In NYC, WABC Plans Post-Oprah Era

Station to add local news hour,
Regis exit delayed several months

New York local television will be different in the fall, at least for longtime market leader WABC, according to Matthew Flamm at crainsnewyork.com.

For the first time in 25 years, there will be no Oprah Winfrey Show overpowering the ratings at 4 p.m. and funneling thousands of viewers to the dominant 5 o'clock newscast, Channel 7's Eyewitness News. The Queen of Daytime will end her broadcast run and move to the recently launched Oprah Winfrey Network, a joint venture with cable programming giant Discovery.

And Regis Philbin, co-host of Live with Regis and Kelly, will step down from his 9 a.m. talk show seat after 29 years on WABC. His departure will come at the end of November, Crain's has learned, to allow for a proper—and presumably highly rated—goodbye. He had originally planned to leave in August.

The flagship station of Walt Disney Co.'s ABC Television group has been No. 1 in billings for the past five years, insiders say, and No. 1 in ratings for the past six. But it will have to figure out a new way to lead viewers into its early evening newscasts, where a good chunk of its money is made.

Oprah Winfrey's departure is the primary game changer. She's leaving a gaping hole in the schedule, and Channel 7's rivals could capture some of her audience. She might also take viewers with her. OWN has not announced its fall lineup.

But WABC executives expect to hold their lead. OWN has yet to establish a big audience, and though there are reasonably strong syndicated talk shows, like Dr. Phil on WCBS and Ellen on WNBC, there are no signs yet of another Oprah.

WABC isn't even looking for one. Dave Davis, general manager of Channel 7, told Crain's that the plan is to add another hour of local news, and become the only New York station with a 4 o'clock newscast.

Mr. Davis likes the economics. He may have to hire reporters, but successful newscasts do well with advertisers, and stations keep the revenue rather than sharing it as they do with network and syndicated programming.

Even more important, the station won't have to pay a hefty license fee. Oprah reportedly costs WABC $275,000 a week. While viewing is up this season, and though it easily wins its time period, the show has lost about half its audience over the past six years, and is generally considered a break-even proposition.

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