FIRST ON THE BLOG: WLUC has been serving Upper Michigan since 1956 and has mainly won the news ratings, unchallenged or challenged, since then. Now, they’ll add another newscast to assert its dominance.
Starting next month on Monday, April 23rd, WLUC 6 will be adding a half-hour weeknight 5:00 p.m. newscast called TV 6 News – First Look. It will be the ONLY half-hour newscast available at that time in the market as WBUP 10 (ABC) offers a half-hour early-evening newscast at 5:30 p.m. and yes, this new newscast will be a traditional one.
WLUC 6’s Vice President and General Manager, Rick Rhoades:
“We know that our viewers here in Upper Michigan have an almost insatiable appetite for news about the U.P. ‘TV 6 First Look’ will expand our local news footprint. TV 6 has been Upper Michigan’s source for local news and local programming for 62 years. And, April 23 is significant because on that day in 1956, TV6 began broadcasting in the U.P. Looking forward, we feel that the future of local TV depends on expanding that localism. ‘TV 6 First Look’ is part of a continuing effort to provide more local news to the viewers of Upper Michigan. We saw 5 p.m. as a natural location for ‘TV 6 First Look’ because we know that the need for news is there. The newscast will serve that need and expand the audience base for our advertising clients.”
WLUC 6’s News Director, Steve Asplund:
“The expansion of the TV 6 News with this new newscast is exciting. The program is called ‘TV 6 First Look’. That’s exactly what it is—your first look at the news of the day from around Upper Michigan and what’s happening tonight and tomorrow. ‘First Look’ is more conversational. The weather with Karl Bohnak includes the 24-hour outlook. But it’s also a conversation about weather phenomenon or an event. Mike Ludlum will have sports. The discussion could center on the sports playoff picture, an athlete or the buzz about a U.P. team. The newscast features what’s happening now. The latest in U.P. news events from reporters on the scene, to our Washington D.C. Bureau, ‘TV 6 First Look’ will be an informative look at the day’s news. ‘TV 6 First Look’ is just that—your first look at what’s important to you.”
Steve also anchors the weeknight news on WLUC 6 and will anchor this new half-hour newscast alongside weather from AMS-CBM/Sealed Chief Meteorologist Karl Bohnak and as the quote said, Mike Ludlum will deliver the first sports news of the day.
Programming changes will take place as a result. This is the new WLUC daytime/early-evening lineup beginning Monday, April 23rd:
12:00-1:00 PM: Dr. Oz (moving from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 noon, replacing two episodes of Right This Minute)
1:00-2:00 PM: Days of Our Lives (remaining in that timeslot)
2:00-3:00 PM: Judge Judy (remaining in that timeslot; 2 episodes)
3:00-4:00 PM: Dr. Phil (moving from 4:00 to 3:00 p.m.)
4:00-5:00 PM: Ellen (moving from 5:00 to 4:00 p.m.)
5:00-5:30 PM: TV 6 News – First Look at 5:00 (NEW)
5:30-6:00 PM: Family Feud (adding an episode; also remains on WLUC 6.2 – FOX at 7:30 p.m.)
6:00-6:30 PM: TV 6 Early News at 6:00
6:30-7:00 PM: NBC Nightly News
7:00-7:30 PM: TV 6 News TONIGHT at 7:00
7:30-8:00 PM: Wheel of Fortune
This new newscast is sure to win viewers over as previously mentioned before, WLUC has won the ratings race in Upper Michigan since sign-on since the other news departments don’t have the same quality or challenges that WLUC can deliver.
So congrats to WLUC for celebrating its 62nd anniversary with a brand new 5:00 p.m. newscast. We’ll see if viewers will tune in, as more likely because it is WLUC, they probably will.
DISCLAIMER: Some of the information used in this story, especially the quotes, comes from a story done about this at UpperMichigansSource.com
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