Omaha Local TV News Channels

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:40 pm

Still my favorite of his:

Post by **Brad** » Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:52 pm

skinzfan23 wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:38 pm How old is he

Google says 73.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:29 am

Brad wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:52 pm
skinzfan23 wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:38 pm How old is he
Google says 73.

Wow, he doesn't really look that old.

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:10 pm

skinzfan23 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:29 am
Brad wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:52 pm
skinzfan23 wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:38 pm How old is he
Google says 73.
Wow, he doesn't really look that old.

Betting that there's a significant amount of work to cover wrinkles and dye his hair that goes on. If you've seen John Oakey's Facebook page, he finally gave up on trying to mask things.

Post by **nebugeater** » Tue Feb 04, 2025 3:01 pm

skinzfan23 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:29 am
Brad wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:52 pm
skinzfan23 wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2025 9:38 pm How old is he
Google says 73.
Wow, he doesn't really look that old.

I am sure not all of him is

Post by **Brad** » Fri Feb 14, 2025 1:22 pm

Brian Mastre to succeed John Knicely as WOWT evening co-anchor

wowt.com wrote:OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - WOWT announced that veteran First Alert 6 investigative reporter and weekend co-anchor Brian Mastre will take over as main co-anchor of First Alert 6, after John Knicely’s retirement.

“Brian is a veteran reporter and anchor who has established a standard of professional journalism which few can match. His storytelling history is impressive, and he is the ideal person to carry on the legacy of excellent anchoring by John Knicely and put his own stamp on the job,” First Alert 6 President and General Manager Jim McKernan said.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 6:05 pm

Brian is a class act.

Cermak · Post by **Cermak** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 7:04 am

Brad wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2025 1:22 pm Brian Mastre to succeed John Knicely as WOWT evening co-anchor

wowt.com wrote:OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - WOWT announced that veteran First Alert 6 investigative reporter and weekend co-anchor Brian Mastre will take over as main co-anchor of First Alert 6, after John Knicely’s retirement.

“Brian is a veteran reporter and anchor who has established a standard of professional journalism which few can match. His storytelling history is impressive, and he is the ideal person to carry on the legacy of excellent anchoring by John Knicely and put his own stamp on the job,” First Alert 6 President and General Manager Jim McKernan said.

I’m still surprised they didn’t try and drag out the John Knicley retirement longer. He must of just woke up one morning and decided it’s time to retire. Good for him. Some people have a very difficult time retiring.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Thu Apr 24, 2025 4:48 pm

Luke Vickery is doing great with this storm!

swinquest · Post by **swinquest** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:04 pm

Looks like Alex McLoon is leaving Omaha after seven years and working at all "big 3" stations

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16dDXuSF94/

Omaha! My time here has come to an end. Thanks to you, I get to start a new opportunity reporting at KING 5 in Seattle.
I'm forever grateful to the people who cared about me and my career over the past seven years at KETV, WOWT, and KMTV.
Thank you to the sources who trusted me and the viewers who turned to us. It's been an honor.

swinquest · Post by **swinquest** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:05 pm

Busguy2010 wrote: Thu Apr 24, 2025 4:48 pm Luke Vickery is doing great with this storm!

I think everyone from KETV is pretty much doing a good job with storm coverages - hard to find a good group like this (full disclosure: I don't watch the other WOWT or KMTV).

HskrFanMike · Post by **HskrFanMike** » Mon Apr 28, 2025 6:52 pm

My one takeaway from Thursday was that Bill Randby stayed behind the weather desk rather than appearing on camera...which told me it wasn't anything to be TOO concerned about. (Sleeves up means trouble, Bill sitting back and looking at screens... probably no big deal.)

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:57 am

HskrFanMike wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 6:52 pm My one takeaway from Thursday was that Bill Randby stayed behind the weather desk rather than appearing on camera...which told me it wasn't anything to be TOO concerned about. (Sleeves up means trouble, Bill sitting back and looking at screens... probably no big deal.)

The only way to accurately predict the weather.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Tue Apr 29, 2025 12:41 pm

I wonder if when he retires, whomever his successor will be, will they continue the tradition?

Post by **Brad** » Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:32 am

KETV has a headline "One person critically injured in shooting near Charles Schwab Field". But if you read the story, it says "It happened near 14th Street and Cady Avenue streets around 10 p.m."

14th Street and Cady Avenue, as the crow flies, a mile north of the stadium. By vehicle its 1.3 miles north of the stadium.

Its not good for the CWS to try and associate everything to the CWS...

bbinks · Post by **bbinks** » Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:56 am

Brad wrote: Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:32 am KETV has a headline "One person critically injured in shooting near Charles Schwab Field". But if you read the story, it says "It happened near 14th Street and Cady Avenue streets around 10 p.m."

14th Street and Cady Avenue, as the crow flies, a mile north of the stadium. By vehicle its 1.3 miles north of the stadium.

Its not good for the CWS to try and associate everything to the CWS...

They all have dropped the ball recently. Two weeks ago they were all reporting that ICE was at several places when in fact it was just Glenn Valley. No retractions made.

jag42 · Post by **jag42** » Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:54 am

I watched a KMTV-3 newscast for the first time in forever yesterday. Is any of their newscasts even live anymore?

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Tue Jul 15, 2025 10:58 am

jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:54 am I watched a KMTV-3 newscast for the first time in forever yesterday. Is any of their newscasts even live anymore?

Yeah the 10 pm newscast is just bizarre.

jag42 · Post by **jag42** » Tue Jul 15, 2025 11:34 am

nativeomahan wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 10:58 am
jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:54 am I watched a KMTV-3 newscast for the first time in forever yesterday. Is any of their newscasts even live anymore?
Yeah the 10 pm newscast is just bizarre.

The stories I saw by their reporters didn't seem like actual news, more like features. It seemed like the anchor, Mary Nelson, was all by herself. I don't think I even saw any banter at all between her and the weather person. Maybe it's just the meteorologist that's live since the radar loop he was showing ran to the present time.

damonhynes · Post by **damonhynes** » Tue Jul 15, 2025 1:30 pm

jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 11:34 am
nativeomahan wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 10:58 am
jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:54 am I watched a KMTV-3 newscast for the first time in forever yesterday. Is any of their newscasts even live anymore?
Yeah the 10 pm newscast is just bizarre.
The stories I saw by their reporters didn't seem like actual news, more like features. It seemed like the anchor, Mary Nelson, was all by herself. I don't think I even saw any banter at all between her and the weather person. Maybe it's just the meteorologist that's live since the radar loop he was showing ran to the present time.

6 and 7 do that, too. Friday and Saturday on the 10 o'clock. The stories aren't even local. It's whatever Gray and Hearst tell them to run, and it looks like that goes for Scripps, too.

Ankeny Husker Freak · Post by **Ankeny Husker Freak** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 7:10 am

Local "news" exists only for the advertising revenue and severe weather coverage.

ajwees41 · Post by **ajwees41** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 3:10 pm

damonhynes wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 1:30 pm
jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 11:34 am
nativeomahan wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 10:58 am
jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:54 am I watched a KMTV-3 newscast for the first time in forever yesterday. Is any of their newscasts even live anymore?
Yeah the 10 pm newscast is just bizarre.
The stories I saw by their reporters didn't seem like actual news, more like features. It seemed like the anchor, Mary Nelson, was all by herself. I don't think I even saw any banter at all between her and the weather person. Maybe it's just the meteorologist that's live since the radar loop he was showing ran to the present time.
6 and 7 do that, too. Friday and Saturday on the 10 o'clock. The stories aren't even local. It's whatever Gray and Hearst tell them to run, and it looks like that goes for Scripps, too.

KETV does local stories watch it sometimes instead of just a blanket post

mrsticka · Post by **mrsticka** » Mon Jul 21, 2025 7:03 pm

"Jeopardy!" will be moving to KETV on September 8th. Did anybody hear about that yet?

Post by **nebugeater** » Tue Jul 22, 2025 5:46 am

mrsticka wrote: Mon Jul 21, 2025 7:03 pm "Jeopardy!" will be moving to KETV on September 8th. Did anybody hear about that yet?

People still watch that? I coundn't begin to tell you were it is on now

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jul 22, 2025 8:24 am

nebugeater wrote: Tue Jul 22, 2025 5:46 am
mrsticka wrote: Mon Jul 21, 2025 7:03 pm "Jeopardy!" will be moving to KETV on September 8th. Did anybody hear about that yet?
People still watch that? I coundn't begin to tell you were it is on now

That was kind of my thoughts too... "Oh I forgot about that show" and then "Must still be on channel 6 if its moving to 7".

Except for severe weather coverage, I'm not sure when the last time I have turned on 3,6, or 7 for anything (news or shows).

damonhynes · Post by **damonhynes** » Tue Jul 22, 2025 9:39 am

ajwees41 wrote: Sat Jul 19, 2025 3:10 pm
damonhynes wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 1:30 pm
jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 11:34 am
nativeomahan wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 10:58 am
jag42 wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:54 am I watched a KMTV-3 newscast for the first time in forever yesterday. Is any of their newscasts even live anymore?
Yeah the 10 pm newscast is just bizarre.
The stories I saw by their reporters didn't seem like actual news, more like features. It seemed like the anchor, Mary Nelson, was all by herself. I don't think I even saw any banter at all between her and the weather person. Maybe it's just the meteorologist that's live since the radar loop he was showing ran to the present time.
6 and 7 do that, too. Friday and Saturday on the 10 o'clock. The stories aren't even local. It's whatever Gray and Hearst tell them to run, and it looks like that goes for Scripps, too.
KETV does local stories watch it sometimes instead of just a blanket post

Rest assured, I do. 7 runs for an hour Sunday night, with little or no local/live/late-breaking(TM) news. Most of the long-form content would be better suited for Chronicle.

mrsticka · Post by **mrsticka** » Tue Jul 22, 2025 10:22 pm

I don't watch the news anymore. I haven't for a very long time.

mrsticka · Post by **mrsticka** » Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:02 am

If the internet were to suddenly go away and I was forced to live life the way it was back in the 80’s and early 90’s, then perhaps I might be more inclined to watch the news again.

Post by **nebugeater** » Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:42 am

mrsticka wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:02 am If the internet were to suddenly go away and I was forced to live life the way it was back in the 80’s and early 90’s, then perhaps I might be more inclined to watch the news again.

That would work as long as the coverage was like it was at that time too

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:28 pm

nebugeater wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:42 am
mrsticka wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:02 am If the internet were to suddenly go away and I was forced to live life the way it was back in the 80’s and early 90’s, then perhaps I might be more inclined to watch the news again.
That would work as long as the coverage was like it was at that time too

Yes the Internet Genie is out of the bottle and you won’t ever see it disappear back inside. The development of the Internet, teamed with the proliferation of low cost high speed WiFi options has resulted in a full blown revolution in how we lead our lives, how we work, how we learn, how we shop, how we gather and disseminate information, and how we date and otherwise socialize. Nobody can question that it has immeasurably improved our lives, but equally no one can question that it has led to many negative unintended consequences, among those being threats to the very fabric of our democracy, and those across the world.
In a way it is like a modern version of the meteor (or whatever else) that eradicated the dinosaurs and most of the rest of life, only to create many new forms of life.
On the plus side, this very forum would not exist without the modern Internet.

bbinks · Post by **bbinks** » Wed Jul 30, 2025 4:10 pm

nebugeater wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:42 am
mrsticka wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:02 am If the internet were to suddenly go away and I was forced to live life the way it was back in the 80’s and early 90’s, then perhaps I might be more inclined to watch the news again.
That would work as long as the coverage was like it was at that time too

You mean well-written, researched, and unbiased?

mrsticka · Post by **mrsticka** » Wed Jul 30, 2025 7:16 pm

Where are the Walter Cronkites of the world today? I guess they're nowhere to be found.

Mr.Nuke · Post by **Mr.Nuke** » Thu Aug 28, 2025 3:07 pm

Rob McCarney retiring at the end of the year
https://www.ketv.com/article/ketv-rob-m ... -autopilot

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 8:53 pm

He is a class act, and will be missed.

Post by **Brad** » Sat Aug 30, 2025 10:02 pm

nativeomahan wrote: Sat Aug 30, 2025 8:53 pm He is a class act, and will be missed.

Agree. Super nice guy. He actually came up to me once and introduced himself and said he loved my photos. I was shocked he knew who I was.

swinquest · Post by **swinquest** » Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:10 am

Not Omaha - but another long time news personality in Lincoln is retiring after 44 years on the air. Ken Siemek has been a staple for my entire life, even though I never watched 10/11. Growing up in Kearney, he was frequently talked about as the CBS station aired. Seems like a lot of people retiring lately.

https://www.1011now.com/2025/09/03/chie ... ears-1011/

damonhynes · Post by **damonhynes** » Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:22 am

swinquest wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:10 am Not Omaha - but another long time news personality in Lincoln is retiring after 44 years on the air. Ken Siemek has been a staple for my entire life, even though I never watched 10/11. Growing up in Kearney, he was frequently talked about as the CBS station aired. Seems like a lot of people retiring lately.

https://www.1011now.com/2025/09/03/chie ... ears-1011/

Having lived in Springfield, I watched 10/11's weather because what hit Lincoln was going to get to Sarpy more often than not. 10/11 was all I needed from a TV station. Ken's married to Deb Collins, who held the news department down for a long time.

swinquest · Post by **swinquest** » Mon Sep 29, 2025 8:37 pm

Jack Keenan (KETV) and Lauren Taylor (former-WOWT) will be leaving Omaha. Jack's last day at KETV is this Friday - will be heading to Florida.

Facebook Post

coelestis · Post by **coelestis** » Thu Oct 02, 2025 3:56 pm

Focusing only on WOWT and NBC news, they have the following news schedule today:

4:30 AM - 5:00 AM First Alert 6 at 4:30
5:00 AM - 6:00 AM First Alert 6 Daybreak
6:00 AM - 7:00 AM First Alert 6 Daybreak
11:00 AM - Noon First Alert 6 Midday
Noon - 1:00 PM NBC News Daily
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Local News Live (not sure if this is WOWT)
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM First Alert 6 at 3
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM First Alert 6 at 4
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM First Alert 6 at 5
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM NBC Nightly News
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM First Alert 6 at 6
10:00 PM - 10:30 PM First Alert 6 at 10

Summing it up, that is at least 7.5 hours of WOWT news, 1.5 hours of NBC news, and then the Today Show adds 4 hours (Today, Today 3rd Hour, Today with Jenna & Friends).
What is the reason for this?
Are they too cheap to pay for shows?
Are news anchors so inexpensive that you can have a huge stable of them in order to fill the on-air hours?
How much is too much? Why don't they just become a 24 hour news channel?

This schedule gives just 3 hours of tv for non-news shows from 00:00 to 22:00 hours. Then there are an additional two hours of talk shows (Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers).

Google has this to say about local TV stations:

"Local TV stations in the U.S. have a legal obligation to be responsive to the local population, based on the long-standing regulatory principle of "localism". In exchange for a valuable license to use the public airwaves, stations are required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve the "public interest, convenience, and necessity". "

So is WOWT operating in the public interest in this way? I don't feel like I need that many hours of news. I'd rather have more content.

</rant>
Coelestis

damonhynes · Post by **damonhynes** » Thu Oct 02, 2025 7:23 pm

Noon - 1:00 PM NBC News Daily

Probably long-form stories from various NBC affiliates, not good enough for the Today Show or Nightly News

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Local News Live (not sure if this is WOWT)

Content from Gray's stations across the country, no relevance to local Omaha viewers, such as they are.

What is the reason for this?
Are they too cheap to pay for shows?

Yes, it's cheap. Cheaper than syndicated content, which is shunted off to the 6.1, 6.2, etc.

Are news anchors so inexpensive that you can have a huge stable of them in order to fill the on-air hours?

Look at Gray's markets. It's the equivalent of AA-ball. Look how many personalities quit and get PR jobs compared to the handful that 'get called up to the bigs'. Liliana Pearson is in Houston, Caitlin Roth is in Philly, Jonah Gilmore is in New Orleans last I checked. Lauren Robinson, Denver.

How much is too much? Why don't they just become a 24 hour news channel?

Be careful what you wish for :-)