Graham Media Group wins Google innovation grant to build deeper connections with audiences

DETROIT, MI -- Graham Media Group received a grant from the Google News Initiative’s North America Innovation Challenge on Oct. 25 to develop and build a membership program for local TV broadcasters.

GMG’s “Membership for Broadcast” project will demonstrate that local broadcasters can develop their relationships with audiences in order to diversify revenue and help secure the future of local journalism. It’s a crucial challenge for local broadcasters who need to act now while they still have the resources, audience and clout to build new businesses.

“Graham Media is committed to engaging audiences to diversify revenue, but more importantly, to better serve communities at a time when local media is facing real challenges,” said Catherine Badalamente, GMG’s vice president and chief innovation officer. “This grant will help us accelerate plans to truly put audience at the center of our editorial and business strategies, and hopefully show membership is a viable option for all local broadcasters.”

“Membership for Broadcast” was one of 34 projects across the U.S. and Canada to receive the competitive grant. GNI recipients were selected from 269 proposals across 44 states and provinces to share $5.8 million. Grant winners were selected based on four criteria: impact, feasibility, innovation and inspiration. GNI sought applicants focused on generating revenue and/or increasing audience engagement for local news.

GMG’s project, which intends to put membership at the center of television’s digital growth strategy, comes at a time when all local media are working through disruption and changing audience behaviors. Broadcasters are intent to build an audience-based revenue model through user funnels, which will allow them to maintain their leading role as the most trusted and preferred source for local news.

Frank Mungeam, Knight Professor of Practice, TV News Innovation at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism, will advise on the membership project.

You can read the full list of the successful recipients on GNI’s website.

GMG President, CEO Emily Barr fights for local broadcast companies

Graham Media Group President and CEO Emily Barr appeared as one of five witnesses earlier this week at a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing -- essentially serving as the voice of local broadcast television companies, in front of the country’s top legislators.

Barr runs Graham Media Group and serves as Television Board chair for the National Association of Broadcasters.

One news industry website said of the five witnesses testifying Wednesday, “none was perhaps more important” than Barr, who presented broadcasters’ view on the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act, or STELAR, in front of lawmakers.

“The NAB wants STELAR reauthorization nixed,” the Radio and Television Business Report said. “Barr wants it barred.”

Take it from Barr, whose statement and testimony has been posted in full, online.

“Local broadcasters continue to believe that (STELAR) should be allowed to expire at the end of 2019 – the date that Congress intentionally chose for this temporary law to sunset,” Barr told legislators. “Not only have its provisions become unnecessary and ineffective, but today, STELAR affirmatively harms viewers who are being denied access to their local television stations as the result of its continued reauthorization.”

The Senate will continue to consider the complex issues surrounding STELAR renewal. STELAR dates back to 1988, and what it did was put into place the compulsory license that allows satellite operators to import distant network TV station signals into local markets where viewers lack access to them. But broadcasters want to make sure people living beyond the reach of a signal maintain access to their local programming.

“In today’s hyper-competitive media landscape, broadcasters are the authentic, local voice passionately informing and celebrating our communities. Local broadcast television remains the most-watched source of news, entertainment programming, sports, emergency information and investigative journalism in communities across America,” Barr testified Wednesday. “Your constituents turn to our local stations to get the weather report, learn how to help neighbors in need and watch trusted local news anchors and reporters deliver unbiased accounts of what is happening in their hometowns. Local broadcasting is the critical electronic glue that binds every community together, keeping them informed and safe. This is our industry’s North Star.”

While cable operators want the STELAR law renewed or extended, broadcasters argue it should expire, because it allows satellite carriers to avoid the costs of carrying local stations in the smallest TV markets. Instead, these carriers import signals from places farther away.

Localism is key, said Barr, adding that the compulsory license is a way to lock out some communities, which broadcasters don’t want to do.

DirecTV, for example, "continues to offer only out-of-town signals to viewers in 12 markets simply because it is more profitable for the company,” Barr said.

She pointed out that Dish serves those smallest markets.

Dish and DirecTV, by the way, are the two satellite TV providers that benefit from the compulsory license.

“I have worked in all aspects of local broadcast television for nearly four decades,” Barr told the committee. “I have held the position of news editor, creative services director, operations manager, general manager and am now a CEO. As a result, I am proud of the unique services broadcasters provide their local communities, but I also understand the business and financial costs of running a newsroom, investing in state-of-the-art equipment, producing award-winning investigative journalism and enabling our stations to go above-and-beyond when our neighbors need it most. To fulfill our unique and indispensable role in the communities we serve, broadcast television must have the ability to reach our local viewers on every platform and earn fair compensation for our programming.”

If STELAR isn’t renewed every five years, it expires, along with the requirement that broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors negotiate retransmission consent deals in good faith.

“Congress should allow STELAR to expire as it originally intended,” Barr said in conclusion. “There is no policy justification or technological reason to renew this outdated law, and any temporary reauthorization harms viewers.”

Stephanie Slagle named Graham Media Group Senior Director, Brand Agency and Sales Strategy

Graham Media Group has named Stephanie Slagle to the newly created position of Senior Director, Brand Agency and Sales Strategy.

In Slagle’s career, which includes more than 20 years in media, she has served in many roles, including Research Director, Account Executive, Local Sales Manager, Digital Sales Manager & Digital Director. Her passion for learning and teaching has helped her build enthusiastic, client-focused teams for more than 15 years.

Slagle spent the last nine years at Dispatch Broadcast Group, acquired by TEGNA in August 2019, building and managing the digital departments for WBNS TV, WBNS Radio and the Columbus Dispatch, prior to its sale to Gatehouse Media. She excels at navigating the digital media marketplace and helping sales teams build and deliver digital solutions.

In 2017, Slagle led the launch of Pixelent Digital, WBNS’s full-service Digital Agency serving data-driven results to clients. Pixelent Digital offered brand strategy, digital strategy and a full suite of digital services including connected TV, programmatic targeted display, native advertising, search, social and all the elements needed to deliver the best return on investment to customers.

“We’re excited to have Stephanie join the team," said Catherine Badalamente, VP & Chief Innovation Officer at Graham Media Group. “She’s a leader in the industry who will bring her vast knowledge and experience to our local media hubs, helping them build and execute innovative brand strategies for our valued clients.”

Slagle has a passion for mentoring talented future leaders. She helped launch and she served as the president for Columbus Women in Digital, where she helped many women begin their digital careers.

For the last three years, Slagle has served on the board of the Local Media Association, which is dedicated to creating sustainable business models for local media companies.

WJXT produces documentary about Bahamas

WJXT Channel 4 was expected to air a special presentation Tuesday called "96 Hours of Anguish."

The news documentary is a raw, real and graphic look at the destruction in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, which struck the islands starting Sept. 1.

WJXT reporter Vic Micolucci and photojournalist Jesse Hanson spent four days, or 96 hours, on the ground and in the air covering the disaster from the hardest-hit areas.

The team documented the devastation, search and rescue operations and the relief effort.

The eye-opening film features Bahamians who are struggling to survive and Florida-based volunteer operations that brought life-sustaining supplies into the hard-to-access islands.

“We covered unimaginable destruction and pain,” Micolucci said. “We witnessed heartbreak and smelled death, but we also saw unbelievable generosity and resiliency. Sometimes the worst scenarios can bring out the best in humanity.”

Micolucci and Executive Producer Jodi Mohrmann and senior editor Mike Jones spent more than a week combing through hours of footage to accurately and honestly show the situation in the decimated towns.

The hour-long film features stories of survival and the plans to rebuild the islands.

WSLS-TV dedicates fifth Habitat For Humanity 'Home for Good'

It’s a Home for Good.

Smiles, cheers and well-wishes greeted the Ayamba family in Roanoke, Virginia, as 14 family members stood proudly on their new front porch.

WSLS 10 partnered with Habitat For Humanity in the Roanoke Valley on the station’s fifth project.

This year’s Home for Good, the Apostle Build project, also included support from Journey FM and 20 area churches.

“What an amazing feeling to be up here on this porch, leading to this beautiful home WE built,” WSLS 10 Vice President and General Manager Jaimie Leon said. “We are grateful for our partnership with Habitat For Humanity, our generous corporate sponsors and our wonderful volunteers.”

War forced the Ayamba family from their home in Central Africa. The Ayambas moved from refugee camp to refugee camp before relocating in the United States. They settled in Roanoke in 2016, with the goal of building a better life for their 12 children who range in age from 1 to 25.

“Well it’s very incredible that we’re here on the porch of the house," said Mwenebatu Ayamba, the oldest son. “It’s very exciting and I’m really happy for this.”

WSLS 10’s John Carlin and Brittny McGraw broadcast this year’s house dedication live during the station’s 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. newscasts.

This Habitat project was the largest build ever, featuring seven bedrooms.

WSLS 10 staff members rolled up their sleeves and worked side-by-side with the family and volunteers during the four-month build.

“I think it’s easy to forget that with a house this size, how much more work is involved,” said Brian Clark, a Habitat construction manager. “If you think of some of our single-story builds, this is like taking two houses and stacking them on top of each other, and so it’s easy to forget that much more work.”

Habitat For Humanity Roanoke Valley has built 244 homes serving more than 1041 individuals since 1986.

Anthony Plosz named Graham Media Group CTO

Graham Media Group announced Thursday that it has named Anthony Plosz as Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.

For the past three years, Plosz has served as Vice President, Engineering and Operations for WCAU/WWSI, the NBC-owned duopoly in Philadelphia. During his tenure, Plosz oversaw the design and construction of an IP-based operation and one of the country’s most technologically advanced broadcast facilities located within the recently completed Comcast Technology Center.

“We are excited to welcome Tony to our senior leadership team as we advance our technological capabilities," Graham Media Group President and CEO Emily Barr said. "The next chapters of television and information technology will be transformative to the way people access and consume content and the future of work. Tony’s deep knowledge of both IT infrastructure and broadcast operations and engineering will be invaluable to Graham Media Group.”

Plosz has a rich and successful history working as a Systems Engineer for NetApp; director of Broadcast Operations for KTTV/KCOP, the Fox duopoly in Los Angeles; and more than eight years as Information Services Manager at WJBK, the Fox-owned station in Detroit.

After studying engineering at Lawrence Technological University in suburban Detroit, Plosz began his career working in IT consulting and network architecture. A Michigan native, Plosz will join the company on Aug. 26 and be based at the corporate headquarters in Chicago.

About Graham Media Group

Graham Media Group, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Co. (NYSE: GHC), operates Graham Digital, Social News Desk and seven local media hubs -- each in a top-70 market and all recognized as news leaders: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando (CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local), and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW).

Based in Detroit, Graham Digital is a digital media and technology development group widely recognized as a leading industry innovator.

Social News Desk, headquartered in Atlanta, provides its 2,500-plus worldwide newsroom customers with a single dashboard to publish, measure, curate and monetize local news content on social platforms.

WKMG-TV bursts with livestream content during Fourth of July broadcast blowout

In an unprecedented digital and broadcast event, WKMG-TV News 6 produced more than 100 hours of livestream content for ClickOrlando.com during the station’s annual coverage of the Lake Eola “Fireworks at the Fountain” on July 4.

This online streaming project harnessed live video from more than 25 different camera angles and sources, allowing online viewers to be in the “Director’s Chair” and select from the variety of angles, including the first-ever streams directly from mobile phones of reporters and producers in the field.

The WKMG-TV News 6 coverage of the fireworks was a test event for demonstrating new live technologies as part of VIDEO 2020, Graham Media Group’s Total Video Transformation project that aims to reduce the complexity required for reporters and other content producers to publish video content and to reach their audiences faster with meaningful content. Throughout VIDEO 2020, Graham Media Group has collaborated with several partners including Google and YouTube, Amazon Web Services, The Washington Post’s Arc Publishing and Grabyo to leverage technologies born outside of the traditional broadcasting ecosystem to create and produce video livestreams.

One of the new technologies debuted at this event was Broadcast, a first-of-its-kind mobile app that allows journalists to stream high-quality, live video to multiple sites and social platforms simultaneously. The Washington Post’s Arc Publishing worked closely with the Graham Media Group team to develop this powerful application.

“It allows me to deploy my staff in ways I never could before,” said News 6 News Director Allison McGinley of the new Broadcast app. “Leveraging this technology in breaking news situations -- when minutes count -- will allow News 6 to get critical information to our viewers much faster and more efficiently. Now everybody in my newsroom is a reporter.”

The News 6 newsroom dedicated dozens of people to the event with new technology, producing a 10-hour, digital-first broadcast for the ClickOrlando.com website and mobile app and News 6 OTT app (available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and more).

Twelve reporters were located around Lake Eola utilizing the Broadcast application to gather live shots for the full event. The engineering and IT team set up cameras to feed additional angles during the event, including a wide-angle barge cam where the fireworks were set up and a 360-degree camera to allow viewers to turn the direction of their view.

"It’s amazing where things are going," said News 6 anchor and reporter Matt Austin. "We normally work in this big technology hub with control rooms, servers and studios. Turns out we can do nearly the same thing on location! The future of news is mind blowing," said Austin, who went live from his mobile device multiple times during the event.

Up to 17 simultaneous livestreams were all ingested into cloud-based AWS Media Services and were available for the audience to watch while they were live, essentially allowing viewers to choose their own adventure in watching the fireworks. Additionally, a digital-only broadcast was produced from laptops at the event.

“The technology and platforms that we are using are useful in coverage of big events, but to us they represent the future of how local news is going to be covered,” said WKMG general manager and Vice President Jeff Hoffman. “In a breaking news situation, for instance, you really want to dedicate as many resources as you can to covering the story. These enabling technologies will give our viewers a real-time comprehensive experience. This is the index of our possibilities in covering local news.”

This event was made possible by a Google News Initiative YouTube Funding Grant. These grants were issued to help newsrooms and publishers strengthen their online video capabilities and experiment with new formats for video journalism.

“Being able to push the boundaries of how our newsrooms can cover their communities is the real benefit of having a partner like Google assisting us in this livestream project. The grant has allowed us to experiment inside of this overall project and accelerate getting the final products in the hands our newsroom and reporters,” said Catherine Badalamente, VP and chief innovation officer for Graham Media Group. “Having our reporters in the field with the ability to send video anywhere in the world supports our core mission at Graham Media Group. With partners like Google, AWS, The Washington Post/Arc Publishing and Grabyo, we have a clear line of sight into the future of how journalists will serve their communities.”

WJXT presents 'Curtains Up'

WJXT Channel 4 is taking viewers behind the curtain with the High School Summer Musical Theatre Experience at Florida State College at Jacksonville as they prepare and present numbers from Disney’s Newsies.

The hour-long special will incorporate behind-the-scenes and live performances from some of the most talented students in Northeast Florida, starting at 8 p.m. July 18.

The Local Station has teamed with FSCJ to produce a documentary-style special showcasing how the cast and crew are preparing for their performances July 19-21 and July 26-28.

"Curtains Up" includes exclusive footage of auditions, callbacks, rehearsals, set development and a special look at the training behind one of the choreographed fight scenes. The program will also have live performances of popular Newsies songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Watch What Happens,” “The World Will Know,” “That’s Rich” and “The King of New York.”

“The partnership this year between Florida State College at Jacksonville and WJXT Channel 4 is the epitome of the word ‘community.’ It is a great opportunity to further highlight the more than 70 student performers from Northeast Florida who have worked so hard throughout the summer to put on this fantastic production," said Beth Harvey, director of the Wilson Center for the Arts.

More than 70 seventh- through 12th-grade students are cast in this production as dancers, performers and technicians to recreate Disney’s 2012 Broadway hit.

“As the only truly local television station in town, we want to highlight all students from every part of Jacksonville, and we’re very proud to be the first and only station taking the time to celebrate the artistic talent seen in our community,” said WJXT Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis. “Young people involved in theater, music and dance don’t get enough recognition. We’re thrilled to show off their talents and see first-hand their hard work pay off on prime time TV.”

KSAT executive producer named Pride Center Media Icon of 2019

Pride Center San Antonio named its recipients for community Icon Awards at an inaugural brunch ceremony on June 23 at the Pearl Stable. Among the recipients was Diana Winters, executive producer of SA Live at KSAT12. She was named the Pride Center Media Icon of 2019.

Winters was recognized for founding the South Texas PRIDE series on KSAT12 back in February 2018. The series focuses on discussions of LGBTQ+ politics, resilience, identity, diversity and equality (PRIDE).

Each story focuses on what makes the South Texas LGBTQ+ community resilient, how individuals within that community connect with each other and the greater community at large, available resources and how they and others who offer them assistance are working to improve lives socially, economically, and politically and promote mental and physical wellness within the community.

KSAT reporters and producers who work on South Texas PRIDE make it a point to tell these stories from the perspectives of people in the LGBTQ+ community so as to represent them the way they want to be represented, not from the perspectives of outsiders.

People are watching and gaining an understanding of others that they didn't have before.

The series was nominated for a GLAAD award this year for Outstanding TV Journalism - Newsmagazine. It was up against contenders like CBS Sunday Morning, CBS News, Nightline and SC Featured.

Winters created the series when she was a news producer at KSAT, where she has worked since Sept. 12, 2005. She moved into her position at SA Live on Oct. 15, 2018. Winters attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in journalism with a focus on broadcast journalism.

Her favorite moments at KSAT were spent on a team with former astronaut Eileen Collins during a mission to Mars simulation, at Market Square during SA Live’s teatime with Lou Ferrigno, during SA Live’s recent Port Aransas primetime special and SA Live’s Show of Thrones, which celebrated the final episode of "Game of Thrones."

Graham Media Group makes headlines at 2019 Promax Station Summit

Graham Media Group’s Emily Barr never imagined she’s be the president and CEO of a major media group.

Growing up, she wanted to be a filmmaker.

But here we are: it’s 2019 and Barr has made her way from news editor to creative services director to general manager to CEO. At this year’s Promax Station Summit, held this week in Las Vegas, Barr shared her path to success with moderators Natalia Egan, creative services director at KPRC-TV Houston, and Jamie Kay Walters, creative services and programming director at WDIV-TV Detroit, which are both Graham Media stations.

Speaking to an audience in the session about leadership, Barr offered the following advice, or lessons to lead by: Failure's just a bump in the road -- even if you fail in front of Oprah, and "When the door opens, don't ask why. Run through it!"

You can read a fantastic write-up about all Barr’s comments on Promax’s website.

The Promax Station Summit describes itself as the only business event created exclusively for and by television station marketing and creative services professionals.

Promax Station Summit brings together the top broadcast networks, program distributors and station ownership groups under one roof for a powerful week in the broadcast industry.

The event also featured speakers Sherry Carpenter, who does creative services and local programming for Graham Media stations WJXT and WCWJ, and Apryl Pilolli, the head of innovation for Social News Desk, a Graham Media company.

Graham Media Group names Catherine Badalamente Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer

Graham Media Group announced Wednesday that Catherine Badalamente has been named Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer.

“Catherine’s keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our industry combined with her unfailing commitment to Graham Media Group make her the ideal individual for this position,” said Graham Media Group President and CEO Emily Barr. “Under Catherine’s leadership, the Graham Digital team has nurtured and developed our web and mobile sites, overseen the growth of significant digital revenue and developed industry-leading applications and have been recognized by a slew of industry experts for out-of-the-box thinking and far-reaching efforts to transform what we call local television.”

A graduate of John Carroll University, Badalamente joined the organization in 2000 at WDIV, the NBC affiliate in Detroit, where she held a number of leadership positions. In 2012, she became VP, Digital Media for Graham Media Group.

Badalamente has led Graham Digital in forming key technology partnerships with the Google News Initiative, Amazon Web Services and the Arc Publishing team at The Washington Post in creating state-of-the-art video and data-driven products.

Her content and development teams have been widely recognized as innovators in new technologies, including OTT apps, voice and smart speakers, AR mobile app experiences and ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV.

Badalamente is the current chairperson for the National Association of Broadcasters Digital Officer Committee. She also serves on the executive board of the Local Media Association and was the recipient of the 2017 National Association of Broadcasters Digital Leadership Award.

Graham Media Group, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Co. (NYSE: GHC), operates seven local media hubs -- each in a top-70 market and all recognized as news leaders: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando (CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local), and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW).

Based in Detroit, Graham Digital is a digital media and technology development group widely recognized as a leading industry innovator.

Social News Desk, headquartered in Atlanta, provides its 2,500-plus worldwide newsroom customers with a single dashboard to publish, measure, curate and monetize local news content on social platforms.

Website: grahammedia.com

Graham Media Group’s KPRC, WDIV-Local 4 win prestigious national Edward R. Murrow Award

Two Graham Media Group television stations are proud recipients of national 2019 Edward R. Murrow Awards presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association. The Edward R. Murrow Awards recognize exemplary public service and outstanding journalism by radio, television and online news organizations.

KPRC 2 News at 6 p.m. was awarded Best Newscast in Large Market Television for “Tragedy in Santa Fe,” which featured team coverage of the May 2018 school shootings in Santa Fe, Texas. The KPRC team worked to provide complete and compassionate coverage to its community in the immediate wake of such a horrific event.

“It’s difficult to celebrate an award when so many members of our community were affected by this senseless tragedy. However, I am proud of the way our team conducted themselves to bring this story to our viewers,“ said KPRC News Director Dave Strickland.

KPRC’s producer Erica Young produced the national award-winning newscast. The program was eligible for this high honor after being selected for a Regional Murrow Award earlier in 2019. The KPRC2 team also received two other Regional Murrow Awards this year. One was for Best News Series in Large Market Television for a series titled “Inside MS-13” and the other was for the highly coveted Overall Excellence in Large Market Television.

In addition, the Society of Professional Journalists honored KPRC for the breaking news coverage from Santa Fe with a Sigma Delta Chi Award for excellence in journalism.

WDIV-Local 4 received the Murrow Award for Excellence in Sound in Large Market Television for “Criss-Cross Crash,” a beautifully crafted story that exemplifies the art of audio. Video journalists Alex Atwell and Hans Ihlenfeldt enhance the viewer’s experience of this story using multiple cameras, multiple microphones and sounds of the crowd’s reaction to a car and school bus racing in Flat Rock, Michigan.

“Our photographers are master storytellers who find special ways to craft a story. I couldn’t be more delighted to see Alex and Hans celebrated for their work,” said WDIV-Local 4’s News Director Kim Voet. “They are both the rare breed of journalists who excel technically, editorially and creatively in their reporting.”

WDIV-Local 4 is the only large market TV station in Michigan to win an Edward R. Murrow Award nationally or regionally. This is the third year in a row WDIV-Local 4 has won the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Sound. WDIV also received a Regional Murrow award this year for Excellence in Social Media, highlighting WDIV’s multiplatform news approach led by Social Media Manager Ken Haddad.

“We are deeply humbled and honored that the Edward R. Murrow judges selected two of our stations for this prestigious recognition,” said Emily Barr, president and CEO of Graham Media Group. “I’m so proud of our teams at KPRC and WDIV-Local 4, who always put in extra effort to tell the stories of their regions with dignity and creativity. This award gives national recognition to the necessity and value of local reporting.”

The Radio Television Digital News Association has honored outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Winners will be honored at the annual RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala on Oct. 14 in New York City.

Graham Media Group, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC), operates seven local media hubs -- each in a top-70 market and all recognized as news leaders: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando (CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local), and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW).

Based in Detroit, Graham Digital is a digital media and technology development group widely recognized as a leading industry innovator. Social News Desk, headquartered in Atlanta, provides its 2500+ worldwide newsroom-customers with a single dashboard to publish, measure, curate and monetize local news content on social platforms. Website: https://www.grahammedia.com/

WJXT-TV4 wins the 2018-19 TV season

The 2018-19 traditional Nielsen television season has come to a close and WJXT Channel 4 | THE Local Station is No. 1 in all local news areas and beat several major broadcast networks in entertainment programming in prime time, once again.

The station's newscasts delivered No. 1 result in all dayparts, continuing a run of dominance in the Jacksonville market.

“It’s incredibly humbling to see month after month, year after year how the community continues to make us their first choice for local news,” said Bob Ellis, WJXT vice president and general manager. “We take being Jacksonville's number one source for news very seriously. We know viewers look to us first for important local stories that make a difference in Jacksonville. That's our focus. That’s what being The Local Station is all about.”

Morning News continues to lead the charge, winning every major demo 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in most time periods, beating all news competitors in the market combined.

News4JAX at 4:30 a.m. is No. 1 by 88% for Adult 25-54 ratings. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.4 Adult 25-54 rating, tying the combined competition of WTLV, WJXX, WJAX and WFOX.

At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won by 93% with a 2.9, once again tying all other news competitors combined. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 in Adults 25-54 ratings in the 6-7 a.m. time period, garnering a 3.2 Adult 25-54.

"The Morning Show" (7‑9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.5 Adult 25-54 rating, beating out all other newscasts including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. May 2019 marks "The Morning Show’s" 95th consecutive month winning the time period in HH ratings. At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beat "Today" with and without Megyn Kelly.

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most watched in the time period with a 1.9 A25‑54 rating. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period with a 2.0 Adults 25-54 rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m. anchored by Tom Wills, Mary Baer and John Gaughan is No. 1 with a 2.2 Adult 25-54 rating, beating the closest competition by 22%.

The story continues in late news where WJXT is No. 1 with "The Ten O’Clock News" with a 2.3 rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 1.9 rating for Adults 25-54. News4JAX is No. 1 at 11 p.m. for Adults 25-54 with a 1.8.

WJXT continues to be a prominent choice for prime viewing in Jacksonville. The lineup of "Last Man Standing" and "The Big Bang Theory" beat ABC prime in every major demo for the 2018-19 season overall.

Source: Nielsen September 24, 2018-May 24, 2019 average. PAVs for News programming. Prime is based on time period averages WJXT and WFOX M-F 8p-10p, WTLV, WJXX, WJAX, WCWJ 8p-11p.

News4JAX partners with Visit Jacksonville for JaxBest Guide

News4JAX.com has partnered with Visit Jacksonville to create an annual voter-centric guide highlighting the best local attractions and businesses that shape the city.

This resource will live year-round on the News4JAX.com website with new voting categories populated monthly. Winners of each category will be announced at the end of each voting phase, and will reign as the category winner over the next 12 months.

“Visit Jacksonville makes the perfect partner for the JAX BEST promotion because it is our mission to promote the best that Jacksonville has to offer to the world every day, so who better to help us find those top options than our local residents?” said Michael Corrigan, CEO and president of Visit Jacksonville. “We invite Jacksonville to watch WJXT and WCWJ for updates on the JAX BEST campaign, vote and help us choose the best attractions, parks, breweries, museums and experiences available in Jacksonville. We want the people that live here to help us spread the word on their favorite places in Jax!”

The first round of voting began June 17, and will cover the following 10 categories: Best Breweries, Trails, Dog Parks, Public Art, Coffee, Fishing Charters, Surf Spots, Animal Encounters, Golf Courses and Water Sports Rentals.

Winners from the first round will be announced the week of July 8, followed by a new set of categories the week of July 15.

“We’re extremely excited to be working with Visit Jacksonville to create the ultimate guide of all the best things our great city has to offer,” WJXT and WCWJ Vice President and General Manager Bob Ellis said. “The best local spots chosen entirely by local people is what makes this the definitive ‘Best of’ list. We can’t wait to unveil it.”

The inspiration behind JaxBest stemmed from the mutual desire to further educate residents and visitors alike on local businesses, events and attractions as our city continues to flourish. JaxBest will permanently live on News4JAX.com as an informational guide for users seeking new experiences around our city. To vote, please visit News4JAX.com/jaxbest.

KPRC-2 welcomes Graham coworkers as Houston hosts IRE 2019 conference

Some of the best journalists in the country gathered in Houston for this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editors conference.

The event was held last week. KPRC-2, our Graham Media Group station in Houston, hosted a meetup for corporate employees along with a social event called Treat Yo’ Self at Grotto downtown.

The mission of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) is to foster excellence in investigative journalism.

The team at KPRC welcomed the folks from Graham with some good old Southern hospitality and some truly excellent Texas BBQ.

The group had the chance to share its passion for investigative journalism with some of the other top reporters in the country. It was an opportunity to mix, mingle and more.

IRE was formed in 1975 to create a forum in which journalists throughout the world could help each other by sharing story ideas, newsgathering techniques and news sources.

IRE provides members access to thousands of reporting tip sheets and other materials through its resource center and hosts conferences and specialized training throughout the country.

Jacksonville chooses THE Local Station again in May 2019

There were several big stories in the month of May in Jacksonville, including a passenger plane skidding off the runway at NAS JAX, and once again, THE Local Station, News4JAX finished the month as the No. 1 source for local news with Jacksonville households.

Morning news leads the way with News4JAX at 4:30 a.m., earning a 2.7 rating and 12 share for households. News4JAX at 5 a.m. is No. 1 in the time period, with a 3.3 household (HH) rating. At 5:30 a.m., News4JAX won with a 4.3, more than doubling the nearest competitor’s HH rating. News4JAX at 6 a.m. is No. 1 in the 6-7 a.m. time period, garnering a 5.8 HH rating and an impressive 20 share.
"The Morning Show" (7-9 a.m.), anchored by Jennifer Waugh, Bruce Hamilton and Richard Nunn, is No. 1 in the time period with a 6.1 HH rating and a 18 share, beating out all other newscasts including the national broadcasts of NBC’s "Today" on WTLV, CBS "This Morning" on WJAX and ABC’s "Good Morning America" on WJXX. At 9 a.m., "The Morning Show 2" beats "Today" by 91% with a 4.4 HH rating.

"River City Live" was No. 2 in the time period with a 2.0 HH rating for May. News4JAX at 4 p.m. did a 2.8 HH rating, beating "Judge Judy" and "Ellen."

In evening news, News4JAX at 5 p.m. is most watched in the time period, with a 5.2 HH rating. News4JAX at 5:30 p.m. is No. 1 in the time period, with a 5.4 HH rating. News4JAX at 6 p.m., anchored by Mary Baer, Tom Wills and John Gaughan, is No. 1 with a 6.1 HH rating and a 12 share.

The story continues in late news, as "The Ten O’Clock News" is the most-watched late newscast in the market. WJXT is No. 1 at 10 p.m. with a 4.8 HH rating and again at 10:30 p.m. with a 3.8 rating.

“We are very proud to again be the go-to place for local news in Jacksonville,” said Bob Ellis, WJXT and WCWJ vice president and general manager. “When reports came in that a passenger plane was in the St. Johns River, we knew it was a big story. Our coverage by the news team that the viewers of Jacksonville know and trust was appropriate and thorough. I’m very proud of how we covered this important breaking news story and helped the people of our community again this month.”

WKMG instrumental in getting texting and driving bill signed into Florida law

WKMG-TV is pleased to announce that after nearly three years leading the charge to change the texting and driving law in Florida, a new bill has been signed into law.

This new law will make texting and driving a primary offense, which allows law enforcement to stop motorists who are texting while driving and write them citations.

Florida was one of only four states left in the country in which texting and driving was not a primary offense.

“It was a long and hard fight,” News 6 anchor Matt Austin said. “But now after nearly three years, 100 stories, more than a dozen trips to Tallahassee, and thousands of miles driving around Florida to track down decision makers, I am relieved Florida politicians finally did the right thing. They made safety a priority."

Austin has been the one of the driving forces in changing the law -- and one of the most outspoken proponents of this new legislation.

Together with News 6, his quest to create change began one night in September 2016.

In his car on the way home after the 11 p.m. newscast, Austin was stopped at a red light. Suddenly, there was a blinding blow to the back of his head. He was knocked unconscious. Hit full-force by a driver who never even tapped his brakes, Austin had been rear-ended by a driver who admitted he was texting and driving.

The impact was so forceful it sent his little girl’s car seat directly into the back of his head. When he regained consciousness, bloody and in a state of confusion, Austin struggled to dial 911. His immediate thoughts were, "My three little girls are usually always sitting in the back seat!"

The driver who hit Austin was not ticketed for the crash. The police at the scene said there was nothing they could do under the existing law. While at home recuperating from a severe concussion and 10 stiches to his head, viewers began asking why Austin wasn't at the news desk. He shared his story via social media and the flood gates opened.

Austin heard from people who had experienced similar situations, and those who had even tragically lost loved ones. He knew he had to be their voice.

Austin’s journey to drive change began the very next day, a journey News 6 has called “Driving Change.” The initiative's goal has been to make texting and driving a primary offense in the state of Florida.

“We started by bringing awareness to the holes in the current texting and driving law,” WKMG news director Allison McGinley said. “Then we knew we had to share the stories of those who had been directly affected by texting and driving. That included our own Matt Austin, who testified before the Florida Legislature's Judiciary Committee in Tallahassee.”

“This crisis we have in our state right now of texting and driving wound up in my back seat,” Austin said before the Judiciary Committee.

“Matt Austin told his story and that of many Floridians endangered by those who text and drive," Vice President and General Manager Jeff Hoffman said. “His commitment to see this through over a nearly three-year battle represents the very best of all who get results for WKMG News 6.”

News 6 almost saw a victory in 2017, but the bills to toughen the texting and driving law died in both the state House and Senate committees. There was a glimmer of hope again in 2018 when the House overwhelmingly approved a bill that would finally make texting and driving a primary offense, but it was stalled in the Senate.

This year, both the House and the Senate worked to pass a bill to bring Florida in line with the 44 other states. That bill was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 17, 2019.

“As a local television station, this is the role you hope you can play for the community you serve," Hoffman said. "You see a problem, and together with your neighbors, you work to solve it. When you can ultimately change laws that can save lives, well, that is what good journalism is all about. That is what being of service to your community is all about."

The entire timeline of Matt’s Austin’s fight to bring this bill into law can be found by clicking or tapping here.

WDIV, Graham Media Group to launch revolutionary Next-Gen TV by 2020

Get ready for the next big thing to hit your television screen, and it's guaranteed to revolutionize your viewing experience.

WDIV-TV and its parent company, Graham Media Group, announced Wednesday that WDIV will be launching Next-Gen TV services by the end of 2020.

This is exciting news for viewers because it will provide more stunning pictures, immersive and customizable audio, and other innovative features to get you all of the content most relevant to you, greatly enhancing services and viewership.

The internet protocol-based broadcast platform can deliver data to millions of receivers at once without bottlenecks from online traffic, and it will provide information and entertainment to equipped receivers, along with digital and mobile devices.

“The collaborative effort needed to launch this new technology requires that broadcasters work together for the benefit of our viewers," Graham Media Group President and CEO Emily Barr said. "Graham and WDIV look forward to launching the new Next-Gen TV station and the eventual launch of our own advanced signals on this platform. The future of television insures a more expansive experience, with high dynamic range video and advanced audio features that will immerse viewers as never before."

Next-Gen TV is powered by the new internet Protocol-based ATSC 3.0 standard, which allows consumers to integrate the most popular and pervasive video service -- broadcast television -- into their digital lifestyles.

Viewers can rest assured this does not necessarily mean a new TV will be required to take advantage of Next-Gen TV. Just as other devices have emerged with existing TV sets, adaptors and gateways will be made available.

WDIV, along with other broadcasters within the Top 40 markets, will be among the first to convert to the service in the rollout coming to viewers next year.

Click here to learn more about Next-Gen TV.

WSLS embraces cutting-edge technology in new studio

In late April, WSLS-TV celebrated its first day in a new building, which hadn't happened in more than 63 years.

The team unveiled the new set on "Virginia Today." The new studio is the culmination of many months of hard work, and more than a year of planning.

Roanoke's first television news station has moved from downtown to a location that's close to the Berglund Center. WSLS now boasts a brand-new, state-of-the-art set with all the latest television broadcast technology.

Graham Media Group CEO Emily Barr said it's as much the viewers' home as it is the station's.

"The building by itself is going to be the key," Barr said. "It's the magic that happens inside."

WSLS team members spent weeks extensively training on the new set, doing rehearsal after rehearsal. The production department put in a lot of long days and nights, learning the ins and outs of the new advanced system. Without this team, the newscast couldn't happen.

It took at least 15 miles of cables to make this set come to life.

"This set embraces a lot of new technology (and) a lot of display technology that's just being developed," said Michael Wright, a set designer.

Wright meticulously designed every square inch of this set.

"It's like having a baby," Wright said. "It really is giving birth to something and it's a lot of moving parts -- a lot of interrelated pieces so I am super proud of it."

There's a news cube wall, which allows a 90-degree turn in video.

As Wright explains, it's the tiny details that really make the set pop.

"The hard scenics on the set are fabric, printed fabric," said Wright. "Like you print shirts in the store, they can now print fabrics for scenery and that's built with internal lights so that instead of the old days that you front light from the studio, this is internally lit so it has more of a luminous feel -- and that in turn makes talent look good."

The new set also enhances Storm Team 10's ability to track severe weather.

KPRC salutes service members, families during Military Appreciation Month

Throughout the month of May, KPRC 2 salutes the service and sacrifice of our service members and their families during Military Appreciation Month.

KPRC 2’s 2019 Military Appreciation on-air and digital campaigns will feature our reporters and anchors who have served, are serving, or have family members who are in the military or are veterans.

KPRC 2 News Today meteorologist Britta Merwin, traffic reporter and anchor Jennifer Reyna, reporter Vincent Crivelli, reporter Brittany Jeffers, and anchors Bill Balleza and Khambrel Marshall salute the service of their family members and each other in on-air promos.

KPRC 2’s multiplatform campaign is also spotlighting a partnership with the Houston Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America service organization. We encourage viewers to “join our mission” by sending care packages consisting of new and unused personal hygiene items, unworn socks, snacks, reading materials and any other items that will lift the spirits of our brave men and women serving in combat zones and overseas. KPRC 2 will host an internal station drive for supplies, joining forces with the Blue Star Mothers to assemble, wrap and ship the care packages to our local service members.

Another digital component will be the return of “Tell It 2 Us,” our man-on-the-street forum, where Houston-area veterans are given the opportunity to speak about topics like their reasons for enlisting, life lessons learned and veteran-based issues they would like to address.

Viewers will also be encouraged to make their voices heard by recording their own thoughts on these issues on camera and then emailing them to tellit2us@kprc.com or Militarymay@kprc.com. Submissions should be 30 seconds or less, and files no larger than 30MB. Videos will be shared to KPRC 2’s Facebook page and on click2houston.com/military.

“We are proud of the service and sacrifice of our extended KPRC 2 family,” KPRC 2 Vice President and General Manager Jerry Martin said. “We salute the mission of the Blue Star Mothers and our service members both on-air and throughout our Houston community.”

Join our mission by following or posting using these hashtags: #KPRC2 #KPRCMILITARYMAY #TELLIT2US and by visiting click2houston.com/military.

Blue Star Mothers of America Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)3 service organization dedicated to supporting members of the armed forces and their families while promoting patriotism. The Houston Chapter sends more than 1,200 care packages over the course of a year.

Graham Media Group, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Co. (NYSE: GHC), owns seven local television stations, each in a top-70 market and all recognized as news leaders: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando(CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local); and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW), as well as Social News Desk, a leading provider of social media management tools designed to connect newsrooms with their users.

The stations also broadcast digital channels focusing on classic television and lifestyle programming, in addition to operating market-leading websites, mobile sites and mobile apps delivering breaking news, weather and community news, reaching millions of users across each platform. All are deeply involved in local initiatives and public service projects designed to serve, inform and improve their respective communities.