'Cash for clunkers' boosts Baltimore TV stations
The paperwork might be a mess and the White House might have seemed as if it was making things up as it went along, buy the "cash for clunkers" program that ends Monday has been good news for Baltimore's top-rated TV stations, according to general managers at WJZ and WBAL.
"It has definitely helped," Jordan Wertlieb, general manager at WBAL (Channel 11), said when asked this weekend if the government program that provides rebates for customers who trade in gas guzzlers for more fuel efficient new vehicles meant more auto advertising for his station during the last month.
Jay Newman, general manager of WJZ (Channel 13), also answered "yes" to the question of whether or not the program helped perk up auto advertising, a category that has suffered for all local media during this deep recession.
"Automotive advertising was improved in August and some other categories were also somewhat better," Newman said in an email response. "Overall, August was our best paced month of the year as compared to last August."
That is good news for the stations and local media no matter even if it is only a temporary stimulus. But let's hope it is the beginning of sustained better days ahead for the Baltimore media business.
And isn't it nice to see some of the stimulus money make a difference at the local level instead of only on Wall Street.
Now if only the local auto dealers can get their money from the government in a timely fashion. Here's hoping on that one, too.
Comments
Z, This has been helping here in our community too! See the link.
http://www.whiznews.com/article.php?articleId=26819
I think this was a good program. Maybe the government needs to come up with more of these kinds of things. My husband works at a remanufacturing auto company for diesel engines where production has been slow due to the economy. These kinds of things can't hurt. Thanks for the article.
Have a wonderful day. I'll be back.
Posted by: Sherry T. | August 24, 2009 8:54 AM
Hopefully Baltimore`s DMA will re-enter the top 25 tv markets as well that might help out also I hope so.
Posted by: Donta | August 24, 2009 10:34 AM
The local nets make a great deal of cash off the adds the car dealers buy. I noticed that there was almost no criticism of the program by the local news. I think they did not want to bite the hand that feeds them. The Cash for Clunkers was and is a Joke. It took cars off the road that the poor could have drove and put shiny new SUV's in the garages of people that really didn't need a $4500 gift from uncle Obama. But I don't think a single local news outlet in Charm City did anything but sing the praises of Cash for Clunkers.
Posted by: Gueman | August 24, 2009 1:00 PM
Good Article.
Thanks for posting
Posted by: Kiran | August 26, 2009 3:24 AM
For working trucks the rule is not based on the fuel efficieny. As long as it is manufactured before 2001 they all qualify
but cannot be older than 25 years old.
jhenry
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www.cashforclunkersfacts.info
http://www.cashforclunkersfacts.info
Posted by: jhenry | August 31, 2009 2:53 AM