KDVR Channel 31 intends to step up its local news game Monday when it rolls out a daily, hour-long newscast co-anchored by Ron Zapollo and Libby Weaver, at the same time shutting down the 5:30 p.m. newscast on newly merged partner KWGN-Channel 2.
Fox31 has said for some time it would enter the hotly contested 5 p.m. news battle with an additional half-hour.
While the ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates carry national network newscasts at 5:30, Fox31 intends to counter with local news at that hour.
The syndicated comedies “Everybody Loves Raymond” (two episodes back to back) and “Two and a Half Men” will air on KWGN, doing away with the local newscast on Channel 2.
KDVR and KWGN merged operations under a local marketing agreement last year, overseen by Dennis Leonard of Local TV LLC.
Citing the improvement in KDVR’s ratings due to Nielsen’s switch to local people meter technology last fall, station manager and Local TV Market President Leonard said in a release, “”FOX 31’s news audience growth, through this more accurate ratings measurement system, allows us to better capitalize on our upward momentum.” He noted that Channel 31’s improvements stood in contrast to the ratings declines suffered by the other local affiliates.
According to Leonard, “this is only the first of many planned announcements which will visually change the Denver media landscape.”
