Advertiser Entertainment Writer

In a move from tradition that will serve the lunch bunch, KHNL News 8 will launch a new 11 a.m. weekday newscast, beginning Dec. 3, anchored by recent morning anchor Kristine Uyeno.

"There is a huge void in the marketplace for news viewers between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. locally, and this newscast will help to fill that need," said John Fink, KHNL-KFVE general manager in a statement.

The NBC affiliate will be the first to provide a regular half-hour midday newscast. All stations now boast morning news programs and the traditional 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.

Fink said that the viewership of local TV at 11 a.m. weekdays is similar to the number of folks who watch the early morning news.

KHNL also will be videostreamed at 11 a.m. at khnl.com so those at work without a TV set can get headline reports well before the traditional early news at 5 p.m.

The midday addition is the latest salvo in the ongoing war among TV stations to attract viewers. KGMB-9, the CBS station, kicked off a 5 to 7 a.m. "Sunrise at KGMB9" program this month to compete with affiliates at KHON (Fox), KITV-4 (ABC) and KHNL.