KY3 newscasts rate st among NBC stations

KYTV-Channel 3's 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts are the highest-rated news shows for any NBC television affiliate station in the United States, according to the latest Nielsen ratings.

The ratings cover 369,000 homes in KY3's Direct Market Area, which includes counties in both Missouri and Arkansas. They credit the station with 16.9 percent of the market during the 5 p.m. newscast and 22.4 percent during the 6 p.m. newscast.

"This means we have a higher level of viewers than larger cities, like New York and Los Angeles, said KY3 News Director Jeff Benscoter.

According to the formula provided by the ACNielsen media and entertainment services division, the ratings attribute 3,691 homes to each rating point, which also equals 1 percent of total audience. Results of the Nielsen survey are provided four times per year. The latest figures, just released, cover viewing patterns during the month of February.

Benscoter attributes the success of the station's newscast to KY3's philosophy. "We always keep what the viewers want to hear about foremost in our minds. We know that some people want to hear about the Lady Bears, some about the missing girl in Arkansas and some about the weather," he said.

Benscoter said being named No. 1 is a testament to the station's viewers and to the Ozarks.

"It shows that people want to know what's going on," he said. "It's also great for the staff, who are a mix of veterans and young people."

He said the No. 1 rating makes him want to work even harder. "We have a tradition to keep up here at KY3, and the bar is set even higher now. You have to keep asking what the viewers want and then make your decisions based on that, You always try to make the next newscast better than the last."

Michelle West, executive producer, said that while it's really exciting to learn the station is No. 1 of all NBC affiliates, it was a surprise to learn how many people watch KY3 news.

"When you're performing the daily task of covering the news, the number of people watching isn't something you think about," she said. "All of these people are depending on us for delivering the news to them. You just don't think about it on the grand scale of things. It's exciting to see how many are affected by what we do."

West declines to take credit herself for the newcasts' ratings success. "These are the people who did it," she said, gesturing toward several of her colleagues in the newsroom.

Kevin McDonald, producer of the 6 p.m. newscast, said the success of the station is based on several factors."First of all, there's the legend of the station," he said.

"It's known for being heavily focused on news. Also, there's been a change in ownership recently; we have more manpower than the other television stations in Springfield. We have veterans like Steve Grant and Tony Beason, who know what people want, and we look for stories we know people care about."

Beason anchors the 6 p.m. news along with co-anchor Cristina King. The 5 p.m. news is anchored by Jerry Jacob and Lisa Rose. Beason also anchors the 10 p.m. news with Lisa Rose. KY3's 10 p.m. news drew an 18.5 percent rating, which makes it fourth-rated in the country among NBC local affiliates.

McDonald said viewers tell the station the news department is good at informing the public about what's going on and getting them involved in some stories.

"This area is community-minded and is moved to action," he said. "When we air a story about people needing food or a blood bank needing blood, the response is always overwhelming."

The news operation plans special coverage for the Fourth of July this year. The station will air live feeds of fireworks celebrations from Kimberling City, from the Ft. Leonard Wood Army base, from the James River Assembly of God in Springfield and from Harrison Ark.

"We decided to do something that would involve everyone in the Ozarks," Benscoter said. "Everyone at the station said How do you really feature the Ozarks?' A lot of people can watch the fireworks from home if they can't be at one of these events. It's the next best thing to being there."