Applegate's managerial style at WOIO was as aggressive as the format itself. Twice-weekly editorials were instituted, with Applegate frequently critiquing local politicians and groups, years after the practice had fallen out of favor throughout the industry. Chicago media critic Robert Feder retrospectively described him as "bold, brash and wickedly brilliant... willing to try almost anything to draw a crowd". While in Los Angeles—a market dominated by tabloid journalism—Applegate found ratings success at KCBS-TV with saturation coverage of the Lyle and Erik Menéndez trial, the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the O. J. Simpson murder case, the latter with Harvey Levin as a dedicated reporter. Applegate viewed 19 Action News as "populist, blue-collar, advocacy", explaining, "your obligation is to tell the truth... I don't think we have an obligation to be objective. We have to tell the truth."
