Nexstar

Nexstar gave users a first-of-its-kind digital content experience that offered a new level of March Madness coverage that can’t be found on most national websites.

Paulson takes over the position vacated when former boss Austin Kellerman, left to become director of digital content for Nexstar corporate in February.

The series examines Texas Railroad Commission Chairman, Christi Craddick, and the conflicts of interest related to her politically prominent family and her position as the state’s most powerful oil and gas regulator.

Local TV stations ramp up the coverage of March Madness to share the excitement, the drama and the human interest stories beyond the scores. “That’s really all people are talking about, especially in March,” said Russ Poteet, news director for KLBK in Lubbock, Texas, home of Texas Tech.

“Planning for this anniversary began last year and every department inside the station has worked diligently to make sure we showcased how it all began, looked to the future and most importantly, thanked our loyal viewers,” said Jason Doyle, WDTN’s creative services director.

WROC has again been certified the “Most Accurate Forecasters” in Rochester, N.Y., by WeatheRate, the ninth time 10 years. “In a region that can experience 40-plus degree temperature swings, thunder storms, wind storms and snow storms all within a few days, accuracy is critically important and at times, life-saving,” said Wendy Bello, WROC’s general manager.

The KRON-ON streaming video platform features 11 hours of KRON’s regularly scheduled live, local news programming, including six hours of live morning news coverage and five hours of live evening news, commercial free via KRON-ON.  “Nexstar’s comprehensive cross-platform content development strategy leverages innovative technologies to create new products and services that meet the unique needs of the local communities we serve in San Francisco and across the United States,” said Tim Busch, Nexstar’s president.

When it comes to local TV marketing and creative services, I can’t tell you how many times I get called by stations asking if I know of a writer/producer or a creative services director I can recommend.  So based on my experiences as someone who’s hired quite a few people at the local TV level in marketing, and as someone who was a front-line writer/producer, creative services director and broadcast group VP of marketing, here are some thoughts about how stations should retain and recruit.

WAVY, Nexstar’s NBC affiliate in Portsmouth, Va., is in the fortunate position of having its own news helicopter on the premises as well as a drone. But deciding when to use either is a fine art. “So we see what fits best, the drone or the helicopter, and some days, we have them both out,” said Jeff Myers, WAVY’s news operations manager and chief photographer.

WCIA, the CBS affiliate in Champaign, Illinois, has been able to digitize 1580 hours of old news stories from their news archives. From that footage, the station has created a segment called, From the Vault, which airs on WCIA’s newscasts and its afternoon lifestyle show, CI Living.