As promised, talk-show host Peter Boyles renewed his assault on KUSA-Channel 9 on Monday morning.
Last week, Boyles was fed an internal memo by an anonymous source, outlining Channel 9’s plan to devote its entire Wednesday night “LawLine 9,” a monthly legal-advice call-in service, to immigration, including “How to avoid getting deported,” using Spanish-speaking attorneys.
As is his wont, Boyles whipped himself into a froth about breaking the law to help illegal immigrants, and he had plenty of support. He read a number of angry e-mails sent to the station, viewers so upset they threatened to stop watching the top-rated local news. “This is what they’re getting hit with,” said Boyles.
Even Sen. Tom Tancredo, who is frequently at the center of the immigration debate, called in with his two cents. “They have to rethink this thing.”
Well, they are and they aren’t. Roger Ogden, station president and GM until he leaves for bigger things with parent Gannett on July 15, says “LL9” will go on from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, albeit altered.
Ogden thought immigration advice for 2 1/2 hours had limited appeal, so attorneys will be standing by to answer a wider range of questions. “Various call-in segments are designed to appeal and attract the widest audience possible,” he said.
And now the news …
Will the Internet be the death of the 10 o’clock news?
Walt DeHaven, general manager at KCNC-Channel 4, doesn’t think so, even though his station on Friday unveiled its new website with a media luncheon and an elaborate display of electronic gymnastics. It was up and running on Monday.
The site (cbs4denver.com) is a breeze to use. It has tons of video, up-to-date weather and traffic, links to other sites, an archive and, perhaps most interesting, five-minute newscasts specifically for the website.
Given that we’re talking TV, there is an emphasis on video, which viewers can e-mail off the site.
With all this on the Web, why wait until 10 p.m. to catch the news? “I don’t think it will have an immediate impact” on viewership, said DeHaven. “It is a separate platform. It builds loyalty.”
Channel 4 is one of three CBS stations (Salt Lake City and Minneapolis are the others) offering versions of the new site.
Around the dial
David Riddle, sentenced to 16 years in 1998 for attempting to kill his father as a Lakewood 14-year-old, gives his first interview since he went to prison seven years ago on “A Current Affair” (10 tonight, KDVR-Channel 31) … KYGO 98.5 raised an impressive $401,509 during its two-day St. Jude Radiothon on Thursday and Friday … Quotable: “The truth is rarely pure, and never simple.” – Oscar Wilde.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
