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KGMB will air
programs on time

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By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

CBS affiliate KGMB-9 will start airing prime-time shows, including its 10 p.m. news broadcast, on time -- referred to in the television industry as "clock time." Prime time is 7 to 10 p.m.

"It's the right time for us and for our viewers," said Lynn Mueller, KGMB general manager, who said the move comes after 18 months of study and planning. By making the switch, the station risks losing millions of dollars in advertising, she added.

In the last 18 months, KGMB has trimmed their late news start time from about 10:09 p.m. to about 10:02 p.m., Mueller said. Each minute lost represents less time available for news or commercials.

ABC's KITV-4 and Fox affiliate KHON-2 both went to clock time in January 1999. KGMB's move will leave KHNL, the NBC affiliate, the only Hawaii station not on clock time. This allows KHNL to air more commercials.

Mueller said if KGMB loses advertising revenue, it won't mean an immediate rate hike. "We'll wait and see what happens."

The viewers benefit, Mueller said, because the news will have more broadcast time, and VCR Plus users won't have the end of programs cut off when shows run longer.

Meanwhile, KHNL is taking a wait-and-see attitude on the clock time issue, said John Fink, the station's general manager.

"We're going to evaluate the impact this has on viewers and advertising (revenues)" he said.

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