The old logo, as you can see on the left, was in place since 1992. The slogan was "Someplace Special," something the station came up with back in the early 1980's when the region was suffering through difficult economic times. The rainbow theme was incorporated into the logo ever since then - even though back in the '80's, the station had a different logo than this. But this look was identifiable to everyone that lived in the Upper Peninsula; even for those who may have moved here in more recent times. This TV station has a big effect on a lot of people as it's the only source of news we have. They typically are the first news source to "break" important stories when they happen. Sure, there is another TV station in the area but it doesn't come close to its competitor. Even the radio stations are lax when covering the news. So like I say, it's the only game in town which is why it has such a tremendous effect on people.
The new logo, as you can see on the left here, doesn't quite capture the "Someplace Special" theme, does it? In fact, it is quite plain. It's definitely more modernized and sleeker - which is probably what they wanted to accomplish. But it definitely lacks something that is identifiable to the area. The station has also moved away from it's famous "Someplace Special" moniker and gone with the more vague "Upper Michigan's Source." When I first heard the slogan, I couldn't help but utter, "what?" To me, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense and it just sounds kind of odd. Now if it said "Upper Michigan's New Source," I wouldn't have too big of a problem with it. But apparently they are more than just a news source, which is why they called themselves simply just a "source." To me, I still think the logo and slogan needs a bit of tinkering. For one, they didn't even incorporate the call letters of the station into the logo. The call letters themselves are just as famous as a logo. The way the logo is now, this station could be in any part of the country because it is not identifiable to the region. I've heard some comments from a Michigan broadcasting message board that "Upper Michigan" is not a common phrase to call our region. These were people that lived south of the Mackinac Bridge, mind you. Heck, around here, Upper Michigan is just as familiar to us as the U.P. or the Upper Peninsula. Other stations and companies use "Upper Michigan," too. So for Upper Michigan to be in the slogan, I think that's quite alright. But the entire slogan as a whole "Upper Michigan's Source," I still ain't buying it. Even when the TV anchors on-air say it, it doesn't sound right. You should see the public outcry that the station's new look has received on it's website, specifically in the comments section relating to the new look. The majority of the comments received are negatively against the new look. What does that tell us?Not soon after the new look for the staion was revealed, a popular morning meteorologist on the station announced his impending departure. It came as a shock to many, including me, who thought he'd be around for years to come because he became such a popular face on morning television around here. I remember when he first started, it was actually rather difficult watching him because of the mistakes he made and his goof-ball kind of appearance. But he got better and better at his presentation of the weather and everyone got accustomed to the goofiness he portrayed. It became somewhat of a tradition for many to get up in the mornings just to watch what he was going to do day in and day out. He made the morning news very entertaining and became rather irreplaceable. So you can understand what a big letdown it was for many to hear that he'd be departing, even though he'd still be in the area. The problem is, we just won't be able to see him on TV anymore. Rumors are circulating that he's going to be working as a teller at a local bank. What does that tell you about small market TV, for one? Departures happen quite often at this station - as it's not all that surprising to see reporters, anchors, and meteorologists leave after two years. The pay is not very good at all; probably only a little better than minimum wage plus they have to work a ton of hours. The only good part about it all is the experience the people get out of it so they're able to move onto bigger markets. It's rather sad because we see a lot of talent leave the region. But that is just the nature of the beast.
The departure of said meteorologist has garnered a lot of public outcry on the station's website, probably even more than the logo change itself. There is probably only a handful of comments greatful about him leaving while the vast majority are saddened about his depature. So as you can see, he became a beloved member of the area and many do not want to see him go. More rumors circulated that he was fired or wasn't getting along with his co-worker in the morning but from what I can understand, he's leaving on his own accord. And honestly, I can't blame him, especially if he can better himself somewhere else. Although it's rather strange not seeing him on the morning news anymore, at least we can enjoy the memories of his past broadcasts. Too bad nobody thought to archive his work in the mornings so everyone can enjoy what he brought to our area with his weather presentation.
So there you have it; the effect of small market TV in our area. From logo changes to personality depatures, it still has a tremendous effect on the region as a whole. It also goes to show you that change is difficult to grasp, especially once people get used to a look that has existed for many years. No matter how the station changes and the public negativity the changes endure, one thing will remain the same. It will still be Upper Michigan's #1 news source. It has been for many years and I don't see that ever changing; unless it's competing station in the area decides to sink some money into their newscasts. Heck, the people, logos, and slogans may change every now and again but one thing always remains the same. It's the news, and there's always plenty of it.
Logos and slogans used in this blog are trademarked/copyrighted by WLUC TV6 - Marquette/Negaunee, MI.
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