‘Daybreak’ morning news expanding to 5 hours

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – WISH-TV’s President and General Manager Les Vann today announced that 24-Hour News 8’s Daybreak will expand to five hours per day, airing from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., beginning on July 13, 2015.

“Mornings are the fastest growing news day part, and one of the most important times of a day for viewers,” said Vann. “This additional expansion allows us to further enhance our commitment to local news, better preparing viewers for their day ahead.”

In January 2015, WISH-TV expanded local news by more than 20 hours per week, with more than half those hours in mornings in time periods under-served by local news. As part of an across-the-board news staffing increase, WISH-TV made significant investments to morning news, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, doubling its live morning reporting staff.

Viewers have responded positively, making WISH-TV #1 in morning news during the May 2015 Nielsen ratings period. 24-Hour News 8’s Daybreak at 5AM was rated #1 in both Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54, growing both ratings and share, over February 2015 and May 2014. 24-Hour News 8’s Daybreak at 5:30AM was also rated #1 in Adults 18-49, and grew over February. Since the January expansion, WISH-TV has continued to beat network broadcasts head-to-head. In May, 24-Hour News 8’s Daybreak, 7-9am, beat CBS This Morning in all key adult and women demos, growing audience share over February 2015. With Women 25-54, Daybreak, 7-8am, ties ABC’s Good Morning America and doubles the ratings of CBS This Morning.

Last weekend, on June 12, 2015, 24-Hour News 8’s Daybreak was awarded Media General’s D. Tennant Bryan journalism award for Outstanding Morning Newscast.