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The network's new fall programs don't hold out much promise, so Detroit's two top news stations plan to slug it out for ratings supremacy in the news arena.
The stakes are so high between WDIV-TV, Channel 4 in Detroit and WXYZ-TV, Channel 7 in Southfield, that Alan Frank, vice president and general manager of Channel 4 recently offered his employees $1,000 bonus if Channel 4 can unseat market leader Channel 7 in the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts, lengthen its lead at 11 p.m. and become the "sign on/sign off" ratings leader.
"If we become the No. 1 station, we'll make more money and I'll share it with my people," Frank said. The station employs about 200 people.
Waiting in the wings is WJBK-TV, Channel 2 that hopes that former Channel 7 second banana, Rich Fisher, can eventually generate enough audience appeal to boost Channel 2's ratings. Fisher is co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news with Joe Glover.
At stake are ratings, revenue and prestige. The station that rules news rules Detroit. News is a major profit generator for the local stations. In early news from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the stations charge between $600 and $1,200 for a 30-second commercial. The rate jumps to between $1,200 to $3,500 for a 30-second commercial on the 11 p.m. news.
The stations charge $50 for a 30-second commercial on a late night show, to $10,000 for a 30-second commercial on a network show. The stations charge significantly more for a special event, such as the World Series or Super Bowl.
This year, Channel 7 is asking about $18,000 for a 30-second commercial on the Super Bowl.
While the three network affiliates battle it out for news, the city's two top independents, WKBD-TV, Channel 50 in Southfield, and WXON-TV, Channel 20 in Southfield, have lofty goals of their own.
Channel 20 shelled out an unspecified sum for 12 first-run syndicated shows, including "Alf" and "Hogan's Family," which is still running on CBS, as well as a package of 89 movies, some of which can be shown this year. The movies include "Batman."
Station manager Mike Berman says the station shelled out the money with the hope of recouping the investment with a corresponding...