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WXYZ-TV retires "Action News" branding

At least for me, "Action News" feels dated and even a little campy. Obviously opinions may vary. This branding is still used in a few major markets, but more commonly dropped.

The Circle 7 logo? Timeless!
 
Not really shocking given that those names like Action News and Eyewitness News are outdated. Scripps is right to do this as part of a move to get more viewers to pay attention to Scripps News feed.
 
Let's be real. "Action News" lost its meaning when Bill Bonds, who was arguably the face and editorial voice of the station, got fired in 1994. It was only a surprise that it lasted as long as it did.

Besides, Scripps no longer has to pay Apollo Global Management's Cox Media Group division—owners of the "Action News" trademark—in order to use it.
 
Nathan Obral said:
Let's be real. "Action News" lost its meaning when Bill Bonds, who was arguably the face and editorial voice of the station, got fired in 1994. It was only a surprise that it lasted as long as it did.

Besides, Scripps no longer has to pay Apollo Global Management's Cox Media Group division—owners of the "Action News" trademark—in order to use it.
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Wait I thought it was Disney which uses the Action News brand in Philly and Fresno. ABC was the founder of WXYZ until the CAPCITIES merger which Scripps took over both WXYZ and WFTS.
 
DarrenVision said:
Wait I thought it was Disney which uses the Action News brand in Philly and Fresno. ABC was the founder of WXYZ until the CAPCITIES merger which Scripps took over both WXYZ and WFTS.
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And all of this is correct. Cox was somehow able to get the trademark first before CapCities or Disney even did, thus why Disney pays CMG to use the Action News brand in Philly and Fresno, in the same way Disney pays CBS to use the Eyewitness News brand for their other stations (except KGO which puzzles me since KPIX hasn't used it in years).
 
itsTheRolyPoly said:
And all of this is correct. Cox was somehow able to get the trademark first before CapCities or Disney even did, thus why Disney pays CMG to use the Action News brand in Philly and Fresno, in the same way Disney pays CBS to use the Eyewitness News brand for their other stations (except KGO which puzzles me since KPIX hasn't used it in years).
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KGO-TV never used Eyewitness News, that's why.
 
Rollo-Smokes said:
KGO-TV never used Eyewitness News, that's why.
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That doesn't mean anything. KGO can still pick it up.

Case in point... WPEC WPB used Eyewitness News up until around 1998 or 1999. Immediately after that, WPBF Tequesta picked it up and used it until around 2002 or 2003.
 
Rollo-Smokes said:
Your suggestion is a non-starter.
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Maybe... but not entirely necessarily. Yes, maybe that's why KGO hasn't used it because its still associated with KPIX. But at the same time, if KGO were to use it, they can go right ahead and do so since KPIX is no longer using it.
 
WTNH-8 in New Haven got rid of the Action News branding in the mid 90s. It changed to News Channel 8, and then to News 8.

WTNH (then called WNHC-TV) started with Action News in 1970, after it was implemented at its then sister station, Channel 6, in Philadelphia. The original concept was to have lots of short stories with filmed reports. One advertising slogan was "Action News really moves..."
 

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I wouldn't want this thread to become a listing of who still uses Action News and who doesn't anymore. The real issue is the continued relevance of the brand. Obviously, Scripps in Detroit no longer sees a need for it and is moving forward.

Personally, I'm a believer in maintaining legacy whenever possible. But evolution is inevitable. No local station in the age of 21st-century corporate ownership is going to resurrect brands like The Big News, Newservice, Newsscene, NewsCenter (outside of WHIO and WCVB and whomever else), Newswatch (outside of WNEP, KETV and whomever else), Pulse, or whatever. That is the reality.

You're more likely to see the New York Yankees drop their 51-year-old policy banning beards and goatees AND stop playing "America, the Beautiful" during the seventh-inning stretch first.
 
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Rollo-Smokes said:
I wouldn't want this thread to become a listing of who still uses Action News and who doesn't anymore. The real issue is the continued relevance of the brand. Obviously, Scripps in Detroit no longer sees a need for it and is moving forward.

Personally, I'm a believer in maintaining legacy whenever possible. But evolution is inevitable. No local station in the age of 21st-century corporate ownership is going to resurrect brands like The Big News, Newservice, Newsscene, NewsCenter (outside of WHIO and WCVB), Newswatch (outside of KETV and whomever else), Pulse, or whatever. That is the reality.

You're more likely to see the New York Yankees drop their 51-year-old policy banning beards and goatees AND stop playing "America, the Beautiful" during the seventh-inning stretch first.
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NewsCenter was also used by WCSH and WLBZ, NewsWatch was also used by WNEP and KDRV.
 


Here is E.W. Scripps and the 7 News Detroit open for WXYZ. Yes the other Scripps owned station that uses Action News brand is Tampa's WFTS and the ABC Action News name. Note the one related to the ABC7 logo thats as long as EW Scripps pays royalties to Disney is Scripps still want to do that.
 
Y2kTheNewOldies said:
Note the one related to the ABC7 logo thats as long as EW Scripps pays royalties to Disney is Scripps still want to do that.
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It's not the "ABC 7" logo. It's called Circle 7.

WXYZ-TV has used it since around 1963, after it was first introduced at its then-sister ABC O&O KGO-TV in '62. When Capital Cities/ABC spun-off WXYZ to Scripps(-Howard) following the merger, they allowed the station to continue to use the logo.

For perpetuity? Not sure.

For free? Maybe not at first, but I'm sure Scripps pays a nominal fee to the copyright holders (CC/ABC, and since 1996 Disney).

That logo is embedded in the minds of anyone who is from Detroit, Windsor, and the environs for so long now that if Scripps ever decided to change it, there will be some flack. Not a lot, but more than the change from Action News to 7 News Detroit.
 
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Y2kTheNewOldies said:


Here is E.W. Scripps and the 7 News Detroit open for WXYZ. Yes the other Scripps owned station that uses Action News brand is Tampa's WFTS and the ABC Action News name. Note the one related to the ABC7 logo thats as long as EW Scripps pays royalties to Disney is Scripps still want to do that.
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KMGH uses a different version of Circle 7 but it's really close as KETV but since they're affilated by ABC it's technically part of their affliation contract with Disney same as WXYZ (ABC was the founder of WXYZ). Also WKBW also stopped used the Circle 7 logo as does WVII. KOAT is part of Hearst but they have a bigger partner to Disney including Hearst's 20% of ESPN and 50% A+E.
 
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