Actually, sweeps are no longer necessary in Los Angeles, where the introduction last year of "local people meters" -- which measure demographic info for local TV stations every day (stations used to rely on diaries sent in by viewers in November, February and May)-- made sweeps here obsolete.
But old habits die hard. I was watching KABC/7 Tuesday night when suddenly, the station dropped everything to cover a rather dull freeway chase. No collisions, no police action. Just a car speeding down the 5. But KABC went commercial free and eliminated its sports report to go non stop for 15 minutes (until it broke--with the car still speeding, but at that point down Western Ave.--for "Nightline"). KCOP/UPN 13's jigglecast also dropped everything to cover the chase, but KCBS/2 and KNBC/4 stuck with regular news.
"Regular news," of course, depends on your definition. Again, L.A. stations don't need to go hyper this month like they used to, yet they still have. KCBS/2 is on a sex offender kick (Boo! They're in your neighborhood!), while the folks at TVBarn, who are chronicling some of the month's special reports, got a kick out of KABC/7's Wednesday report on "How your mattress can create a deadly danger in your bedroom!"
Then there's KTTV/Fox 11, which never fails to disappont. Its "Fox 11 Undercover" stories this month have included a package titled "Playboy Doctor." I didn't get a chance to see this, but I get the feeling it was deliciously salacious.
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