Posts Tagged ‘Lilly Broadcasting’

New WICU/WSEE website huge improvement

June 15th, 2011 joel
erietvnews.com

Screen grab of erietvnews.com - June 15, 2011

The new website for Lilly’s Broadcasting’s news products at WICU and WSEE is a huge improvement over what they had to date.

The design is clean, media-rich, and should be profitable. What’s interesting is that the on-air promos continue to push the individual domains for the TV stations, wsee.tv and wicu12.com, which then forward to erietvnews.com. I think that’s a good idea, since they have over a decade and a half of branding invested in those domains and rolling out a whole new brand is unnecessary and expensive. And it shows that in spite of much discussion in these parts, Lilly-Erie seems to be committed to keeping the individual news brands separate.

Features of the site are headlines up front, news articles with full-size video complete with ability to link and even embed video onto your own site, as well as share on Facebook or Twitter. There’s also satellite weather and only one ad “above the fold” so that your not wading through so many pop-ups to get to the top news. I like the bio page, with nice new pictures of the news staff and some witty personal stories, as well as the comprehensive directory of the entire company, complete with phone extensions and email links…I appreciate the willingness to be available to the viewers.

They’ve also included a mobile version of the site, which now joins YourErie.com in having separate mobile strategy for a mainstream Erie news outlet. We’ve yet to see any kind of mobile app to come out of GoErie.com/Erie Times-News.

There is still some cleanup to do at erietvnews.com, some design issues including random white space and lines that fall off, along with broken links. However, we are grateful for the investment made in this technology that really enhances viewer’s lives.

Posted in Television Tags: , , , , , , , 3 Comments »

Poll: would you use more Erie news with a mobile app?

May 2nd, 2011 joel

When we asked last month about your favorite cable news channel, over one-third of P&T respondents said that it was Fox News Channel, followed by CNN and MSNBC.

It seems these days that there is an app for just about everything, and now that includes local Erie news. Nexstar has added the YourErie.com 2Go app for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry. Meanwhile Lilly Broadcasting has contracted with a new web provider that will most definitely give them a mobile presence, and GoErie.com doesn’t look too shabby on my Android browser.

It does make me wonder if the mainstream news operations really embraced mobile, would their eyeballs on their content and advertising jump up considerably? Would that include you?

Would you read or watch more local Erie news if available on a mobile app on your smartphone or tablet/iPad?

  • Yes, definately. (34%, 11 Votes)
  • No, not at all. (25%, 8 Votes)
  • I don't have a smartphone, tablet or even iPod Touch! (25%, 8 Votes)
  • Maybe, it depends. (16%, 5 Votes)

Total Voters: 32

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Posted in Polls Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments »

The rise of women in Erie media

April 25th, 2011 joel

What glass ceiling?

The rise of market veteran Pam Forsyth to General Manager of Lilly Broadcasting’s WICU, WSEE, and WBEP is a significant milestone. Yet it is a natural outcome in a market that has long valued its female media professionals. Just last month, Lisa Adams was upped to News Director at the same cluster; who when joined by Program Director Paula Randolph creates a context where powerful female voices are heard from the entire spectrum of a station’s operation.

Meanwhile, downtown we find the Erie Times-News/GoErie.com and Connoisseur Media’s six radio stations with women in the CEO chair. And don’t forget that many ad deals are conducted by agencies led by women, including Ad Person of the Year, Pauline Gonda of Rambaldo Gonda Media.

Perhaps what makes the Forsyth promotion so exciting is that Pam came up through the ranks locally, starting in local radio sales at WSEG in the 1980′s, eventually hitting the streets for channel 12 where she has been most effective and empathetic for her clients and the viewers. I can’t think of a better person who can not only maximize revenues and market share while bringing continued healing and solidarity to the merged group.

The world of Mad Men seems a million years ago compared to this age of Erie media.

Posted in Television Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments »

Poll: is a new smartphone in your future?

January 17th, 2011 joel

When we asked P&T readers about the most likely headlines they might see as the close of 2011, a plurality said that they didn’t think local news in high definition would be a reality this year. Almost one-fourth predicted a single-branded newscast coming out of 35th & State.

Well the big announcement for Verizon Wireless subscribers finally came last week: the new iPhone for Verizon will be released February 10th. My feeling is that with Verizon’s market share in this area, the iPhone will be a big winner in the Erie market. It might even turn the heads of local late adopters who have been holding out. How about you? Are you thinking about going smartphone in 2011?

Will you be buying a new smartphone in 2011?

  • No...I already have a smartphone (44%, 16 Votes)
  • No...I don't want a smartphone (42%, 15 Votes)
  • Yes...I will be buying an Android OS phone (11%, 4 Votes)
  • Yes...I will be buying an iPhone (3%, 1 Votes)
  • Yes...I will be buying a BlackBerry (0%, 0 Votes)
  • Yes...I will be buying a Windows Mobile phone (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 36

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Posted in Polls Tags: , , , , , , , 2 Comments »

Poll: what will 2011 bring in Erie media?

January 3rd, 2011 joel

When we asked P&T readers where they get  their TV, 46% said that they subscribe to digital cable, while 31% used a satellite dish. Nearly one-fifth said they get their TV off-the-air.

With this poll, we want you to put your Carnac turban on. What will be the headlines we read this year in local media. Some of these are sure things, some seem to be long shots. What do you think?

Choose the top two most likely media headlines in 2011

  • Local TV news in High Definition will still not be a reality by year end (42%, 23 Votes)
  • WICU, WSEE and the CW will further merge their news operations to a single branded newscast seen on the three channels (24%, 13 Votes)
  • One of the two Erie corporate radio groups will be bought and sold this year (16%, 9 Votes)
  • GoErie.com will drop their paid comments initiative and offer comments free with registration (7%, 4 Votes)
  • A new independent online player will emerge to challenge the established Erie news operations (4%, 2 Votes)
  • Erie radio will see it's first FM talker (4%, 2 Votes)
  • Non-political Erie advertising dollars will resurge to pre-2008 levels (2%, 1 Votes)
  • A new wave of hyper-local newspaper publishing will sweep the region, with multiple neighborhood startups (2%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 55

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Posted in Polls Tags: , , , , 8 Comments »

Top Erie media stories of 2009

January 1st, 2010 joel

Happy New Year and welcome to the “teens!”

As was the case with much of the last ten years, the decade ended last night with the media front and center of culture’s conversation. With top-talker Rush Limbaugh finally released from a Honolulu hospital, and Fox viewers in O&O markets thankful for a momentary reprieve from losing their football, media doings are never far from top-of-mind.

Here’s the top stories we were talking about in 2009, by month:

  • January: local TV stations and the Times-News cover the inauguration of President Barack Obama on January 20th
  • February: longtime Erie broadcaster and cancer machine inventor John Kanzius succumbs to cancer on February 18th
  • March: Nancy Dymond replaces David Calabrese as market manager of the Connoisseur Media radio cluster in Erie
  • April: a video capture of an apparently intoxicated off-duty Erie Police officer uploaded to YouTube created a local and national controversy about police relations with the minority community, and the new reality of social media
  • May: Lilly Broadcasting merged the newsrooms of WICU and WSEE, resulting in the elimination of about a dozen off-air and on-air jobs
  • June: WICU is the final TV station to switch off their analog transmitter and put Erie completely into the digital television age
  • Wards react to the reveal July: The seven day build of a home for Erie’s Clara Ward culminated in the July 2nd reveal of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition house
  • August: Star 104/WRTS increased it’s dominance in Erie radio as the Spring 2009 Arbitron ratings were released
  • September: Former Erie Congressman Phil English began his high profile blog “Presque Isle to the Potomac” on GlobalErie.com
  • October: The Erie Times-News was named Newspaper of the Year by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association
  • November: Erie’s most-visited media website, GoErie.com underwent a major redesign
  • December: The weekend of December 12th and 13th turned out to be one of national media attention on Erie, as Saturday Night Live mentioned the fictional “Erie Chamber of Commerce” as part of a PGA spoof over the Tiger Woods controversy, then a two-hour special episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition showcased the work of thousands of volunteers impacting an eastside Erie neighborhood.

Next week, we’ll talk with one of Erie’s top media watchers about the past year and what we might see in the new year. Stay tuned.

Posted in From The Editor Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Three of Lilly’s ladies leave

December 29th, 2009 joel
Jacqueline Policastro

Jacqueline Policastro

It is contract time at the area’s two broadcast television companies. Not all of the talent you see is a-under contract, and b-up for renewal. However, this moment of decision-making has led to a significant change at one duopoly: Lilly Broadcasting.

The anchor of WSEE Newswatch at 6 & 11, Jacqueline Policastro has opted to leave Erie for a big-time market jump to anchor the morning news at WISH/Indianapolis. That’s a jump from DMA #146 to #25 for those keeping score at home. Although, she was offered a renewal and enjoyed her 18 months in Erie, Jacqueline says that she is excited at the new opportunities to help WISH continue their “multi-platform” initiatives.

“I will be working with the news director to help direct the newsroom switch to ‘multi-platform’”, Jacqueline said to P&T. “They have already done quite a good job, with Blackberry and iPhone apps, etc… but it will be exciting to help move that forward even more.”

Perhaps the biggest highlight of Jacqueline’s tenure here at WSEE was her regular “one-man-band” reporting from Washington, and the national political conventions for all of the Lilly stations, bringing the national stories home and relevant to Erie viewers.

(more…)

Posted in Television Tags: , , , , , , , 6 Comments »
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