KPLR Launches Noon News

It’s good to see some stations still investing in news product amidst the crap economy. Local TV’s KPLR St. Louis launches a noon news April 6, an hour show anchored by Christine Buck.

“April 6 is not only the Home Opener for the St. Louis Cardinals, but it’s also our Opening Day for News 11 at Noon,” said KPLR/KTVI President/General Manager Spencer Koch. “We are fortunate that we are able to use our combined resources to offer the viewers another choice at noon.”

Local and Tribune announced in September that KPLR and KTVI, a CW and a Fox, would be working out of a common facility in St. Louis, similar to what the two groups did in Denver with KDVR and KWGN. At the time, Koch said: “By joining with KPLR, we can combine the best of both stations in newsgathering and production. If the people of St. Louis want to watch news, they will find it on Channel 2 or Channel 11. We are working to our audience’s schedule, not ours.”

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.