To compete in local news arms race, KCAL expands to 7 hours of morning TV
“We’re still working on the schedule, but when we get there, we’ll be there.”
In just over a decade, Kansas City has become a media hub, with local stations competing for the attention of people who know just where to look or where to talk.
In a competition that is only beginning to show signs of being settled, Kansas City has added a new competitor to the growing list of media outlets to occupy the first two hours of the newscasts every weekday morning.
To compete in a local news arms race that is only beginning to show signs of being settled, KCMA is expanding from its current 7:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. slot to 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Starting Monday, KCMA will provide both morning and afternoon news programs, which are carried in English and Spanish.
“Now, we have a choice – which one do we want to play, 7 to 11 a.m.? Or do we want to play the morning news at noon,” says KCMA General Manager Steve Henneman.
KCMA’s morning news team is led by Henneman and anchors Lisa Jones (11:30), Eric Pritchard (11:45) and Greg Yawn (12:05 p.m.).
Henneman says there are three reasons for KCMA’s morning news decision.
“One is we know the morning people are going to be out of the comfort zone, and it’s going to be a little bit harder because you know they’ve probably got an idea of what’s going on. They’re going to be looking for something new.
“Also, with the midday news, it’s going to be hard to compete with a big brand of media that is really going to play on prime time,”