According to today's Post KTVI Fox2 is moving their operations out of the city and to the West Port facility of KPLR.
^Personally, I don't think so. I believe KTVI had been considering moving for a long time. As I see it, this presents a perfect opportunity for a developer to come along to take advantage of the new I-64 access and views of Forest Park by buying the KTVI property. Hopefully a new mid-rise residential tower or an office tower would go up. When you add the burgeoning medical center, Drury's twin tower hotel proposal, the new streetscape, nearby Washington University, the growing Highlands, etc. it's prime real estate.
Plus, the city would still have four local stations based in its core.
-WRBU My 46
-KSDK NBC 5
-KMOV CBS 4
-KDNL ABC 30
Plus, the city would still have four local stations based in its core.
-WRBU My 46
-KSDK NBC 5
-KMOV CBS 4
-KDNL ABC 30
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You're very right about the real-estate being worth a ton with the new developments, but I just feel high-visibility businesses within the community should do whatever it takes to stay inside and stay active in the city, not the county.
Oh, and you forgot my personal favorite TV station on your list... KNLC 24.
Oh, and you forgot my personal favorite TV station on your list... KNLC 24.
1000washington wrote:Oh, and you forgot my personal favorite TV station on your list... KNLC 24.
^LOL!
To set the record straight...
KPLR CW11 moved to Maryland Heights/Westport area a few years back. KPLR / Tribune Communications is taking over KTVI Fox 2.KPLR CW11 News just moved to the 7:00 p.m. newscasts [and expanded their news from 1/2 hour to a one hour newscast] last week from the 9:00 p.m. newscast (in which is was competing against KTVI Fox 2's news at 9:00).
The stations will have the same studios and will broadcast all news for KTVI and KPLR together from one location (which happens to be KPLR's new studios and building located in Maryland Heights).
I am not sure it KTVI will still have offices near Hampton and I-64/Hwy 40 after the merger.
This move has nothing to do with KTVI "wanting" to leave their homebase near Hampton Avenue in West St. Louis City.
Read entire news article on the merger at:
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stor ... ily55.html
Sad to see KTVI move out of the City. Maybe they can be lured back into downtown in a few years.
Two other quick points:
1. Given the growth of Clayton, I see a real opportunity for KTVI to set itself apart by locating their studio's in Clayton. I am sure Clayton would chip in on the incentives to have the studios showing stunning views of downtown Clayton during the news casts and nice shots of the bustling downtown business district. Heck, Clayton is the county seat and with its business growth should hit 40,000 daily workers in no time (only half as many as downtown).
2. The owner of the Highlands development should be eyeing the old KTVI property. Purchasing everything east of Hampton and north of Wise (or even Berthold) would present an interesting opportunity to try and integrate the scattered development which has occurred on the site into a real neighborhood, with improved connections to Dogtown and act as an anchor (along with the hospital) for improvement of that stretch of Hampton.
Two other quick points:
1. Given the growth of Clayton, I see a real opportunity for KTVI to set itself apart by locating their studio's in Clayton. I am sure Clayton would chip in on the incentives to have the studios showing stunning views of downtown Clayton during the news casts and nice shots of the bustling downtown business district. Heck, Clayton is the county seat and with its business growth should hit 40,000 daily workers in no time (only half as many as downtown).
2. The owner of the Highlands development should be eyeing the old KTVI property. Purchasing everything east of Hampton and north of Wise (or even Berthold) would present an interesting opportunity to try and integrate the scattered development which has occurred on the site into a real neighborhood, with improved connections to Dogtown and act as an anchor (along with the hospital) for improvement of that stretch of Hampton.
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On the bright side, probably 90% of the people who work at Fox are happy that the studio is moving closer to their home.
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My primary concern is that Sandy Miller not lose her job as part of any cost-cutting measures. 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Anyone see coincidence that they're moving right as the Hampton overpas is set for shut down and demo?
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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.
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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.
MattnSTL wrote: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.
Would "KPLR and KTVI Merging News Operations" be a better title?
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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.
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southsidepride wrote: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
Was it a bit Janis Unsettling?
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The old KTVI site at Hampton and Berthold is slated to become a CVS.
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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.
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I'm sure CVS will do great business there with the Forest Park/Zoo traffic. It will be the most convenient stop for park goers to pick up water, sunscreen, etc.
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...and prescriptions from the hospital across the street.Alex Ihnen wrote:I'm sure CVS will do great business there with the Forest Park/Zoo traffic. It will be the most convenient stop for park goers to pick up water, sunscreen, etc.
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aahh...well...hmmm...Barnes!Alex Ihnen wrote:That hospital may not be there for long...