NEWS from WTAE: March, 2004: Sweeps again. WTAE seems a shoe-in at 5 and 6, but only KDKA carries the newscast through to 7, everyone else closes at 6:30. KDKA traditionally wins at noon, but that's proving to be a shaky ground, so to speak, as the Price is Right viewers get older, and WTAE's impressive noon format... impresses. The new theme, Jerome Gilmer's "Hearst-Argyle News: Taking Action For You." The theme is strong in theory, but doesn't go wit hthe flash-bang of WTAE's graphics package. Although they are starting to use updates slates and infonets, they're still the same-old 2000 genre H-A graphics. And the sound effects, much like that of the Arnold Sinclair pacakge, don't fit with the swooshy effects on-screen. November 1, 2003: Sweeps is synonomous with contests, and they're cropping up all over. It looks good for WTAE as far as ratings go from sign-on to sign-off: They're ranked the #3 ABC affiliate in the nation. Now, let's hope for a make-over... Hearst has a tendency to overlook it's large stations. July 24, 2003: KUDOS to WTAE for their superb coverage of the sentencing of KDKA reporter Mary Berecky's attacker. They asked questions, taped Berecky reading her plea to the judge, and, well, covered the story better than KDKA! Despite the possiblilty of advertising for the competition! No wonder WTAE is #1... They deserve to be. May, 2002: WTAE is back on top in the morning. They deserve to be! Wendy Bell and Kelly Frye blend well together. Even more so, Wendy Bell and Scott Baker at Noon. They make a great team, and I wouldn't be suprised to see them on at 5. In other WTAE News news, Sally Wiggin is looking more haggard than ever. I'm really not sure why- compared to her talent and head shots, she looks like she's aged a decade since 2002. Nov. 01 2002: It's obvious that Stephen Cropper is preparing to leave the station. Viewers likely have noticed that his name has been downplayed in talent opens, and recently, he was replaced with Don Schwenneker on the 11PM talent. Cropper is currently studying Law, and is preparing a major career change. October 10, 2002: Continuing loss of viewership has inspired an ID update for WTAE, as well as different cuts of the Image News Update theme, notably at 5 and 6 PM- The cuts no longer use the electric guitar, but opt for more brass orchestration.