Tribune's WXIN Indianapolis will start its morning news at 4 a.m. beginning Jan. 10, building on its move to 4:30 a.m. earlier this year.
The 4:30 a.m. news has been one of the defining local TV stories of 2010, but a growing number of stations, including Tribune sibling WPIX New York, KLAS Las Vegas and WTVF Nashville, now start their local news at 4 a.m. Longer commutes, the round-the-clock news cycle, and the relatively inexpensive cost of adding local news are all cited as factors in the rise of very early morning local programming.
WXIN is a Fox affiliate in DMA No. 27.
"We have seen viewers waking up earlier and watching earlier, ever since we moved up our start time to 4:30 a.m.," said WXIN General Manager Jerry Martin. "We are again showing our commitment to be there for viewers, being on even earlier."
