There is no shortage of reality shows profiling life in the 49th state. The subjects are as diverse as the people, the terrain, the climate and the wildlife, both the animal and human kinds. There are Alaskan reality shows about being a wildlife officer, a state trooper and a city cop. There are Alaskan reality shows […]
There is no shortage of reality shows profiling life in the 49th state. The subjects are as diverse as the people, the terrain, the climate and the wildlife, both the animal and human kinds.
There are Alaskan reality shows about being a wildlife officer, a state trooper and a city cop. There are Alaskan reality shows about living in the bush, catching fish and crabs, animal and gold hunting, truck driving, flying, farming, and just plain surviving.
There’s even one about Alaskan women looking for love. But that doesn’t really count as it takes place in Miami, because when it comes to dating on Kodiak Island, the women say, “the odds are good, but the goods can be a little odd.”
But if you really want to know what life is like when you live in Alaska, try watching the local news in Anchorage on KTUU, the NBC affiliate owned by Northern Lights Media.
“Anchorage is a city of about 250,000-300,000 people,” says Brad Hillwig, KTUU’s marketing director, “but we really cover the whole state. Alaskans want to see Alaska when they watch the news.”
That’s a tall order. Alaska is America’s largest state, more than twice the size of Texas. I’ve lived and traveled in Texas and I can tell you that Texas is really big, more than 1,000 miles across in parts. So it’s hard to imagine just how big Alaska must be.
According to Hillwig, KTUU doesn’t have any bureaus established anywhere in the state, but “we’re well positioned to cover news anywhere. Our modes of transportation includes trains, planes and automobiles. And we do get a lot of viewers sending in pictures and videos of news until we can get people on site.”
KTUU recently moved into new digs, called the Northern Lights Media Center, went to HD with a new look, and the station showed the progress of it all during its newscasts. When the new facility opened, KTUU held an open house and 750 people came out to see it, and Hillwig created some promos to thank the community.
“KTUU broadcasts to a huge geographic area,” says Hillwig, “we’re on cable and satellite systems state-wide. But our image branding keeps it simple. We focus on the community, we care about the community, we love our community.”
Just like in the lower 48 states, weather is a big influence on the station’s marketing, and in Alaska, there is a wide range of weather conditions that might exist at the same time depending on where you are.
“This has always been a pioneering television station,” says Hillwig, “and now we’re a modern media company with mobile and digital assets.”
According to Hillwig, KTUU is the dominant market leader in Anchorage. The station’s research indicates that of people between the ages of 25-54, 82% watch KTUU news.
“We have great people with deep roots in Alaska,” says Hillwig. “We have a great product, with just as good production and presentation as anything in the lower 48 states, but with a unique Alaskan perspective.”
So what kind of unique Alaskan stories might you see when you watch KTUU or go to its website?
How about a photo gallery of the best Alaskan beards and mustaches? Or a map that shows moose collisions, which is not funny in Alaska.
Below are several stories lifted from KTUU’s website that are examples of recent news stories and other unique stories of life in Alaska.
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