Q-6 Keeps Its Grip On Top Ratings

The Nielsen ratings are out for the November sweeps, and the big question is: Did the Randy Shaw firing affect the local news ratings?

The answer: Maybe, but not much.

A reasonable person might have assumed that a station’s ratings would plummet after losing the most popular anchor in Spokane under the worst possible circumstances (a messy and controversial harassment charge).

As a result, a number of people vowed never to watch KHQ-6 again. Spotlight has the letters and phone messages to prove it.

The station also lost its other main anchor, Penny Daniels, and was operating with a fill-in team during the entire sweeps period.

Yet, as it turned out, the November ratings look just about the same as usual.

The Shaw-less KHQ easily won both the 6 and 11 p.m. time slots. KHQ came in second to KREM-2 at 5 p.m., but that time slot is usually owned by KREM anyway.

KHQ did drop 1.3 ratings points at 5 p.m. compared to the same period last year. But it held steady at 6 and 11 p.m.

What’s the explanation?

Maybe people’s viewing habits are not easily disrupted. Maybe they watch a particular station for a number of reasons, and the anchor is just one of them.

Or maybe it will simply take a few more ratings periods for everything to shake out - especially if Shaw ends up on another station.

Here are the Nielsen ratings for all households for November, with the rating number followed by the share number:

6 a.m.

KHQ: 6 rating, 32 share.

KXLY: 3.5, 19.

KREM: 1.9, 11. 5 p.m.

KREM: 10.3, 22.

KHQ: 9.9, 21.

KXLY: 6.7, 15. 6 p.m.

KHQ: 9.8, 18.

KREM: 8.5, 16.

KXLY: 6.6, 13. 11 p.m.

KHQ: 6, 27.

KXLY: 4.1, 19.

KREM: 3.8, 17.

Meanwhile, the news contest at 10 p.m. remains a virtual dead heat, even if the numbers are not astronomical. KAYU-28 has a 1.3 rating and 3 share, and KSKN-22 has a 1.2 rating and 3 share.

Sweeney is out

Meanwhile, KXLY-4 made an abrupt change in weather anchors right before Christmas.

Dave Sweeney is out as the station’s main weathercaster. According to news director Chris Gilks, Sweeney’s contract was up and the station decided “to pursue a different direction” in the weather department.

Mark Peterson, a former KHQ weather anchor, has taken over Sweeney’s duties for the next two months. At that point, he and other internal and external candidates will be considered for the permanent position.

Sweeney came to KXLY almost exactly three years ago from a station in Kansas City. He’s a graduate of the University of Idaho.

Peterson had been doing a morning radio show for KXLY-AM, but he is giving up the radio gig for his new TV duties.

A guitar legend

Here’s some early warning about a show that will have guitar aficionados salivating: Eric Johnson, with his band Alien Love Child and opening act the Derek Trucks Band, will play The Met on Jan. 30.

Johnson is one of the top two or three electric guitarists on the planet. This Austin, Texas, native won Guitar Player magazine’s Best Overall Guitarist award four years straight.

Tickets should go on sale sometime next week.

A trumpet legend

We’ll also have a jazz trumpet wizard in town soon: Terence Blanchard, who will perform at Spokane Falls Community College on Feb. 3.

Blanchard has played with Lionel Hampton’s touring band and with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He is also an in-demand composer.

He wrote the scores to many Spike Lee films, including “School Daze,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Mo’ Better Blues” and “Malcolm X.”

Tickets are on sale through G&B (325-SEAT, 1-800-325-SEAT or www.ticketswest.com).

Sister act is back

And finally, we have one righteous comic performance coming back to town: “Late Nite Catechism,” Feb. 12 at the Fox Theater.

“Sister” will preside hilariously over her catechism class (the audience), just as she has done in several other sold-out Spokane visits.

Tickets are $30/$40 per person, available through G&B. This is a benefit for Catholic Charities.

By the way, Catholic Charities is also selling special benefit tickets to the touring production of “Beauty and the Beast” for its Aug. 8 performance in the Opera House. Call 358-4254 for information.

Mildred info?

Are there any descendants and/or relatives of Mildred Bailey (nee Mildred Rinker) out there?

I am working on a story about Bailey, the great jazz and blues singer of the 1930s and 1940s, who hailed from Tekoa.

If you have any information about her, please contact me at the number or address below.