WFLD GM’s editorials a dumb idea

From the station where bad ideas usually flourish: A few months ago, Fox-owned WFLD introduced editorials at the end of their 9 p.m. newscasts on occasion featuring General Manager Mike Renda, who now runs sis station WJBK in Detroit, with former WOFL/WRBW GM Dennis Welsh, as his replacement. Well, Welsh has continued the practice and thus far appeared in two station editorials – bringing back a tradition several local TV execs used to do in the ’70’s and ’80’s, in the Fairness Doctrine era (click here and here to watch.)

But is it a good idea for Welsh to talk about local issues such as the Illinois pension mess and Chicago Public School closings – and he’s been here only six months? Those are the only issues he’s talked about thus far, as he stumbled and bumbled his way through both editorials, even going as far as taking a position. Welsh sounds like some political candidate running for office instead of a GM of two low-rated television stations. Seriously, viewers don’t care about what a local TV or radio exec thinks about any issue. Let me guess: these “editorials” are meant to show the station “connecting” to the local “community” they serve.

Spare me the NAB talking points.

The bottom line is this: ratings for WFLD’s newscasts continue to stink; the station recently introduced a very annoying twitter scroll at the bottom of the screen during their 9 p.m. newscasts; and another new low for the boys at 205 N. Michigan… a Chicago At The Tipping Point tagline, describing the city’s crime and education problems with their odious, tabloidish reporting. What marketing consultant came up with that slogan?

And of course, Bob Sirott and Robin Robinson still have no chemistry.

Yours truly has written about Fox 32 news’ woes for years – it seems every time they bring in someone to fix things, it only gets worse – they’ve had four news directors in the last five years alone.

Welsh better focus on fixing Fox’s failing Chicago duopoly and their pathetic newscasts, instead on local issues he barely knows nothing about – including the matter of Ms. Robinson’s contract, which is up this month. Is WFLD management going to keep viewers in the dark about her status as its parent network did recently regarding the fate of The Cleveland Show? Maybe Welsh’s next editorials is on how Cleveland Brown and his stepdaughter Roberta would fix the pension system and Cleveland Jr. improving school lunches so kids can eat six of them during the day.

You’ve heard of The Chicago Way?  Welcome to The Fox Way.

This just proves many of today’s TV and radio exces are among the dumbest people on the planet (keeping The Cleveland Show on the air for four years is more than enough proof.) In this day and age, they have no business wasting viewers’ time talking about issues when you know they are just there for the paycheck every week. Unfortunately, we’ll never see the likes of Ward Quaal, Brandon Tarikoff, Dennis Swanson, Barry Diller, and William Paley in this industry ever again – visionaries who actually cared about the products they put out – and proud of it.

Dennis Welsh needs to take some advice from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who wrestled before he starred in stupid movies and reality shows:

Know your role and shut your mouth.