urbanSTL

DeBaliviere wrote:My primary concern is that Sandy Miller not lose her job as part of any cost-cutting measures.

I'll see your Sandy Miller and raise you a Melanie Moon- I don't want her to be cut either. She's the only reason I even think of KPLR news.

Channel 11 should have never left the city. I can understand why they moved from the CWE - that location was ill-suited for a TV studio - but they should have stayed in the city, downtown in particular.

I agree. I remember when KPLR moved to Maryland Heights, part of the rationale was a more "central" location within the metropolitan area since it has expanded so far westward in the last couple of decades. If that's what they want to tell themselves, fine, but what about Illinois news?



I really don't like any local news organization all that much, and I can find plenty of fault with all of them. However, KTVI was perhaps the best at producing positive stories about the city. I wonder how that will change when they move to Anonymous Heights...



Speaking of Maryland Heights, I lived there for a couple of years, and beyond the fact that I was in better shape when I lived close to Creve Coeur Park, I cannot think of another good reason to live there.



(It doesn't help that I detest the Verizon Amphitheatre, Westport Plaza, and nearby Earth City- Creve Coeur Park cannot make up for those atrocities.)

The site of the Fox studios is a great one for reuse, especially if a developer could take out the Hardee's right next to it as well - that's a pretty good-sized plot of land.

There's lots of potential there. And, like TWOTA, I think it's no coincidence that KTVI is moving just as the Hampton Avenue overpass is set to shut down for reconstruction as part of the 64/40 rebuilding project.

I guess I'll switch to channel 5.

I'll see your Sandy Miller and raise you a Melanie Moon- I don't want her to be cut either. She's the only reason I even think of KPLR news.

I still miss Jamboretz

Again, this has nothing to do with Hampton closing or KTVI "wanting" to move.



KPLR / Tribune is now taking over KTVI. KPLR has brand new large studios in their headquarters in Maryland Heights.



Tribune is doing the same (combing CW/FOX stations) in Denver, Chicago and St. Louis. This is also being done in other major markets like Atlanta, Orlando and Houston with other station companies. It is unfortunate, but is the way of the future.



I doubt KPLR and KTVI will move to downtown since KPLR just built new studios a few years back.



The article:



KPLR, Fox combine news efforts



09/17/2008



The parent companies of Fox (Channel 2) and KPLR (Channel 11) have announced an agreement to combine their newsrooms and share services.



The agreement will have Channel 2 moving to KPLR's offices, where one combined newsroom will produce staggered news programs for a total of nine hours of news a day, according to a statement from the parent companies, KPLR owner Tribune Company and Fox owner Local TV Holdings LLC.



The agreement will allow the stations to offer news at different times to an evolving viewership with hectic lives, said Spencer Koch, general manager of KTVI.



"By joining with KPLR, we can combine the best of both stations in news gathering and production," Koch said in the statement. "If the people of St. Louis want to watch news, they will find it on Channel 2 (KTVI) or Channel 11 (KPLR). We are working to our audience's schedule, not ours."



MORE.../FULL ARTICLE:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument

matguy70 wrote:Again, this has nothing to do with ... KTVI "wanting" to move.



KPLR / Tribune is now taking over KTVI.

I think the building on Hampton certainly could be a part of it. I've heard it's not in the greatest condition. The owners can likely get a good offer for it as well. A factor, but I doubt the end reason. The real reason is the money savings that combining will offer.



No where have any of the articles said that KPLR is taking over KTVI. They are only partnering and sharing resources.

I was half listening to JC Corcoran yesterday morning and he mentioned this to Dave Murray, who explained it as a "friends with benefits" situation between the two stations. Needless to say I had never heard those words from Dave Murray's mouth and it was a bit unsettling

KPLR and KTVI Merging News Operations" be a better title

Got it.



Good.

The old KTVI site at Hampton and Berthold is slated to become a CVS.

Good to have something there, not a CVS though! I still think the move to West County was a mistake for KTVI/KPLR. That site was perfect. I was sad to see them go, since they had been there all of my life. I would have liked to see another business take over the spot, but a vacant building and lot is not desirable either.

Might they build a big building with attractive residences upstairs with views of the park? Or is it more likely to snow tomorrow?

Hopefully the CVS will have a sea of parking surrounding it like Gravois and Chippewa

Well this oughta screw up an already terrible traffic situation in that area.

Well, Walgreens took over several prominent intersections in the St. Louis area during the 1990s. QuikTrip did the same in the 2000s. I guess this decade is CVS' turn?

Can't say I'm terribly excited or surprised by this development. I was hoping for a better and higher use of that land, but I've also been hoping for a 20-degree drop in the temperature lately and that hasn't happened either.