WHOI (TV) - News Operation

News Operation

Throughout the 1980s and early-1990s, WHOI aired a nightly newscast at 5:30. This resulted in a delay of ABC World News Tonight until 6 on weeknights unlike other ABC affiliates in the Central Time Zone. On weekends, ABC World News Tonight would be seen it its normal time slot at 5 followed by WHOI's newscast. The unique practice offered viewers with a local broadcast seven nights a week at a consistent time while other stations aired national news or other programming.

At its height as a separate entity, WHOI offered traditional news shows on weekday mornings for two hours (5-7 a.m.), weeknights (seen at 5, 6, and 10), as well as weekends (Saturdays at 6, Sundays at 5:30, and both nights at 10). However, it did not air a midday broadcast during the week unlike most ABC affiliates. Throughout this period, the station traditionally remained in third-place for local viewership ratings during important sweeps periods.

As a result of the joint operation agreement established in March 2009, WHOI consolidated its news operation with WEEK-TV. A new secondary set was built at the existing Springfield Road studios for use by this station. In addition, WHOI let go most of its production and newscast personnel but added four on-air personalities to WEEK-TV's news team. The station then dropped its own weeknight newscasts at 5 and 6 for a new show seen at 5:30 so it would not directly compete with WEEK-TV in those time slots.

ABC World News Tonight reverted back to a tape-delayed airing at 6 for a second time in the station's history. WHOI retained its own weekday morning show, HOI 19 News Daybreak, as well as a separate broadcast weeknights at 10. On weekends, WHOI and WEEK-TV simulcast local news at 6 and 10 on Saturdays as well as Sundays at 10. Although WEEK-TV does not offer early evening news on Sunday, WHOI does at 5:30. With the simulcasts, however, there can be delays or pre-emptions on one station because of network obligations.

On September 13, 2010, WHOI added a lifestyle and entertainment program known as Good Company that airs in a magazine-type format from another new exclusive set. At some point in time after WEEK-TV and WHOI combined operations, the two stations became the first news department in the market to upgrade local newscasts to 16:9 enhanced definition widescreen. Although not truly high definition, the shows match the aspect ratio of HD television screens.