Mystery Solved!

There has been some question as to how WHO ended up doing a spot that was exactly like WBNS. Well, my sources at WBNS tell me its all legit. For lack of a better term - the spot has been syndicated.

As I've said before - I have no problems with this. Coming up with great spots can be difficult and if you can find a proven concept, why not negotiate the rights to use it?

WNBS, not surprisingly, is willing to syndicate it to others as well. As mentioned before - the "Hello" campaign from Gari Communications has been syndicated for years.

I'm just glad to find a station like WHO who(ha!) did it right. They actually had the courtesy of calling and negotiating the use. Most stations would just steal it - and I think that's just wrong. We've all stolen a turn of phrase or visual idea -- but it seems that entire concepts are being stolen all the time. Bad, very bad.

Copycat Promo?

An alert reader forwarded me this link, which shows a promo that looks a heck of alot like the WBNS history promo.

http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8848886&nav=menu100_10_1

Here is the WBNS promo for comparison:



Thoughts? Did WBNS "sell" this concept/song to WHO? Anyone know the scoop?

Great Article on News Image

Our friend Paul Greeley has written a fantastic article for TVNEWSDAY.com on news image promotion. He cites WBZ as someone who does things right(which I completely agree) and outlines why a lot of stations get it wrong.

Check it out here and be sure to click through to the Firestone ad:

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/19/daily.3/

Paul is a promotions professional who has more than 20 years experience in television promotion.

Scary News

This is from FTVLive:

NBC looking to cut Creative Services at O&O's

If you work in the Creative Services Department at an NBC O&O, it might be a good time to update your resume.

Sources tell FTVLive that the NBC stations group is actively looking at how to centralize all creative services.

Word is that WRC (Washington) General Manager Michael Jack is leading the project. One source tells FTVLive that NBC has asked the O&O's for head count numbers from all of the stations including salaries. The plan calls for the elimination of the Creative Service Directors at the stations.

Also word is that NBC Group President John Wallace is asking stations looking how they might be able to hub weather when NBC starts running the Weather Channel.

There's a rumor that someone left the financial information on a copier at WRC and so the details of the plan are floating around.

Needless to say, it has a number of people on the edge of their seat.

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I've always wondered if this could/would happen... I hope this is not the sign of things to come across the country - but knowing TV, it is.

Weather Team Action Figures

Just when I think I've seen it all -- comes this:

WCBS Jets Football Spots

This is a cute idea, although I feel the payoff jokes at the end could have been stronger: