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WKBD-TV, Channel 50 in Southfield, believes Detroiters want more local news and want it earlier in the evening.
To meet that need, the city's top-rated, independent television station is expanding its "10 O'Clock News" from a half-hour to an hour, starting April 10.
The new hour-long, weeknight newscast will feature expanded local news, sports and weather segments, and a series of added features.
To staff the program, Channel 50 is adding 10 employees to its news department, including two reporters, three news photographers, two editors, an associate producer and a writer. The department previously had 20 employees.
The station also has purchased a second microwave truck for on-site telecasts, and will add a third, in-studio camera and two new editing video suites to the four it has.
WKBD is modeling its expanded newscast after the one broadcast by KTVU-TV in San Francisco. Both stations are owned by Cox Enterprises Inc. in Atlanta. KTVU's hour-long news program is the top-rated evening news show in the San Francisco market.
Duane Kell, WKBD's general manager, said he realizes that Detroit is a different market than San Francisco, and that a lot of viewers tune into the network affiliates' 11 p.m. news shows.
"There are different viewing patterns here," he said. "I'm...