WCVB Boston is adding two new half-hour weeknight newscast at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. starting Jan. 11. The Hearst-owned ABC affiliate will be the only Boston station with a newscast at 7 p.m., which will lead into its news magazine “Chronicle.”
"WCVB is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to improve how we deliver news to our viewers, via all of our platforms—on air, web, and mobile—which includes the WCVB news app, and social media." said Bill Fine, WCVB president and general manager. "The evening news expansion addresses an expressed need of Boston’s viewers by providing additional options to receive NewsCenter 5 at new times.”
Fine added that research revealed that almost half of viewers are available at 7 p.m. to watch TV and would be extremely or very interested in local news at that time.
To make room for the pair of new newscasts, WCVB is moving Ellen from 4 p.m. to 3 p.m., Inside Edition from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Meredith from 3 p.m. to 1:05 a.m.
“With the addition of these two newscasts, as well as the recently announced news expansion Sundays at 5:00PM, WCVB is better positioned to provide the news our viewers want at the times they want it," said Andrew Vrees, WCVB news director.
