WBZ-TV 4 rebranding

[Bob Nelson]

Brian wrote: 

>>That arguement would seem to make calls more important.  Since 
channel 4 might not be channel 4 anymore, it would make more sense 
to refer to it as WBZ.  Why brand it as channel 4 if it shows up as 
channel 804 on your cable system (in HD). 

Yes. I was thinking that last night during my break at work;
the TV in the lunch room at the post office is currently tuned
to WBZ-4. For a long time, it was on CNN and we weren't supposed
to change the channel (you'd have to get a ladder to reach 
the controls anyway) but obviously _someone_ changed it so those
working the other night could see the Super Bowl during their
breaks. And it remained on Ch. 4. I thought, well, actually
this is good because I'd like to see the 11 pm newscast
for local stuff! 

Anyway, there were those blocks of W-B-Z in the lower right
hand corner and I thought about this subject. For one thing,
"WBZ" can be associated with its sister news station:
when you think news, think 'WBZ'. Also, if I want a national
news story, I know I tune to "Ch. 42". Or "Ch. 53" Oops,
I meant I tune to "CNN". Or "MSNBC". Or "Ch. 41". Oops,
I mean FoxNews.

And yes, for sports, I just love Ch 49 or Ch 50. Oops, I mean
ESPN and ESPN-2. Different channels are in different places
on cable systems and wherever you live, you eventually
memorize what is where. For all I know, you may have
ESPN on Ch. 12 where you are. So people think BOTH
"WBZ" and "Ch 4...or maybe they will after the
rebranding.

>>What about the case of the SuperStations (ie WTBS) that we had 
years ago.  If they promoted themselves as "channel 17", would that 
make sense on your cable box?  

I would think of "WWOR", "WGN", or "WPIX" as their
identifiers (and would kind of remember what the channel
positions are on my cable). How about the various
cable systems that carry Ch. 38, even up into
other parts of the Northeast and Canada. The TV
listings in the paper up there identify it as "WSBK"
for the most part...

>>We know the cable/satellite networks 
by name (ie MTV, HBO, TNT).  The calls are pretty much the same, 
aren't they?  As cable/satellite numbers get more confusing, you'll 
remember when you go to a friend's house in a neighboring town (on 
a different system) that you want to watch something on WHDH.  Now 
the trick is to find out where the hell WHDH is on their system!