Fox 25 jumps into 6 p.m. fray

Fox 25’s new newscast, to be anchored by Mark Ockerbloom and Maria Stephanos, is likely to have a strong impact on local viewing habits during the coveted time slot, media observers say. By moving the newscast, WFXT is making room for a new talk show hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, Oprah Winfrey’s regular health expert, which will air weekdays at 5 p.m., beginning Sept. 14. Oz’s show, predicted to do well because it is part of Winfrey’s daytime brand, is expected to help win ratings for the newscast at 6, media observers say, by building an audience that may not bother to switch to a more established 6 p.m. newscast.

Strong lead-in programs can boost ratings, the numbers by which TV stations set prices for the ads they sell. A significant loss or gain of viewers during any newscast can affect a station’s bottom line. Although Fox 25 is not expected to lead the ratings at 6 p.m., nearly every viewer it attracts will be switching from a competing newscast on another station.

“We do believe [‘Dr. Oz’] is the best daytime show to come out in many years,’’ said Gregg Kelley, vice president and general manager of WFXT. “We do believe that this will influence the dynamic of viewership at 5 and 6 p.m.’’ Kelley said the potential audience for news is greater at 6 p.m. than it has been for the current newscast at 5.

Spokespeople for WBZ-TV (Channel 4), WCVB-TV (Channel 5), and WHDH (Channel 7) declined to comment on the prospects of a fourth 6 p.m. news contender. WFXT has been growing in the morning news race and consistently dominates at 10 p.m. WCVB succeeds at 5 p.m., however, with an average 155,000 viewers, more than twice as many as any of its competitors, and much more than Fox 25’s average of 21,600 for its 5 p.m. broadcast.

WFXT had been looking for a strong lead-in for its early-evening newscast, which consistently ranked fourth among Boston stations. The last time Fox 25 added a newscast was November 2007, when it joined the 11 p.m. news race and succeeded in shifting the ratings balance significantly. Competition for the half-hour, which had been a three-way race, added a fourth contender. Fox 25’s 11 p.m. newscast helped topple Channel 7 from its ratings perch, although Fox 25 remained fourth in the ratings at 11 p.m. in the recent May sweeps, with an average of 73,600 total viewers. Channel 4 leads in the ratings, with 164,700 viewers in May.

Geoff Klapisch, a Boston University media and advertising professor, noted that the Oz show presents “a perfect situation for Fox 25 to be in. Fox has the opportunity to reach an Oprah Winfrey viewer without making the viewer choose between Oprah or Dr. Oz. They are also looking to steal some Oprah viewers and viewers from Channel 5.’’

Klapisch believes that Oz could draw strong ratings for WFXT because of his brand affiliation with Winfrey, who has the most popular show on daytime television. “There will be some pull from Oprah’s audience,’’ agreed Bob Rosenthal, head of Suffolk University’s journalism department.

Any show produced by Harpo Productions, Winfrey’s production company and the coproducer of “Dr. Oz,’’ cannot be programmed to compete against her talk show. In Boston, Winfrey’s shows already fill the afternoon, with “Dr. Phil’’ at 3 p.m. on Channel 4 and Winfrey’s own talk show at 4 p.m. on Channel 5.

“We’re excited to have what is turning out to be one of the most highly anticipated daytime shows in many years,’’ said WFXT’s Kelley.

Johnny Diaz can be reached at jodiaz@globe.com.