Trouble With Da Bears Ticker (And No, We're Not Talking a Heart Attack)

The Superfans must be watching Channel 5...

Chicago Tribune:

WBBM resets Bears clock after complaints

WBBM-Ch. 2 found out the hard way that, contrary to conventional wisdom, it is possible for a Chicago media outlet to overdo this whole Super Bowl thing.

Channel 2 on Sunday night squeezed a blue-and-orange countdown clock into a corner of the screen to show the days, hours and minutes remaining until the Chicago Bears meet the Indianapolis Colts in Miami. Turns out, this was a bad idea.

The time ticked away.

The audience got ticked off.

"We were bombarded by viewers who said it was annoying, it was distracting," Channel 2 news boss Carol Fowler said. "It wasn't appreciated by people watching the Hallmark movie of the week."

Somehow, these people already were aware the Bears have a big game Sunday--on WBBM, as luck would have it--and felt the clutter of a clock wasn't necessary. So, by midmorning Monday, after more than half a day on the air, the station had removed it from all network programming.

Channel 2's countdown clock still will run during all local newscasts (save for weather segments, when the station has determined it clashes with all the other graphics), all its Bears Super Bowl specials and for 30 seconds at the top and bottom of the hour during syndicated programs, such as "Dr. Phil" and "Rachael Ray."

But you no longer have to be a clock watcher while viewing "As the World Turns," "Numb3rs," Katie Couric or "Late Show With David Letterman."

"We listen to people, and we don't want to make more enemies than friends here," Fowler said.

No word yet on whether Channel 2 will post a "Countdown to Griese" clock if Grossman has a bad first half.