Gannett N.C. station launching HD ‘News 2.0’

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WFMY-TV, the Gannett-owned CBS affiliate in Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, N.C., is revamping its newscasts along with an HD upgrade.

The changes debut Sunday, Nov. 13 and in addition to the HD switch, include “a unique news coverage approach has been paired with a full renovation of WFMY’s information center, control room and studios,” according to TVNewsCheck.

“News 2.0 is the combination of new technology, a fresh presentation and most importantly, relevant local news content,” according to WFMY-TV President and General Manager Larry Audas.

The station is also adding an outdoor “weather garden” to bring a new dimension to its forecasting.

Based on the promos, it appears the News 2.0 effort is simply a rehashed version of the seemingly age-old concept of trying to bring viewers clear, in-depth, concise news without drama. Sure, the concept has been nicely wrapped up with a catchy branding campaign, but it’s unlikely to be very revolutionary — but it will be interesting to see if this approach brings anything new to the table.

In addition to the somewhat eerie promo shown above, the station has also released spots that feature focus group footage:

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In an ironic comment given that these promos were posted to YouTube, one of the viewers complained about TV news being a “regurgitation of whatever’s on YouTube.”

WFMY-TV also released this weather promotional ad:

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