Programming Note: ABC 17 News Launches Market’s First Weekend Morning News
UPDATE: This Sunday, January 10, the 8 a.m. edition of ABC 17 News This Morning will not air. It will begin its run January 17.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Networks of Mid-Missouri announced today it is expanding its news operation in the Columbia-Jefferson City market and adding six hours of local news programming to its weekend broadcast lineup.
The Networks’ ABC 17 News team will sign on tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. on KMIZ with ABC 17 News This Morning. The program will be Mid-Missouri’s first ever weekend morning newscast. The hourlong broadcast will be followed by ABC’s Good Morning America in its regularly scheduled time period. GMA will be followed by another hour of local news at 8:00 a.m. ABC 17 News will then air an hour of news at 9:00 a.m. on its sister station, FOX 22 KQFX. Sundays will follow the same schedule.
The move follows ABC 17’s aggressive approach to providing more news to Mid-Missourians. Since September of 2010, the company has added four weekday newscasts, nearly doubled the size of its news staff and opened a newsroom in Jefferson City.
“Mid-Missourians have shown an increasing appetite for local news and content and ABC 17 has responded over the years by expanding our offerings on air and on our digital platforms,” said Curtis Varns, general manager at The Networks of Mid-Missouri. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be able to bring live weather and news to time periods that are so important in people’s lives. I’m proud of our team’s effort and the opportunity to serve Mid-Missouri,” said Varns.
“We all have so much to do on weekends. The kids have soccer games. There are home improvement projects that need attention. There are errands to run. I’m looking forward to providing Mid-Missourians with news and up-to-the-minute ABC 17 Stormtrack forecasts that help them prepare for their days,” added Curtis Hancock, ABC 17 News Director.
The newscast will follow a format similar to ABC 17 News This Morning’s weekday lineup. ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather will hit every 10 minutes “On the 7s.” Crews will also report on breaking and overnight news from Mid-Missouri and around the world.
The Networks of Mid-Missouri operates the ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and Me-TV affiliate television stations in the Columbia-Jefferson City market. The stations are committed to being the leading source for news and entertainment for viewers in Mid-Missouri. For more information about the stations visit www.ABC17news.com.
News-Press & Gazette Company, the parent company of The Networks of Mid-Missouri, is headquartered in St. Joseph, Mo. and owns and operates television and radio stations in 10 markets. The company also owns and publishes 14 newspapers in Missouri and Kansas and operates two data storage facilities.
Its mission is to be the dominant provider of local news, information and advertising in the communities it serves. Family-owned in its fourth generation, NPG prides itself on strong community involvement, a commitment to sustainability and a focus on its employees’ success. For more information about NPG Co., visit www.NPGCO.com.
