While a recently announced partnership between WFSB-TV Channel 3 in Rocky Hill and the Norwich Bulletin seems like a win for Eastern Connecticut, will it really benefit both viewers and readers?
Combining resources will lead to better news, weather, and sports coverage of Norwich and its surrounding towns, WFSB Vice President and General Manager Klarn DePalma explained. The Bulletin’s Publisher Paul Provost said that the partnership would increase statewide awareness of important issues in Eastern Connecticut. Such issues would include topics like education, business and labor, healthcare, local government, dining and entertaining, and human interest, according to Editor and Publisher.
According to the Norwich Bulletin, readers will see “the sharing of video clips, photos, and stories at norwichbulletin.com, regular blog posts by WFSB-TV New London Chief Kevin Hogan, on-air political analysis on WFSB-TV by Bulletin Opinion Editor Ray Hackett, a monthly political column in The Bulletin by WFSB-TV’s Dennis House, Eastern Connecticut school sports content on WFSB-TV from Bulletin Sports Editor Marc Allard, unique daily content for The Bulletin’s weather page by WFSB-TV’s meteorologists, publication of WFSB-TV school closings and delays on The Bulletin’s website, and co-sponsorship of community events.”
Diverse opinions on the partnership were expressed in the comment section below the Bulletin’s article online and on WFSB’s Facebook page .
One commenter named Helen Kaiser urged WFSB to not follow in Tribune’s footsteps referring to how FOX CT News (on WTIC Channel 61 and WCCT Channel 20 ) reports on a story and tells viewers to read more in the Hartford Courant . Both television stations and the Hartford Courant are owned by the Tribune Company.
Since WFSB and the Bulletin would now share stories, could this lead to a downsizing? When this blogger asked that question on the Bulletin’s Facebook page , staff provided no response.
I encourage WFSB and Norwich Bulletin to hire more people and open up internship opportunities for Eastern Connecticut’s high schools and colleges. A comprehensive paid training program should be developed and geared toward recent college graduates and those who have never worked for a daily newspaper or television station. Successful candidates could be offered full-time positions.
This would help break the vicious cycle of employers requiring experience which applicants can only receive if someone is willing to hire them as an amateur.
Doing this would allow them to further expand coverage in the six topics they proposed in addition to stories regarding the environment and traffic/transportation. More focus could be placed on following up on previously reported stories and more extensively covering high school and college sports teams.
I also hope the partnership will allow better coverage of Connecticut’s Quiet Corner . Being a former northeastern Connecticut news reporter for Villager , I can honestly say that it’s definitely an underserved region.
Patch readers: Do you think the WFSB and Bulletin partnership will benefit Eastern Connecticut residents? What is your favorite television station to watch for local news? Do you subscribe to a local daily newspaper and which one?
