WLAJ says now is prime for news By Dave Hoger Staff Writer More than five years after failing to pene trate the local TV news market, WLAJ Chan nel 53 is cranking up the cameras. The Lansing-Jackson ABC affiliate is re booting its prime-time newscasts at 6 and 11 p.m., but isn’t quite sure when. “ABC 53 News Now” was supposed to be launched Monday night, but was delayed due to technical problems. Station officials are hoping to sign on this week, possibly as early as tonight. “We don’t want to go on until we’re abso lutely ready,” said Channel 53 promotion manager Phil Parsons. “We still have a few things left to do.” Parsons said the station’s past news fail ures — poor ratings forced Channel 53 to pull the plug in 1992 after less than two years on the air — has little bearing on what view ers can expect this time around. “I don’t think (ending its newscasts) makes any difference at all, be cause the product the people will see is so dif ferent from what was on 5'h or 6 years ago,” he said. What viewers will see in WLAJ’s newscasts is a somewhat downsized version of its former self: o Gone is the standard two-news-anchor format. Instead, Channel 53 will have a single anchor in Joe Parker, a former co-anchor at Kalamazoo CBS affiliate WWMT described by Channel 53 station manager Alan Forist as someone who “could make an immediate impact” in the local market. • Gone is a local weather anchor. Channel 53 has enlisted a national weather service that will be picked up off the satellite, yet still be programmed to focus on the Lansing- Jackson area, Parsons said. • A new set and a glitzy new graphics pack age will assist in delivering what Parsons said will be a “faster-paced” newscast “covering not just the news of the day, but some of the positive things happening in the commu nity.” Anchoring the sports desk is Shaun Broyles, a former sports reporter for a CBS affiliate in Wausau, Wis. The news and sports anchors will also double as field re porters, Parsons said. New news director Susan Kelley comes to WLAJ from KOCO in Oklahoma City, where she served in the same capacity during the federal building bombing. She’s “very highly regarded in the industry,” Parsons said. PARKER