Looking for info on the Kansas stations

[Bureau Chief]

Ok gang, I am about to reach that point where its time to make the long awaited move. I am in the northeast and am tired of the snow. I want to move on to a market like Wichita, or maybe OKC but thats a stretch.

Can anybody tell me anything about the situation with KNSW or KWCH? I thought I saw a large building near Great Bend that belonged to KNS but they are listed as being in Wichita. Is this a bureau? or maybe just a transmitter site?

[Gil]

Ummm... you want to move to Kansas for better weather? You sure about that?

[Gail sirens]

You are tired of the snow in the Northeast and want to move to Kansas?
You are joking I hope.
Or else find a better excuse to leave the NE.

[Focker]

I've only got info about Topeka (which is a smaller market than Wichita, although it's the friggin capitol of the state) and I'm sure Zeke could give more up-to-date info since he's in NW Kansas, but while I was working there (a decade ago), WIBW was #1 (since it's a CBS and had old people programming and all the old people watched Matlock, Murder She Wrote, and Walker, Texas Ranger) and has since moved into a new building...200 yards from the old one. KSNT (NBC) was decent, then KTKA (which stopped doing news for a while). Topeka itself seems like it's 10 years behind the times. The downtown closes at 5pm...literally. Everyone leaves downtown and heads to the west side and doesn't go back until 9am the next day. Cost of living is pretty low, too.

Anyway, hope that helps.

EDIT: I second the wondering about moving to KS to avoid cold/snow. I remember some nice blizzards while I was there.

[Bureau Chief]

Where Im at now gets >110 inches of snow a year, much of it like right now. In heavy snow squalls that severly limit travel. Not to mention the occasional bout of sub zero temps that stretch on for weeks it seems. I am a storm chaser so I LOVE Kansas and the people out there.

[Bureau Chief]

And theres the real estate prices. I looked at a 2 bedroom brick home with a 2 car garage, fenced yard and a full abasement...for $22,000...it didnt sell at $22000, it finally went for $19,800!! I have kicked myself a hundred times for not buying that house when I looked at it.

[wxgeek]

There is not as much winter weather in Kansas as in the northeast. You'll deal with one or two decent snowstorms a year, at most. The rest of the time, it's just cold, and everything is brown...frankly, I like the snow better.

Now, on to your questions:
1. KSN is based in Wichita. Remember, the Wichita DMA is actually "Wichita-Hutchinson Plus." It includes all of western Kansas, so all three affiliates have bureaus in western Kansas towns, including Great Bend. So that's probably what you saw.

As far as ratings go, KWCH has been the traditional number 1, with talent that seems to have been there forever. KAKE occasionally gives them a run for the money in the ratings, winning in certain demos from time to time. KSN has been a long-time number 3, though part of that may be due to frequent ownership changes.

[Bureau Chief]

How about working conditions? How are the newsrooms? Easy going or full of tension? The one Im in now is a problem. I will likely have to go back to being a photog if I go out there, with not knowing the beats or the streets.

[wxgeek]

Since my stint at a Wichita station was just an internship, I can't really say what the newsroom environment is like...I've been gone awhile. The information I gave was mainly from having grown up in the market.

I worked in Topeka for awhile, too...I'd rather not say which station...newsroom was pretty typical small-market stuff...lot of rookies fresh out of J-school thinking their story on the city council meeting would win them a Murrow award. (and no, I wasn't doing weather there...I was a photog at the time.)

[Red Rover]

How about working conditions? How are the newsrooms? Easy going or full of tension? The one Im in now is a problem. I will likely have to go back to being a photog if I go out there, with not knowing the beats or the streets.


If I was considering doing weather in Wichita I would have to know how they handle such a huge DMA (2/3rds of the state) during severe weather events. Topeka would appeal to me because of its proximity to Lawrence, and my favorite city, Kansas City.

[casterdamus]

Ditto what Red said. Long days and long nights covering storms for the ICT market. Smaller severe ADI for TOP but usually later nights. KC, depending on the station, even smaller severe coveragestil area but a harder market to crack. Everyone there seems to be lifers, whether they can forecast or not.

[Jbtornado]

I can't explain why a few forecasters in KC still have jobs, but many have been there for 20+ years now and are probably there til they retire...

In Wichita, they do cover the entire large DMA, but will sometimes break the coverage regionally in the DMA.. For example, if a storm with a possible tornado is in SW Kansas, they only do the coverage on the Dodge City-Garden City bureau stations and leave the rest of the state to regular programming. You would need to learn your counties and small towns and how to pronounce them correctly!

Topeka is a starter's market, WIBW is the dominant perennial leader, but has gotten alot younger with talent and probably cheaper. KSNT has the most solid evening news talent in my opinion, but are very cheap otherwise. KTKA is the #3 and had a fresh start restarting news a few years ago, but alot of talent just left that station all at once, and I'm sure its very stressful there right now..

FYI Kansas only averages around 20-25" of snow a winter.. Thats not near as bad as an area which averages 60-80" of snow a winter like around the Great Lakes and Interior Northeast

[Bureau Chief]

Its those outlying bureaus that Im interested in. Do they hire locally or do they send people in from the main stations pool of photogs etc.?

[Quagmire]

You don't really want to work in Topeka. It's a hole.

As much as I can appreciate Kansas, you sure don't want to be stuck out in Goodland, Dodge City, Hays, Garden City, etc. Sure they are ok to visit. But you don't want to live there.

This narrows your options down to Wichita. It's not that bad of a place. Kake has went run and gun, bleed and lead. A very sad change for a place that used to value storytelling. KSN is there...they don't do a terrible job or a great job. KWCH was bought recently by some good owners, so that is a plus.

[TAFKA wacowx]

...I want to move on to a market like Wichita, or maybe OKC but thats a stretch.

I wouldn't put OKC out of your league. I know your work and I have had photogs of similar talent and gumption land positions in OKC from Waco. PLUS, you have all of that storm chasing experience...even to the point of some souped-up meteorological knowledge....far more than the typical photog. No reason not to look into OKC or Tulsa....especially to espcape some of the snow. ;-)

[Quagmire]

Knowing what I know about those who have gotten hired in OKC and asluT, the standards arent exactly demanding anymore. Might as well try.

[CallLetters]

KWCH 12 has 4 bureaus and staffs 3 of them (Dodge City, Hays, Salina) with reporter/photographers. KSN 3 hasn't staffed it's bureau in Great Bend in a few years, but I hear it's hiring for that position again. KAKE 10 staffs its Garden City bureau, but makes the person cover all of western Kansas. All tend to hire people right out of college for those positions, and move them to Wichita when openings come up.

12 has been a ratings leader for ever; they used to put together a pretty good product, emphasis storytelling, community issues, etc., but not so much the case now (12 also produces a 9pm news for FOX). 10 gives them a run for their money every now and then, but tend to be pretty sensational. 3 always seems to be behind the 8 ball.

As for morale, things never seem to be good at KSN. Low ratings, small staff, and from what I hear, not a great company to work for. Things at 12 don't sound good right now either; lots of unhappy people. Not sure what's up at KAKE.

This may be a good website to check out:
http://wichitatvnews.blogspot.com/

[Bureau Chief]

Gees Waco, you are making me blush. Thanks for the ego boost. I like OKC but its a bit large for my taste. I have spent the last 5 years working out of OKC April thru July. Not bad but too many people.
I like Kansas...and theres nothing wrong with Goodland, Hayes etc, at my age, I need peace and quite...at least till the tornado siren blows. Thanks for the info all!