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Portland local news race heats up as stations go 'four' it
A Pacific Northwest news race that was already tighter than a hipster's skinny jeans got hotter still after 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' departed from the broadcast arena last year. Portland powerhouse KGW thought long and hard, and tapped reams of research, to figure out how to best fill the yawning gap. DJ Wilson, KGW president and general manager, wanted a show with a "takeaway," as Oprah' had-an actionable piece of wisdom doled out each day.
The NBC affiliate opted for an hour-long local newscast targeted to women. Your 4 O'clock News is a very different animal from the broadcasts it leads into, says Wilson - different writing, different studio at Pioneer Courthouse Square ("our own little Rockefeller Center," she says) , different feel altogether.
"Our DNA is a hard news station," Wilson says. "If there's an established news period, we need to be in it."
No time slot has seen more action...