Viewers want fewer newscasts and more UVA coverage

We’re continuing to get some feedback on our new 7pm newscast.

Charles Hylton wrote, “Can you all please tell me what cat crap flavored coffee sold in Ft Lauderdale has to do with our “local” news? Please! You all have way too many newscasts for the five minutes of local news that happens around here daily. Your news cast is horrible.”

And Mark Bierley emailed, “My wife & I have watched WSLS news since moving to this area 17 years ago. We were very happy with the content until now. The way you have changed your programming to accommodate news from 5pm to 7:30 pm is too much news. Local news at 6pm then national news at 6:30 pm was great for us. I realize times change, but it’s not enjoyable to us to watch so much, so we will be switching to another station not so focused on news during 5 to 7:30. We truly did like Channel 10.“

WSLS Responds: Thanks for your thoughts. As with all new things, it can take some time to get used to the new show and format. And we while we would love for everyone to watch every newscast we produce, we understand that with busy lives that is unlikely. So, we are providing our viewers with many options so they can get the latest local and national news at a time that convenient for them. If the 7pm time doesn’t work for you, keep watching at 6.

Our coverage, or as one viewer would say, our lack of coverage of UVA continues to irk some.

Mark Feldman wrote, “I was very disappointed with your ‘sports’ coverage at 6:00 pm Sunday evening. The first item was a glowing report on VT’s resort to the passing game to beat Duke- complete with game footage. The very next was an item that a UVA recruit had de-committed and included a remark attributed to him that ‘had Virginia won more recently he would not have’ (decommitted). Nothing about UVA’s win over UNC. The reporter should have worn her VT colors and had pom-poms in her hands. Such blatantly biased coverage will not improve your ratings. Many in your viewing area are pleased that a Virginia school like VT is doing well but care a great deal more about other schools in Charlottesville, Lexington, Harrisonburg, Richmond, etc.”

WSLS responds: Mark, thanks for the email. We did have highlights from the UVA game on Saturday night. But you’re right, on Sunday we had only the new information about the UVA recruit de-committing. Keep in mind that Virginia Tech gets more coverage on our news because that school is in our coverage area. By far, there are more people in the viewing area interested in Virginia Tech, it’s one of the biggest employers in the region, and what happens there impacts many different communities throughout Southwest Virginia. That’s why on balance you’ll see more Virginia Tech coverage than UVA coverage.