Pocono News Section

WYOU Programming Changes Beginning Saturday, April 4

WYOU Programming Changes Beginning Saturday, April 4 - Friday, April 3, 2009 at 5:18PM EST

Friday, Apr 3, 2009 @ 05:18pm EST
WYOU-TV, the CBS affiliate serving the Wilkes Barre/Scranton market, announced today that it is adding new programming to its lineup to better meet the demands of Northeast Pennsylvania viewers. The programming changes will be effective tomorrow, April 4, 2009, and will include a variety of nationally known and highly rated syndicated programming on weekdays and select weekend times. WYOU will continue to offer longtime viewer favorites including The Early Show, CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, The Price is Right and The Young and The Restless as well as its highly rated CBS Primetime and Sports programming.

Dennis Thatcher, EVP/COO for Mission Broadcasting, WYOU’s owner, commented, “WYOU strives to deliver the most compelling television programming in the market to meet the demands and interests of our valued viewers. The viewers have spoken, letting us know that WYOU is the station they rely on for entertainment and we are confident the station’s already solid line up will be bolstered with the addition of entertainment and news magazine programming including Judge Joe Brown, Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight which will replace the station’s news programming. With the addition of this content we’ve got an incredible array of offerings including the renowned CBS network entertainment, news, soaps and sports programming in addition to our already programmed syndicated game show, news magazine and entertainment favorites.”

Louis Abitabilo, VP/GM for Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: NXST) WBRE, which provides operational and sales services for Mission Broadcasting, commented, “By offering a broad range of popular entertainment choices to our Wilkes Barre/Scranton viewers, WYOU can provide additional attractive business solutions to our advertisers and as such we believe this is a win-win situation for our entire community.”

Nexstar Broadcasting will cease to provide news programming production for WYOU and as a result will realize approximately $900,000 in annualized operating expense savings of which approximately half of that will be realized in 2009. Staffing changes will occur on April 3rd through the reduction of 14 full-time employees in news, production and promotion.

WYOU-TV Programming Lineup Additions
Time Programming Effective 4:00 p. m. Judge Joe Brown Weekdays 5:00 p. m. Judge Judy Weekdays 6:00 p. m. Access Hollywood Weekdays & Sundays at 11:00 p. m. 7:00 p. m. The Insider Weekdays & Sundays at 6:00 p. m. 7:30 and 11:00 p. m. Entertainment Tonight Weekdays & Saturdays at 7:00 p. m. 11:00 p. m. Boston Legal Saturdays

About WYOU-TV

WYOU-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for northeastern Pennsylvania owned by Mission Broadcasting. Nexstar Broadcasting Group provides services to Mission Broadcasting under a joint operational agreement.