold watch today, I got a plaque. I’m taking off Friday but I’ll be back Monday.

My Friday Nighttime At Nightline

The Nightline set is, to be kind, tiny. The street traffic behind the anchor plays off a server and is shown on a rear projection TV. Is nothing real?

When I came to WTNH the director of our evening newscasts was a young guy named Jeff Winn&#185. He had the thankless task of directing our newscasts on a chromakey set. This is much too complex to explain here except to say any mistake Jeff made was glaringly obvious to even a casual viewer. It was that obvious. Luckily, Jeff was good at what he did. Mistakes were few.

He left us and went on to bigger things. Again, too complex to explain here, plus if I thought about his career versus mine I’d openly weep. Jeff has seven Emmys, as do I. His are the much larger, heavier, impressive, national ones. Jeff won most of them directing “Real Sports” on HBO. He still does that on a monthly basis.

Jeff’s day night job is directing ABC News Nightline. Originally Ted Koppel’s nightly wrap-up of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and then a daily single subject half hour of hard news, Nightline post-Ted is flashier, lighter and more feature oriented. It’s also stronger in the ratings than it’s been in years, recently beating Letterman.

I’ve been meaning to watch Jeff direct for years but never had the chance. I went last night.

The drive to New York was speedy and without incident until the Bronx. What had been a wide open highway became a slow moving bumper-to-bumper grind. I broke free, headed down the West Side Highway and pulled into an open and totally legal parking space on Columbus Avenue directly across the street from ABC’s entrance.

Really–I found legal on-street parking in Manhattan. I’m available for autographs later.

When Nightline first went to its rotating three anchor configuration it came from a windowed studio above Times Square. Even now you can watch the traffic behind the anchor. Don’t be fooled (as I was). They moved around a year ago and now come from TV-3, the same studio as World News with Charlie Gibson. The Nightline set is, to be kind, tiny. The street traffic behind the anchor plays off a server and is shown on a rear projection TV. Is nothing real?

For much of the evening Jeff is ‘on a leash,’ even when there’s nothing to do. If a major story broke, he would direct live coverage across the full network. That is no small responsibility. ABC has standby staff just-in-case 24/7.

We took the grand tour to the control room passing through Nightline’s sparsely staffed offices. Most of the action happens here during the day. The show is anchored live, but the packages are mainly pre-produced at a more convenient hour. TV work isn’t as glamorous when you consider so much of it is “second shift.”

ABC’s New York headquarters is a confusing collection of mainly connected buildings on Manhattan’s West Side between 66th and 67th from Columbus Avenue to Central Park West. There are a few apartment buildings interspresed, but most of the block is ABC’s.

Back when I did some freelance work at the network (weather fill-ins on Good Morning America–you never call anymore–I’m crushed) I never ventured far from my studio (TV-2) lest I get lost! In some of the interconnections the floors don’t even line up!

The control room itself is very impressive with two rows of arena type seating, a few individual positions farther back and a separate audio booth. The production crew face a winged wall of large high definition flat panel monitors. Each monitor is split to show individual inputs as needed. Most are pretty standard cameras and servers, but I also saw tie-lines to Washington and Europe (feeding Arab language broadcasts back to New York last night).

Jeff sat down and with the technical director and assistant director went through the show’s scripts page-by-page making sure each input was properly marked and available. As far as I could tell only one small change was made during this run-through. A courtesy font for a photograph came positioned over the person’s face. It was moved to air in a less intrusive spot.

As 11:35 PM approached more and more people drifted in. By airtime there were around a dozen people at work. Actually, the show starts 15 seconds early as an animated countdown streams to the network. I’m hoping that’s a tradition carried over from the good old days, because by now the affiliates had better have synchronized clocks, wouldn’t you think?

One floor down Martin Bashir anchored. His only contact with the upstairs crew was electronic. I enjoyed when he read about someone being taken to the hospital and in his British English left out the article “the.” “He was taken to hospital,” was what the audience heard.

The show was flawless… at least it looked flawless to me. In many ways the production resembled a local newscast, but with longer packages, no live shots and more help. The producer even shuffled extra promo content in to help fill the show’s scheduled time.

Jeff and the team were relaxed and playful as the show aired. These are people working together every night. They know their jobs and at this level I suspect screw-ups aren’t tolerated long.

A little after midnight we were done.

&#185 – Our other director was Tom O’Brien, who moved out of directing to sales and then management. He is now general manager at WNBC in New York after a long stay as GM at KXAS Dallas.