Birmingham Post-Herald from Birmingham, Alabama • 18

C2 Mwghow Nrt-Hfald Ttiuradoy July 1 1993 Metro State WBR(r6 gaining 3 WBRC-6 evening news beats WVTM-13 in ratings Further changes urged in Education In Mag WBRC-6 was ahead of WVTM-13 in key time slots- Rating represent tfw percent of Birmingham-area households wfthteievistensthaltuneinonanpr average day WBMG-42's ratings have continued to lag far behind the other televisioryiewsawards 10 pjn: newscast and WVTM-13 won Emmy Awards far eraelenoe Horn to Southern GSIChanmlS EUChanrem B3Chanml42 By Gail Short MHmddRiMrtv WBRG3 beat out WVTM-13 and WBMG-42 forviewers of its nightly news broadcast! this spring In May 1992 NBC affiliate Channel IS was a rating point ahead of ABC affiliate Channel 6 for both the 5 and 10 pm newscasts But a year later Gunnel 13 fell behind Channel 6 In the Nielsen ratings And CBS affiliate Channel 42 has continued to trail in a distant third place In local television news high ratings re- Beat Ive sports special "The Battle for Braggln' Rtyits" with Channel 6 anchors Rick Karla Mice Raita and Ron GrBo producer Mike McMackJn photographer Mke Tucker and graphic designer Gwen Gorby Best Bl Castle of Channels Bourne WVTM-13 and WBRCe of Television Arts and Scienoeeh Atlanta last montfi Botti stations competed against television marketed Alabama Oeottfa North Carofna South Carolna and MaetespL Beat ctaly Channel 13 Beat Channel 13 for "Brink of Extinction" by former reporter David Mattingly on Alabama's endangered also are crucial to winning ratings Nielsen Media Research in Atlanta conducts four-week surveys in Birmingham four times a year The survey periods are known "Local stations establish an identity with their news said Randall Scott assistant professor of enHimniriratinq ftudiej at the University of Alabama at Birmingham "There are people who will only watch Channel 6 There are some who will only watch Channel 13 And Channel 42 has its own loyal following People identify with the 92 S3 2 93 J92 KM reporters on television" News anchors rs In the recent May sweeps Channel 6 tured 23 percent of the 515000 with television seta in the Birmingham for its 5 pm newscast therefore reaching 113450 homes Channel 13 followed withll percent of viewers reaching 56650 television households The Nielsen survey showed Channel 13 had of 12 points at 6 pjil Channel 6 had a rating of tion officials said low ratings were a factor in the decision to fire lively ludicrous to blame me for the lively said The ratings for Channel morning newscasts which he did not anchor also were low be said But Channel IS General Manager Dow Smith said the May ratings showed it may not have been a bad move to change anchors The decision by Charnel 3 officials to reschedule the Oprah Winfrey Show" from I to 4 pm weekdays in March helped to pull viewen into Channel for the 5 and 3 pm newscasts Smith said Special reports on topics such as crack addiction or hint physicians and stories that to subjects addressed on prime-time TV dramas or news magazine programs help pull viewers along through 10 pm said Lena Sadiwskyj Channel 6 assistant news director But viewer loyalties to a particualar newscast can run strong 22 points Channel By Glenn Thrush Pntflnld Reporter MONTGOMERY The Alabama Department of restructuring plan will take effect today but it will haveuttle effect on the two-thirds of the department empky ees who are not directly Involved with education The new plan based on recommendations from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama will reduce the number of assistant superintendent! in the department from five to four It also will more dearly divide the financial and administrative functions from its curriculum and teacher-training units State Superintendent Wayne Teague said that under the restructuring plan the department will "devote more personnel to curriculum development to make It more of a support agency with less emphasis on The plan does not affect the 940 of the 1300 department employees who serve in the disability determination and rehabilitation sections Both units serve thousands of Social Security recipients in the state but have nothing to do with the education of schoolchildren restructuring plan seems good but got to introduce i (in the Legislature) that gets those units out of the Department of said Jim Williams executive director of PARCA whose February report called upon Teague to reduce over-regulation of local schools PARCA a nonprofit research group urged Teague to support legislation removing the two sections so the department could better concentrate on educational functions true that overseeing those programs takes some of my time andthe time of other Teague said other than that no real reason to get rid of them It would require a lot of effort to get rid of them" But state Sen Aim Bedsole R-Mobile questioned why those services are offered through the Education Department "The programs would be better adminis-state agency or programs tered as a stand-alone Tun BiittonPoct-Hnald Channel 42 has provided viewen with an alternative to its competiton by reporting on more news stories generated in the Birmingham metropolitan area and by having fewer statewide or national atoriei laid John Her-rod Channel 42 news director After canceling its news broadcasts in 1984 Channel 42 re-entered the news business in 1987 "The other two stations have been here a long time and they have loyal Herrod said a tough battle But I feel that we are making 42 had 1 rating print at 6 pm and reaching 5150 and 10300 10 pjo i participate in community service events to gain visibility in the community Scott said Market research telephone surveys and gut feelings are used by local TV stations to find out which anchors and stories viewen want to see said Stan Knott Channel I news director But there are no quick fixes when it cornea to expanding audiences Smith said "News viewen change overnight" he said "Getting an audience to move from one station to airther can be like watching a glacier move" 2 points at homes respectively Charnel 42 does not have a 5 pm newscast In May Channel IS officials fired anchor Gene lively and replaced him with Mike Royer a former weather forecaster and boat of the the Morning" talk show Sta Craig From page El Patterson said he la optimistic about Selma's future as long as community leaders keep working hard be a major he laid will be a aeries of small victories in keeping and attracting industry While Patterson said it be true to 'There was a lot of young active money that was pumped into the economy of Selma1 Scott Patterson say Selma has recovered from done Just as well as anybody could have We are constantly out there re- But Selma still struggles with Joblessness Mrs Jones said the area had a 116 percent unemployment rate in April An unexpected side effect of dosing has been its discovery by film makers Two movies have been shot on the old base in recent yean pumping $15 million into the local economy she said and people in the movie industry have said Ckaig la a good spot for filming Mrs Kincey said she hopes the Ckaig Field struggle to get new businesses at the old base will mean a better more diversified future for Selma better off if you can have lota of small industries rather than one big shesaid Selma knows that for sure "There was a lot of youngs active money that was pumped into the economy of Patterson said Even the civilian Jobs at Ctaig paid well Patterson said Bloat of the Jobs that have come into the Selma area since Criug closed have been in lower-paying industries And like other towns across the country Selma has experienced shifts and losses in its overall employment base For example it lost some white-collar Jobs when International Paper Go and Hammermill Papers consolidated he said Beechcraft began making commuter planes at Oaig after the base closed and had through the state Health Department' he cruiting constantly working with our local businesses expanding" Patterson who also is chairman of the Selma Historic Commission and past president of the Downtown Selma Assodatfon said he believes Selma also has been helped by aggressive efforts to renovate buildings in the downtown area and preserve the antebellum homes and commercial buildings that are a common sight throughout the town Economic statistics show mixed results for Selma Edie Northland Jones tourism director and film liaison for the Selma-Dallaa County Chamber of Commerce said lodging at Sel-ma-area hotels was up 22 percent from July 1991 to June 1992 the latest figures available In comparison lodging across the state rose 51 She said she would introduce legislation removing the units from the Education Department if the superintendent would support her effort eco- com- Mitch Mcnddaon'a a payroll of 400 people in well-paid Jobs Smi-But a few years ago vmic conditions caused the aircraft pany to pull iti plant out Now Beech Aerospace Services which is a repair facility has only 70 workers on the old flight line 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