Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Wonder if WLOS will follow suit. Press release here:
GREENVILLE, S.C. — WYFF News 4 Today will get an early start as WYFF 4 announces the expansion of its weekday morning newscasts. Beginning Monday, March 1, WYFF News 4 Today will start at 4:30 a.m. offering 2-and-a-half hours of local news, weather and traffic every weekday morning.
With this expansion, WYFF 4 will be the only local station in the Greenville-Asheville-Spartanburg-Anderson television market delivering local news at 4:30 a.m. weekdays.
“WYFF News 4 is a proven news leader and this just builds on the great strength we already have in the mornings,” said WYFF 4 President and General Manager Michael J. Hayes.
In addition to the earlier weekday start, WYFF 4 is currently the only local station with news and weather for a full three hours on weekend mornings.
“More people are getting up earlier and want to start their day with the best in local news,” WYFF News 4 News Director Justin Antoniotti said.
The expansion also means that WYFF News 4 produces more than 34 hours of local news per week, almost four hours more than its closest competitor. This provides viewers with more of an opportunity to find a local newscast at a time that’s convenient to them.
“Morning news is very important to our viewers,” Antoniotti said. The earlier start time is another way to give viewers the opportunity to watch local news at a time that suits them, he said.
WYFF 4 is already the market’s early morning news leader, according to the Nielson ratings. In Nielson’s November, 2009 sweeps, WYFF News 4 Today captured its 42nd straight household win in the 6 am newscast.
I feel sorry for the crew that’s probably having to get up extra early now to produce a show hardly anybody will be watching.
Won’t be long until WLOS and WYFF will have to make their own 24-hour news stations. Can you imagine? Twenty-four hours of local news, not to mention 3 or 4 "Carolina Kitchen" and "Craft Corner" segments every day, lots more winter weather coverage of the latest dusting to hit the mountains, and a heartier helping of Darcel and Tammy. I can’t wait.