Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 58

4G DETROIT FREE PRESSSUNDAY, MAY 28, 1995 2 team beats Channel 50 Channel New to the 10 p.m. news slot, 4 II 1I1I.II -V I mrntk I with news topics of the day. "Channel 2 is like the WWJ of television a local version of CNN. Anytime there's a breaking news story, they have the wherewithal to cover it for longer lengths of time and more intensively than 4 and 7 do," says Dick Kernen, vice president for industry relations at the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts. Channel 2 can afford to outspend Channel 50 in the studio and out in the field, and in doing so, the station has carved out a special niche for itself in the market, Kernen says.

I In metro Detroit, WDIV-TV (Channel 4) is still the overall news leader with WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) a close second. Channels 2 and 50 are still battling for third and fourth place in news overall. Channel 50's coverage of Detroit Red Wings hockey, Detroit Tigers baseball and Detroit Pistons basketball sometimes forces the station to postpone the news until after a game is over. This ratings period, the 10 p.m. news was postponed at least 10 times.

That hurts news ratings, but helps sports ratings. "We're not going to stop carrying a live sporting event at 10 p.m. to put a newscast on," says Paul Prange, Channel 50's program and audience development director. "Having three sports franchises is something we're very excited about and adjusting the news start time is part of the overall picture. Sports that's where we see our niche in the market." (V A I' "i 1 "I im IIIT The Channel 50 10 p.m.

news broadcast is led by veteran anchors Amyre Makupson, right, and David Scott. Bill Bonds struggles against the news -V, CS Huel Perkins (left) and Rich Fisher the 10 p.m. broadcast. an anchors Amyre Makupson and David Scott, weatherman Gary Bazner sportscaster Ray Lane. Channel 2 has offered a fast-paced, hard-hitting show with punch, glitz, iand sometimes even a slight tabloid flavor.

It is anchored by Rich Fisher and Huel Perkins, weatherman Chris Edwards and sports director Mark Wilson. "If you look at the amount of resources that they put into local news and the amount of resources we put in, if we weren't beating them I be unhappy," says Steve Antoniotti, Channel 2's general manager. at habit "Bonds Tonight" starts with a sprinkling of news and notes. Many nights, Bonds ends the show with a commentary segment called Billy's Turn. The folks at "Bonds Tonight" are proud of the work they've done, but know they need to get the word out.

"A lot of people still don't realize when we're on," Therrien says. "I've had people say, 'That was a good show you did with Bonds. How often does he do those Steve Antoniotti, Channel 2's president and general manager, is pleased with the show and doesn't plan to move it to a different time slot. "Of course, we'd like as big a (ratings) number as we can get, but we didn't think it was going to beat the newscasts on the other stations," Antoniotti says. "We think it's going to be an alternative If it's anything like 'Nightline' in its growth, it's going to take quite a while." BY L.A.

JOHNSON Free Press TV-Radio Writer Quite a few 10 p.m. news viewers have "Gone to 2." WJBK-TV (Channel 2) has beaten WKBD-TV (Channel 50) in Detroit's 10 p.m. news race since mid-Decem-; ber, when Channel 2 became a Fox affiliate and started offering a 10 p.m. newscast. For the April 27-May 24 Nielsen ratings period, Channel 2's 10 p.m.

news drew an 8 rating with a 12 share. Channel 50 had a 4 rating with a 6 share. Each ratings point equals about 17,000 households. A share is the percentage of all TV-viewing households that are watching a specific program. Sagging ratings, however, haven't discouraged the folks at Channel 50.

"News is a marathon and not a sprint We are not getting out of the 10 o'clock news business," says Helen' Pasakarnis, Channel 50's news director. "Is Channel 2 going to call it a day because our weekday programs at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. are beating their newscast? I doubt it." Channel 50's "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," hour at 5 p.m. and "Roseanne," at 6 p.m., pull in better ratings than, Channel 2's news at 5 and 6 p.m.

Reaching into Paramount's pockets, Channel 50 revamped its newscast May 1, giving the show a snazzier, state-of-the-art look with colorful graphics. Channel 50 used to offer a much more straightforward, no-frills newscast. The program still is led by veter-: MT he jury is still I out. We have time. We're going to be creative and realistic.77 Bill Bonds notified Bonds he had been fired.

The decision was made public in January, Channel 2 free rmp "Bonds Tonight," billed as "Nightline" with an attitude. Viewers often approach Bonds in public to say how much they enjoy the new show. Bernard Gruley, 52, of Allen Park is willing to change his viewing habits for Bonds. "The Bonds show is interesting and informative and I like it," says Gruley, an electronic systems designer' with Ford. "I watch the 10 p.m.

news 50, then watch Bonds at 11 p.m. Now, if he was doing 2 news, I'd watch news. He would put the correct slant things," 111 I l. ilif mm mm mm hm Willi 1ft rift 10 jl AMC LAUREL PARK EAST S.UAU."" II SHOWCASE dearbor SHOWCASE wfSTifiHo MILt 1 1 STAR UNCOiW PhHK 8 RIVER IFORD WYOMING BlVt NO fASSIS OR COUPONS ACCIPTtB CHECK DIRECTORY FOR SHOWTIME head up the Channel 2 news team for Mort Meisner, Channel 2's news director, boasts that his station has the largest newsgathering operation in Detroit TV, with more than 125 people. In news, Channel 50 has a full-time staff of 47, with 25 part-time workers.

Channel 2's 10 p.m. news did better in this ratings period than Channel 50's 10 p.m. news did even when it didn't have competition from WJBK. "We've created new audience, which shows viewers will watch quality news programming," Meisner says. Channel 2 provides 7'2 hours of news each day, plus the half-hour "Bonds Tonight," which often deals A SAMPLING FROM On the Sharon McPhail-David Snead gift list: "The wedding registry for this couple reads like a shopping list for the Ritz Carlton and the cast of Ben-Hur." On talk radio and the Oklahoma bombing: "Conservatives they're not going to vanish.

Neither are the liberals. Their voices are not going to be silenced, but if each American somehow resolves to stand up to the merchants of hate and violence, and exercise their freedoms of speech when idiots and wackos from the right and the left, and kooks abuse that same freedom, we'll be OK. And we'll be a better, freer, stronger America. The great good majority owes at least that to the murdered children in the heartland of America." On the O.J. Simpson case: TERRIflGAIlY FOfJfJY! A tense, terrifically fminy letioiiazzler!" Pilir Irmri, Mlllll mil 1 25 IMC DCLIIR 5, 7:20 7:50 10, 1 1:50 4:45 7:45 10 30 IMC STRUMG 5:00 7:30 10:00 12, 1, 4:15 5, 7:30 8, 10:30 mi CTR.

nt 1 ii nil mm BONDS, from Page 1G rumphs. "It's the Nielsen ratings service. They're flawed. You can't live by the ratings," Bonds says. "You figure out what you do best, what people are interested in, and try to do it." Still, Bonds knows he still needs to get more viewers to change their news-at-11 habit.

"The jury is still out," he admits. "We have time. We're going to be creative and realistic." It won't be easy. "It's a tough situation to be in because you have a whole audience out there socialized to watching news at 1 1 p.m.," says Dick Kernen, vice president for industry relations at the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts. "Channels 7 and 4 are in the catbird seat.

They're splitting the 11 p.m. news audience Bonds has the ability to draw some very, very big names and do some very good stuff. It's just a very crowded market place." Bonds has done shows on inflammatory talk radio, violence in schools, the major league baseball strike, the Michigan Militia, the Jenny Jones talk show murder, the J. Simpson trial and the Oklahoma bombing. The national media have quoted "Bonds Tonight" because Bonds snared an exclusive interview with Joseph Antonini after the Kmart chairman resigned.

Bonds also got attention for interviewing militia members with ties to Oklahoma City bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh. He's hosted big names including OJ. Simpson defense attorney Johnnie Cochran, Geraldo Rivera, Mike Hitch, Don Barden, Tim Allen, Gennifer Flowers and newlyweds Sharon McPhail and David Snead. Even the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers have done Bonds' show. "It's much more of a challenge, certainly, than doing the 5 p.m.

and 11 p.m. news," he says. "News kind of dictates what it is." Bonds was especially touched by one guest, physician Yvonne Thornton, who wrote "The Ditchdigger's Daughters," a book about how her poor-but-loving parents instilled in her and her sisters the drive and motivation to become successful. "She was just marvelous and all things considered, I think that's the best show we've done," Bonds says. "There really was a lesson there for people Talk about somebody who is just such an incredible example of how to live a life.

If you want to hold something up to say how to do it right you can hold up that book. EfflishmanO who went up a hill III bill came down a mountain 1 I 10. 1. ilfl 5:407:56 10:10 1. 4.45 7:30 9 45 130iM5 7:15 9 30 12.

2 40 4 45 7:15 9:50 12:10 1. 5:20 7:40 10:15 0:25 10:30 M. Puzzle answer (Puzzle on Page 3G.) "I got more out of that than I did interviewing Gennifer Flowers." However, the Flowers interview was fun simply because he couldn't have done it earlier in his career. "They would not have allowed it," Bonds says. "In the 1960s up through 1970, 1 had a hard time saying 'pregnant' on the air." Glenn Therrien, the show's executive producer, acknowledges that "Bonds Tonight" is still trying to find its niche.

He says Bonds heart and soul are in news and future shows are likely to be more dependent upon news- makers, less upon showbiz celebrities rcujjic sec ouiius as a ucwmimii and not as a Johnny Carson," Therrien says. "That's what people expect from him and that may be what he always does best." Among Detroit's Olympic broadcasting gods, Bonds is Zeus. He was Channel 7's opinionated and unpredictable lead anchor for nearly three decades, captivating viewers who loved and hated him, but always tuned in to see what he would do. Last August, Bonds was convicted on drunken driving charges. While completing several months of alcohol rehabilitation in Atlanta, Channel 7 Jill.

V.I 1 mm mm mmnmm my mm wwm mm mc AMERICANA west 1 1 AMC BEL I il If II VCi I ii 111 1 on 2 on AIR BILL BONDS "If I ever get arrested, arraigned and accused of committing double first-degree murder, I sure want to be in LA at the time and hope and pray it's the LA cops that do all the investigating and collecting of all the incriminating evidence. As for LA County prosecutors, the combination of the two is like hiring the captain of the Titanic and the safety engineers that inspected the O-rings on the Challenger to teach a safety course for bomb-making terrorists Do it there, man. It's a long drive, but it's almost a sure walk." On Gennifer Flowers' tell-all book, alleging Bill Clinton's philandering: "A warning to presidential wannabes. It's a tough job. Smell the roses along the way, but remember that some blossoms are very, very dangerous and for the horny, some flowers can be painfully thorny." IMC edSTWriD 5 1, 1:30 4 30 5:15 7:15 7:45 9:50 10:15 IMC WOHD6RWI1D 11 2, 4:30 5, 7:15 7:45 10, 10:25 SHOWCJS4UWJWl HttlS 1:10 1:40 4.

4:30 7:15 7:45 10, 1025 12:30 STIR JOHN RCT14 Mie 10, 11 11:30 1:15 2:10 4 5 6 4 5 8 9 1 0 10, 11 umo irtists MIRWH 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 7:45 10, 10:25 Sony Dynan DHjltal Sound. liiliiili mam mm llll Illllt, Hi llll! Illllll II OYfJAMITE! 'Die lard'ixnlMit. Willis ml Jacksii are trnsBfte tosetber." Jill llllll. llll Mlllll IIHIUIK II "A TOTAL 10! Islentlesslr NteiHiilRi. Ai lutein riu il eulteseit nf sorprisn." urn irimr, Hiiitii urn tiiiiiti i ui uiii iimiu ft I r-vj sa (WilMliV mm mm cs a mm A tMCIMRIOirVIWCST NOW SHOWING 1:20 1:40 4:30 APC MURL MRK IMC SOUTHflCLD CITY VMDIS 4:30 5, 7:15 7:50 10:15 10:30 1:30 IMC WOODS .1:40 4:50 7:40 10:15 1, 1:30 4, 4:30 SHOWC4SPOnTMC1-5 QUO Rerwissdfice 7:15 7:40 10, 10:25 12:30 12:20 2:45 5:15 7:40 mc 80UTHFIEL0 CITY 1 1 AMC SOUTHLAND hro STERLINB CTR.

10 10:10 SHOWOJSeSTCWJriCHCTS. IlMlclElensI IITI5IU Eg J. BOOM SI A J. A RU ADA oou pUj.6 JM Sf 1 ASKS DM A A IRA nil Dm AM5 fi A I tEJ note LOQA "NliJCJ CHS i 0 Nt0 A eHju A ND J.AMESKS3 BdH PIEiS A ITa off OMR P. Ha A JD QM? 3M Jt I A Ijl A UA DCS IH -N I' 0 i ep TTE TFnTtIo hIT a j.

eTSjfl STs cVf ESte SB sits E-3 1 EllFiOIA DS -J wfp A IT mjj cjo mj xHa I a Ik NomA plcsa En "ill TtMjY BjO dyjairredBtac nooto JpTa a p. rrn i sn OMINwIiTT HIIiW I DflC iy tRrTaTe sff i aTo" jade 1. 1:30 4, 4:30 7:15 7:10 10. 10:25 12 30 1, 130 4, 4 30 1ST 55HS55S8S STIR uncoui PAW W56 7:35 4:15 AMC WONDERLAND BEACON RENAISSANCE 4 SHOWCASE SHOWCASE Vl SHOWCASES! STAR 8MTI0TT15Mltt 1 1 STAR JOHN BT STAB Rochester mus Witt" WEST MT. CLEMENS drive in sentedI 233 14 STtR CR4TIOT 7:15 740 10.

10 25 12 30 11, 12, 1. 2.2:50 4 5. 6, 7 8, STIR T4YLOR 5:30 7 00 8 15 9 45 10 10 10 00 11 00 WST RNR fORD WYOMING 7:45 9:45 10:25 DRIVE-IN 9. 50 10:50 12,1:45 3 4:30 6:15 7:30 9, 10:30 5 20 7 05 umren irtists 1 2 04KS unto irtists 1, 4, 7, 9:50 .1, 2, 4, 5, 8 7, if.