Local TV veterans remember when early news started at 6 a.m., then made the surprising shift to 5. But as stations increase their local presence, several, including WESH Orlando, WLWT Cincinnati and several NBC O&Os, have launched 4:30 a.m. newscasts this spring. While some may wonder who besides Red Bull-fueled night-rncrawlers and bug-eyed insomniacs are up at 4:30, stations are finding revenue in that slot-and meeting mandates to be 24/7 local news outlets. "What stations do better than anyone is provide local news and weather," says WESH-WKCF President/General Manager Jim Carter, who launched a 4:30 March 30. "People want it when they want it, and the more we can be there when they want us, the better."
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