WTSP-Ch. 10 revamps 5 p.m. newscast

© St. Petersburg Times
published October 15, 2002

For longtime viewers clicking onto WTSP-Ch. 10 Monday, it may have seemed like a sudden change: a brand-new, hourlong 5 p.m. program, Life Around the Bay, that introduced a new set, new graphics, new color scheme and new attitude.

But the new show -- which presents a slightly more relaxed, informal approach while presenting an array of news and feature stories -- actually took about a year to develop, initiated by news director Lane Michaelsen as one of his first ideas upon coming to WTSP in October 2001.

"What I saw was sameness," said Michaelsen, recalling his early days watching local TV news shows across the Tampa Bay area. "The viewers don't have a clear choice, because a lot of the TV stations have the same look as the station across the street."

Unveiled Monday, the program featured former noon news anchor Marty Matthews and newly hired anchor Mario Diaz trading quips and introducing a varied mix of stories: from a weather report and a story on school choice issues to an interview with a child psychologist.

The pair sat on a new set built specifically for the show, bathed in shades of red, light blue and white, coordinated with WTSP's new logo, a white numeral 10 with a crimson backing. Anchors Sue Zelenko and Reginald Roundtree offered brief news updates periodically from the station's main news set, which was also upgraded in time for Monday's debut.

It was a mix of news and feature stories similar to those offered by some morning shows, with subjects seemingly geared toward female viewers, in particular.

The changes, instituted in time for November's "sweeps" ratings period, also came one week after rival WFTS-Ch. 28 changed its look, emphasizing aggressive news coverage, its new "ABC Action News" brand and a new slogan: "Taking Action for You." It's the second time this year WFTS has reworked its on air look, further positioning itself to compete with WTSP in key newscasts.

Still, Michaelsen resisted the suggestion WTSP may be softening its news content to contrast its new show with more traditional news reports.

"There are a lot of female viewers available at 5 p.m., so it made sense to program a show that might appeal to them," said Michaelsen. "What we heard from viewers was, "There's too much focus on crime in our community.' And we've taken people at their word."

Of course, there were a few bumps: The translucent podiums set before reporters and anchors on the new set looked a little out of place -- like leftovers from an old sci-fi movie. At times, the mostly red-colored set and crimson-hued graphics could be a little overwhelming (particularly when reporters or anchors also wore red).

Diaz, an energetic former sports anchor from Las Vegas, and Matthews also discovered that the chatty, relaxed rhythms of informal news/feature programs such as NBC's Today and ABC's The View are a lot tougher to emulate than they might seem. But these problems may fade as staffers grow accustomed to the new format.

WTSP has more changes in store. This morning, the station's early newscasts will be retitled This Morning Around the Bay, featuring anchor John Harding and newly-hired co-anchor Heather Van Nest (from WJXT-TV in Jacksonville).

The St. Petersburg Times and WTSP showcase each other's reports under a partnership agreement.

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