Double-Female Anchors

[kydocking]

Does anyone agree with me that the double-female anchor teams look silly, experimental, and scream consultant? When will this trend end?

[Laughing Angel]

Actually, it looks like they couldn't find a male anchor to fill in that night. Just an opinion.

[Roy Hobbs]

Like most anything else it worked in one market then everyone starts doing it.

My favorite is the new too-young hottie paired with the veteran female...always looks like take your daughter to work day.

[amp]

Girl-on-Girl newscast! Channel 69 Hardcore Action News!

[RollTide98]

Our station's 5pm show has two female anchors... One of whom has 29 years of experience in the market; the other has 18.

Works well for us.

[Sir Dropham Pants]

It's better than two dudes.

[!]

I think having two anchors at all is a waste.

Viewers are tired of happy talk ("interaction"), and that's the only reason to have two anchors in the first place.

[Clubbeat]

All depends on the market and if it works.

[Gail sirens]

Nothing wrong with it if it's the right combination.
Chemistry between any anchor pairing is critical.
And lack of it shows on the screen.

[Pro]

Originally posted by !:
I think having two anchors at all is a waste.It was started way back when to pick up the pace of 6:00 newscasts. Since they were (then) all local, a LOT of the stories were stricly "readers". It made it (seem) go faster when you switched anchors between readers.

[Pregnant Reporter]

Originally posted by kydocking:
Does anyone agree with me that the double-female anchor teams look silly, experimental, and scream consultant? When will this trend end?Perhaps it looked that way when it started, 10 years or so ago. And judging by how long it has lasted, I'd say it probably won't, at least not everywhere.

[Stack It]

A female anchor team can work. I've seen it done successfully in several markets. The ideal newscast is the 4/5PM slot during the week.

I once worked at a station that decided to do it on the late local news. I can't remember what the exact ratings were, but they held their own. I think they eventually became #1. The thing with anchors is it's not so much the team, but the credibility. If you have two familiar faces, it shouldn't make that much of a difference. Unless one of them is replacing your main male anchor who has been a fixture at the station and was there when dinosaurs were roaming the earth.

[ November 01, 2007, 02:36 PM: Message edited by: Stack It ]

[TVMattNYC]

Two females on the set is an abomination and is in direct violation of what God Intended.

[Produce man]

Originally posted by TVMattNYC:
Two females on the set is an abomination and is in direct violation of what God Intended.So is homosexuality.

tongue.gif Just kidding, it was too easy.

[William_Jefferson_Clinton]

Hey! I know some Dudes! ...
http://www.geocities.com/california_state_unfair2002/bill_clinton2.jpg
that double as female Anchors.

[Spike]

Originally posted by !:
I think having two anchors at all is a waste.I think anchors at all are a waste. And reporters, too. The whole show should be nat packs. Just nat packs and interview packs, with bump shots of flowers in between.

[William_Jefferson_Clinton]

The Flowers were let go.
http://www.geocities.com/california_state_unfair2002/bill_clinton2.jpg
They were replaced by wax dummies
because they wilted under pressure.

Wax Fruit was too heavy, and
clashed with the station decor.

[Hatter]

Originally posted by !:
I think having two anchors at all is a waste.
Agreed. Dr. and Mrs. Huxtable sitting behind a giant desk and reading the news looks so contrived and old. Anymore, you only see it in local news. Every other faction of the industry has moved passed the folksy mom and dad news couple presentation.

[SamG]

Originally posted by Hatter:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by !:
I think having two anchors at all is a waste.
Agreed. Dr. and Mrs. Huxtable sitting behind a giant desk and reading the news looks so contrived and old. Anymore, you only see it in local news. Every other faction of the industry has moved passed the folksy mom and dad news couple presentation.</font>[/QUOTE]I'll bite... what other faction of the industry? National News? OK. Morning national shows?... they have MUTLIPLE anchors (maybe only one on the news desk, but they're only doing 5 minutes of "news" out of every 30).

[Diplomat]

WPVI in Philadelphia has had a single anchor at 6 and 11 for more than 30 years and they're still atop the ratings. Of course, the current anchor has a "no co-anchor" clause in his contract.

The thing that has never made sense to me is a station that absolutely HAS to have co-anchors on all the half-hour evening newscasts, yet will do a 2 or 2 1/2 hour weekend morning newscast with only one anchor.

[overthehill]

We have male-female teams because of tradition and what we've "trained" the viewer to think. In fact OUR OWN thoughts of tradition (What! Two dudes doin' the news!?! No Way!), get in the way.

Cripes, we all shout and bemoan Katie doing the evening news because she's a girl and my God, the evening news is a place for men! Says who?! Tradition. Yeah, Connie Chung didn't work as an evening news anchor, Barbara Walters didn't cut it...but who says pairing two women (or two men) on a local newscast can't work? Tradition. that's all.

I'm yet to see much research that shows you HAVE to pair a man and woman as your anchors. The viewer doesn't care. Just give 'em the news, damnit.

Heck, by next winter, we might have a woman president!

[Eeps Snorps Now]

Exactly what does plumbing have to do with anything?

[Pro]

Originally posted by Diplomat:
WPVI in Philadelphia has had a single anchor at 6 and 11 for more than 30 years and they're still atop the ratings. Of course, the current anchor has a "no co-anchor" clause in his contract.A station like WPVI can afford more reporters in the field. A single anchor doesn't slow down their newscasts' pace when they can go from package to package.

[!]

Originally posted by Pro:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Diplomat:
WPVI in Philadelphia has had a single anchor at 6 and 11 for more than 30 years and they're still atop the ratings. Of course, the current anchor has a "no co-anchor" clause in his contract.A station like WPVI can afford more reporters in the field. A single anchor doesn't slow down their newscasts' pace when they can go from package to package.</font>[/QUOTE]Yeah, the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago stations can't afford reporters, so they have to have multiple anchors.

Two anchors = "crosstalk" instead of news.

[Hatter]

Originally posted by SamG:
I'll bite... what other faction of the industry? National News? OK. Morning national shows?... they have MUTLIPLE anchors (maybe only one on the news desk, but they're only doing 5 minutes of "news" out of every 30).Networks, cable news channels, The Weather Channel, ESPN (though they still do alot of double-anchor shows), syndicated information shows like Access Hollywood and the like. The shows with multiple anchors are doing more of the "toss" to co-anchor on another set or on location, and double boxes are replacing two-shots. More popular newscasts are being built around a single personality like Anderson Cooper 360 or Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

Granted, morning shows will always have alot of people lounging on couches and yucking it up, but mornings are a tougher format to blow up. Fox and Friends just won't work without any friends. (though I think they can afford to dump a few of those friends.)

[Pro]

Originally posted by !:
Yeah, the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago stations can't afford reporters, so they have to have multiple anchors.They don't have to. They choose to. For whatever reason. But pacing is not one of them, as it is for a smaller market station.

[Roy Hobbs]

Originally posted by Eeps Snorps Now:
Exactly what does plumbing have to do with anything?The wrong plumbing can cause a crack in your ratings.
http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban865l.jpg

[MyracleMan]

The only time we have double female anchors is when we have a noob who the ND feels needs to get some experience on the desk. And then, only for the hour long 9pm. Otherwise, our 5:30 looks like take your "daughter to work day" with the late 40's male anchor who's been at our station for 25 years, and the early 20's female anchor. Our 9pm is much younger skewing, replacing the old guy with an early 20's piece of eye candy for the girls out there. But still, the sometimes-painful crosstalk is the only reason for the double anchor system. That, and so the one person doesn't have to work so hard.

[we'reinblack]

If the females are good and have chemistry it's a win-win. Men like to watch the girls, and women feel like they are with friends.
If they are weak it may jump out at you more than with co-ed anchors.
Seems to work ok for WABC.

[Anchor_27]

i love the two women anchor look
I think its fun and fresh

[MyracleMan]

Originally posted by Anchor_27:
i love the two women anchor look
I think its fun and fresh"Fun and Fresh"?

That and your location say it all.

Two anchors is dead and boring...

along with local news.

[Hatter]

Originally posted by MyracleMan:
But still, the sometimes-painful crosstalk is the only reason for the double anchor system. That, and so the one person doesn't have to work so hard.I think it also makes NDs feel safer. It's nice and predictable, and they don't have to worry about hanging their entire product on one personality. That anchor is holding all the cards (negotiating) and you run the risk of the anchor bailing out at the end of a contract and destroying your brand. Plus, it's a rare local news anchor who can hold their own flying solo anyway. Having one anchor takes huge cajones, and most NDs aren't that ballsy.

(apologies to the NDs out there, just my opinion)

[ November 05, 2007, 11:24 PM: Message edited by: Hatter ]

[Pro]

As a former ND, I can tell you that the sole reason there are (usually) two anchors is because viewers tell us that's what they prefer. I've seen the research.

If I could have taken one of my anchors (large) salary and used it to hire two (or three) more reporters, photographers or producers, I would have done that. In a heartbeat.

[!]

Originally posted by Pro:
As a former ND, I can tell you that the sole reason there are (usually) two anchors is because viewers tell us that's what they prefer. I've seen the research. Did you share it with the networks?

Because they don't seem to have gotten the memo.

[Cobra Commander]

Originally posted by Anchor_27:
i love the two women anchor look
I think its fun and freshYou said it! :D

http://www.spyhunter007.com/Images/naked_news2.jpg

[Pro]

Originally posted by !:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Pro:
As a former ND, I can tell you that the sole reason there are (usually) two anchors is because viewers tell us that's what they prefer. I've seen the research. Did you share it with the networks?.</font>[/QUOTE]Have you counted the minutes that Brian, Charlie or Katie actually appear on their respective shows? It's not that much. I daresay the local anchors appear (including V/O's) on their 30(actually 22) minute newscasts than Williams, Gibson and Couric do on theirs. And that's even WITH local weather and sports!

[!]

Originally posted by Pro:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by !:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Pro:
As a former ND, I can tell you that the sole reason there are (usually) two anchors is because viewers tell us that's what they prefer. I've seen the research. Did you share it with the networks?.</font>[/QUOTE]Have you counted the minutes that Brian, Charlie or Katie actually appear on their respective shows? It's not that much. I daresay the local anchors appear (including V/O's) on their 30(actually 22) minute newscasts than Williams, Gibson and Couric do on theirs. And that's even WITH local weather and sports!</font>[/QUOTE]Or you could design your own newscast like the networks--with actual NEWS in it instead of happy talk--and one anchor is all that's required.

And yes, I have tried it. Yes, ratings improved.

[ November 06, 2007, 12:17 PM: Message edited by: ! ]

[Pro]

Well congratulations. More often than not, it DOESN'T work. Remember WBBM? One of many who tried something like this, but failed.

[!]

Originally posted by Pro:
Well congratulations. More often than not, it DOESN'T work. Remember WBBM? One of many who tried something like this, but failed.That wasn't the same thing at all.

WBMM changed the content radically as well, and it came off more like a PBS-produced show, not a newscast.

[Pro]

Well, obviously most of the rest of the local tlevision stations (with local news) are idiots, and you're the only smart person left. You must be very proud. :rolleyes:

[!]

Hey, it's been done with success elsewhere.

Why the passive-aggressive attitude?

[Pro]

A few places. Not many.

And what's with YOUR attitude?