FIRST ON THE BLOG: Two years ago, this blog FIRST REPORTED that WSBT 22 was adding a half-hour 4:00pm newscast. Two years later, its successful enough that WSBT 22 is ready to expand it.
Starting next Monday August 15th, WSBT 22 is expanding its current half-hour weekday newscast at 4:00pm, WSBT 22 News – First at 4:00, to a full hour. What this means is that the program will soon air from 4:00-5:00pm and create the area’s first-ever two-and-a-half-hour news block on weeknights from 4:00-6:30pm.
Previously, it was the half-hour 4:00pm newscast followed by a Daytime episode of Jeopardy! at 4:30pm, but now, it will be two-and-a-half-hours of local news from 4:00-6:30pm, followed by the CBS Evening News at 6:30 and then the WOF-J! hour from 7:00-8:00pm.
The news of this expansion comes just a week after WSBT 22 launched three new hours (7:00-9:00am and 10:00-11:00pm) of weekday local news on its second digital subchannel, 22.2 which is now known as FOX Michiana. The newscast is anchored by Jennifer Copeland with WSBT 22 First Alert Weather from Meteorologist Abby Weppler. They’ll handle the duties for the extra half-hour at 4:30pm as well.
So yes, WSBT 22 continues to expand and continues to do so in a big way. The station comes out a winner in all of this.
changingnewscasts.wordpress.com 