Monday, October 06, 2008

A Global Focus

Television news reporting is often thin when it comes to international events, where news beyond the U.S. is either ignored, or covered only when it drastically affects this country.

A former Cleveland TV reporter hopes to change that with his new public television news show, which premieres tonight on many PBS stations.

The anchor of American Public Television's "Worldfocus" is familiar to many Northeast Ohio TV viewers. Martin Savidge has spent the last few years in the national news spotlight working for NBC News and for CNN, but Clevelanders remember his time as a reporter at then-CBS affiliate WJW/8 - now a FOX affiliate.

Cleveland Plain Dealer media columnist Julie Washington talked with Savidge last month, and reminds us that the former "NewsCenter 8" reporter actually established his globe-trotting reputation in his time at South Marginal Road, heading to places like Russia and Thailand. (Yes, young Virginia, local TV stations used to occasionally send reporters overseas!)

But don't expect to find Savidge's new show on Cleveland's PBS affiliate, WVIZ/25. The ideastream outlet isn't clearing "Worldfocus" on its main signal, though we did find it scheduled on WVIZ's "PBS World" digital subchannel 25.3.

Since you basically have to be actually on Brookpark Road in Parma to pick up WVIZ's currently weak temporary digital signal, Time Warner Cable viewers can watch PBS World on digital cable channel 364.

Or, it might be easier - especially for over-air and satellite viewers - to seek out Savidge's new show on Northeast Ohio's other PBS affiliate, the newly-renamed Western Reserve PBS (WNEO/45-WEAO/49).

We found "Worldfocus" on the Channel 45/49 schedule weeknights at 11:30 PM, though it gets nudged to midnight on Monday nights the next few weeks (including tonight) due to the earlier airing of "American Experience" specials...

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Speaking of Channel 5, are there any rumors or talk of a image/branding change? With the fall promos I've noticed that what is usually referred to as "NewsChannel 5" in all areas(including regular programming) was called "WEWS 5". Promos for the Bonnie Hunt Show premiere as well as a commercial for Regis have ended with the station being identified as "WEWS 5" and just a plain circle 5 bug without the "News Channel" next to it.

Changes would make sense considering the new ND as well as attempts to change on air talent and even the style of the news. Watching GMC on Monday I saw that 5 was using the different set area(used at noon) and they are promoting a GMC Facebook page.

Unknown said...

Oops. I just realized this is not the Channel 5 topic. Sorry bout that.