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Wild weather makes local news top priority
Local television is booming in the Oklahoma capital. In the November sweeps, Oklahoma City stations boasted two of the three highest-rated late newscasts in Nielsen's 56 metered markets. NBC affiliate KFOR led the pack with a standout 17.2 rating/26 share, and CBS outlet KWTV was No. 3 with a 16/24. Even the market's third-rated station in late news, ABC affiliate KOCO, was a national standout at No. 64, averaging an 8.8/12.
Severe weather drives demand for local news. "Whether it is tornadoes or wildfires, the news can be a matter of life and death here," says KFOR General Manager Tim Morrissey. "Viewers are conditioned to turn to TV."
The competition is intense as any wildfire. KFOR won late news in November, but KWTV was No. 1 in the three previous ratings periods. KOCO, which runs Dr. Phil and