JOETV Needs Joe The Reporter

Finally a TV station is asking the question "WWJD?" That of course is "What would Joe do?". The Tribune company is trying to reinvent its Seattle station, giving it a new image that will appeal to a younger demographic. With a cartoon comedy block including King of the Hill, South Park, Family Guy, and The Simpsons, an off hour fast paced newscast, and shows like Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm the station is going after younger male viewers.

While I am a reporter I know traditional local news has to be reinvented. Usually to shake things up stations will move in new talent. But the traditional format, an anchor sitting behind a desk tossing to reporters in the field, seems to be dying. Viewers seem to want news personalities and infotainment. They want the John Stewart's and Stephen Colbert's of the world. Well here I am! Sure right now I have two followers, but that number is growing! Not quickly, but I am sure it is growing.

And with the television and computer merging into one, there needs to a move toward online news as the rule, not the exception. At WTXX the station now known as "The CT" in Hartford, the station website increased it's hits by more than 800% thanks to its new brand. Young people get there news online. They want news that interests them and they have short attention spans. They need fancy graphics, good looking girls and cool and funny guys. They want people they associate with. Tribune seems to be trying to give them just that.

JOE TV debuted this week and if it catches on think how many people will confuse my blog with one of their reporters. It's only a matter of time before we merge, and just think a TV station with my own name. Soon every Tom, Dick, and Harry will want their own station. If the idea takes off, they just might get it.