WJIB's News Focus

[Bill Piacentini <billpi@ll.mit.edu>]

I preface these remarks with the fact that I only have two "snapshots" of
WJIB: one at 5:30 PM Thurs. June 5, 1997 for about 12 minutes; and another
at 8:31 AM Fri. June 6, 1997.
I was surprised to hear news on WJIB at 5:31PM let alone a staff
anouncer(Tory [whats his name from WLDN1120]) doing it. I was also surprised
for the first two minutes it was International news!
I thought I was listening to Monitor Radio. At 5:33 we heard National news,
I received a great deal of EMI(QRM) from all the Powerlines I was passing
and was forced to "disconnect". When I "connected" back, about 5:42 I think
it was, I heard Tory ending the weather forecast and the newscast. I thought
it a bit strange that even CNN Headline News doesn't devote 2 minutes to
International news at the top or bottom of the hour; and that a "background"
format would have such focus(emphasis) on news to devote ten minutes to it
at PM drive.
This morning, again in the car, at 8:31 AM I heard the Jibguy announcing
prior-segment and following segment music with no hint of news coming up. 
I always thought the conventional wisdom was "Give 'em news in AM drive;
they don't want/need it in PM drive! From the two and only two "snapshots"
these are...
Just some thoughts from Route 126,
Bill Piacentini
 

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