There's a new order in Baltimore television.
For nearly two decades, when it came to local news viewing, it was WJZ and then everybody else. But in the wake of the three-way affiliate switch that took place on Jan. 1, WJZ no longer rules exclusively.
In the switch, the station went from being an affiliate of first-place ABC to third-place CBS, and now -- for the first time in 17 years -- WJZ failed to win outright the weeknight, 11 p.m. news race during a sweeps ratings period. It tied with WBAL.
Local stations can get as much as two-thirds of their newscast-related advertising revenue from their 11 p.m. shows. It's the most watched newscast, thus commanding the highest advertising rates -- anywhere from $800 to $1,200 per 30 seconds in Baltimore.
Of the three most important newscasts -- the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. weeknights -- WJZ won only the 6 o'clock newscast outright during the February sweeps, which ended yesterday. But its audience for that newscast was down by about 47,000 homes from last year -- though all local stations suffered losses during their early news as viewers tuned to CNN at dinner time for coverage of the O. J. Simpson trial.
"There's no doubt about it: This is a historically significant change. WJZ used to be legendary in local news -- the way they dominated the competition," said Douglas Gomery, a media economist at the University of Maryland College Park. "I would guess there are a number of factors involved, but for them to now be scrambling for a tie with WBAL at 11 in the wake of the network-affiliate switch says it's definitely a new world in Baltimore television."
WBAL General Manager Phil Stolz agreed. "It certainly is a different landscape at 11 o'clock," he said. The tie between WBAL and WJZ represents the first time since 1978 that WJZ hasn't won the weeknight late news period outright. WBAL, the former CBS affiliate, was helped by a strong prime-time lead-in from its new partner, NBC, which won the February sweeps race.
WJZ General Manager Marcellus Alexander countered by saying: thrilled with our overall ratings performance and very proud of the WJZ staff. Our new partnership with CBS is off to a strong start."
"It stands to reason that the switch to CBS has hurt WJZ at 11," said Steve Barkin, who teaches television news at the University of Maryland College Park. "But I think those ratings are only part of a larger picture of Channel 13 losing its once incredibly powerful hold on the market."
