As NBC News prepares a shift in the executive ranks at “Today,” Broadcasting & Cable‘s Michael Malone talks to the NBC affiliates (subscription required) about the program, which has been dethroned by ABC’s “Good Morning America” this year.

“My news director would prefer it to be more heavy news than fluffier—he and I have had that conversation,” says Derek Rogers, general manager at WMGT Macon (Ga.), who adds that he has not seen a difference.

Most feel it’s a personnel issue — that Ann Curry’s Today promotion, and subsequent departure, was mishandled; that Matt Lauer was dinged up in the imbroglio; and that Savannah Guthrie hasn’t yet won her way into America’s bedrooms and family rooms. “I believe they simply went through transition/growing pains after Meredith’s departure that exposed weaknesses in their legacy dominance,” says Evan Pappas, president/ general manager at KOAA Colorado Springs, who expresses “great confidence” in the Today brain trust getting things moving.

Like many local stations, WSAZ — the NBC affiliate in Charleston, WV — has completed the switch to high definition across their news broadcasts.

“This represents the end of a multi-year, multi-million dollar project and the beginning of a new way for all television viewers in the Charleston-Huntington market to see their world,” vice president and general manager Don Ray said. “We’ll all be looking at the drama and excitement that happens every day in breathtaking color and clarity.”

Part of making the switch included new equipment upgrades for WSAZ. The station donated the old equipment — including field cameras, editors, video switchers, television audio consoles and studio cameras — to the communications department  West Virginia State University.

WSAZ is the first station in the Charleston market to make the switch. The station will show their local broadcasts, as well as nationally syndicated NBC programming, in HD.