WSEE to move in WICU complex June 1st

Definitely a busy week covering Erie TV. According to Saturday’s Erie Times-News, Brian Lilly GM of WICU and WSEE has stated that the WSEE’s on and off air staff will move up to the WICU studios on State street and begin sharing resources on June 1st. It’s up in the air if both stations will continue to air newscasts simultaneously in the morning as well as 6 and 11pm due to lack of room in the WICU building. Both may stagger newscasts and could bring back a 7pm newscast on either WSEE or WICU which had one years ago. Among the shared resources will be reporters covering stories for both stations which means one less reporter will be needed at the same news event. If the newscasts are staggered, you could see anchors sharing newscasts on both stations. Another scenerio is the possibility of a second 10pm newscast in the Erie market, which could air on “WBEP” which is the Lilly owned CW affiliate on WSEE’s digital sub channel on 35-2 as well as cable outlets. WBEP currently reairs newscasts from both WICU and WSEE at various times. With the digital channels becoming the norm, WBEP could be a possible outlet for a live 10pm newscast to challenge “Fox 66 News at Ten.” News out of the Meadville Tribune this week also reports the plans for WICU’s digital signal once the station signs on June 12th on DT 12. The station plans on carrying WICU on 12-1, WBEP on 12-2 and WSEE on 12-3.