WTSP-TV dumps 10Connects


WTSP-TV has dumped its 10Connects brand, in favor of 10News, a brand used in 2002 by the station.

The previous brand, lasted almost two years and was met with some criticism from the start. In a NewscastStudio poll, 55% of users thought the brand was not going to be effective.

Branding and slogan change in the news industry is common place as news directors change and go, but WTSP-TV promoted this change as a new way of covering the story.

The St. Petersburg Times wrote in December 2008, “Under pressure to boost ratings, WTSP this year developed its 10 Connects identity, a catch-all slogan for the myriad ways reporters, producers and anchors are now trying to connect with viewers outside traditional one-way newscasts, from trading instant messages during shows to using footage shot by amateur ‘citizen journalists’ in stories.”

“Well, change can be good, if you make changes for the right reasons,” said Ken  Tonning, who came to WTSP from running a “duopoly,” two stations owned by Gannett in Jacksonville. “We have an opportunity to be more of a solution to issues, rather than just reporting them.”

Time will tell how long the new 10News lasts, before it’s back to “NewsCenter 10.”

New video courtesy of FLNewsCenter.com

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categories

Branding, Local News