Catching Up from the Summer of 2009...

September 25, 2009

joins WSYX/WTTE as morning and noon anchor. Amy most recently was morning anchor at WCSC in Charleston, South Carolina.

September 24, 2009

Chicago Sun-Times

Bill Kurtis has returned to WBBM-Channel 2. Or as the station's marketing honcho Jim Corboyputs it: "Bill is back in the bullpen." Back indeed, but Kurtis is back as pitchman and contributor, not as the anchor and leader he was 30 years ago in a WBBM newsroom that was at the time producing Chicago's preeminent newscasts -- with ratings to match.

Today, Kurtis is famous as a high-profile AT&T spokesman. Now in a similar role at WBBM, Kurtis is reminding viewers of the station's past news glory, even as WBBM executives hope their new ad star will prompt sampling of the station's ratings-challenged newscasts, currently being revamped by News Director Jeff Kiernan.More...

September 22, 2009

The Leaf-Chronicle

Charter Communications, which is the primary cable television provider for Clarksville, announced today it plans to drop local station WKAG-Channel 3.

According to a notice placed in The Leaf-Chronicle, the station will be removed by about Oct. 15 from the Clarksville lineup "due to WKAG not satisfying the FCC's rules of carriage."

Hopkinsville, Ky.-based WKAG's news operation provides coverage of Hopkinsville, Clarksville and Fort Campbell.

Nick Pavlis, Charter's director of government relations, said it boils down to needed digital bandwidth.

"The FCC requirement is that they (WKAG) are to provide a quality signal that enables viewers to see their programming," he said. More...

September 21, 2009

Cincinnati Enquirer

Will viewers who watch WXIX-TV's 6 a.m. news come back for Channel 19's new 6 p.m. newscast?

That's the hope at Channel 19, which for the first time Monday goes head-to-head against the long-established 6 p.m. newscasts on Channels 5, 9 and 12.

"If you want to be taken seriously as a news operation, you've got to have a 6 p.m. newscast. And we figure now is as good of a time as any," says Bill Lanesey, Channel 19 general manager.

The "Fox 19 Evening News @ 6 O'clock" premieres in HDTV 13 months after the station launched a half-hour news show at 6:30 p.m. Monday is the first day of the new TV season.

The success of "Fox 19 in the Morning"--which is often a close second to Channel 12 and beats "Today" and "Good Morning America" at 7 a.m.--encouraged Lanesey to launch the 6 p.m. news.More...

September 17, 2009

Chicago Sun-Times

WGN-Channel 9 on Wednesday announced a major expansion of its newscasts, starting Oct.5. The "WGN Midday News" will add 30 minutes and air from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with Allison Payne andSteve Sanders fronting the expanded newscast. The new assignment reunites Payne and Sanders, who previously anchored together on WGN's 9 p.m. newscast.

For the last several months, Payne had co-anchored WGN's early-evening news with Mark Suppelsa. WGN's early-evening news also will expand from 30 minutes to an hour and air from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Suppelsa and Lourdes Duarte will co-anchor the early-evening newscast. WGN's flagship hourlong "News at Nine" will continue as is, with Micah Materre and Suppelsa as co-anchors.

WGN's new anchor lineups put to rest lingering speculation about whether Payne would return to the "News at Nine" after her medical leave of absence last fall and winter. More...

September 15, 2009

JOANNA MASSEE is moving to WRTV in Indianapolis to brand a new investigative reporter position called ?Tough Question,? a reporter?s pursuit to uncover the truth and get answers on important local stories, issues, and events.

September 11, 2009

The Grand Rapids Press

WXMI-TV (Channel 17) is expanding its news lineup. On Sept. 21, the station is adding an early evening news broadcast, which will air from 6-7 p.m.

"We are so thankful for viewer support," saidTim Dye, Fox 17's news director. "Lots of people have always asked us to add a 6 p.m. show. Now is the time."

He also said the Tribune-owned station was encouraged by corporate to do more local programming.

It was 10 years ago when news anchor Michelle DeSelms and meteorologist Peter Chan helped launch Fox 17's 10 p.m. newscast. Now they will anchor the 6 p.m. news with co-anchorChristian Frank and sports director Tim Doty.

"We are deeply committed to providing the best local news coverage in West Michigan," said Fox 17 general manager Patty Kolb. More...

September 10, 2009

Chicago Tribune

Tom Negovan returned earlier this year from reporting in Afghanistan for Chicago's WGN-Ch. 9 without so much as a scratch. Riding his motorcycle on the city's northwest side over the weekend, he was nearly killed.

"I'm just glad to be alive," Negovan said from his hospital bed Wednesday night, a day after undergoing two hours of spinal surgery. "I feel like the luckiest man in all of Chicago."

Besides suffering two broken vertebrae, Negovan required 19 staples for lacerations on the back of his scalp after a collision with a car making a left turn in front of him Saturday on Harlem Avenue. He also was left with assorted bumps and bruises. Fortunately, his face was unscathed.

Negovan and his wife said that doctors expect him to make a full recovery within the next three months or so. More...

Chicago Tribune

Bill Kurtis is coming back to WBBM-Ch. 2, sort of.

The long-struggling CBS-owned station, where Kurtis had three tours of duty as an anchor and became synonymous with its long-ago glory days, has picked up syndicated reruns of "Cold Case Files," a crime show from Kurtis' production company that debuted on cable's A&E a decade ago.

Kurtis, who has parlayed his post-WBBM national profile into work as an advertising pitchman for AT&T, also will contribute a series of "Cold Case Minute" reports that will air during Channel 2's 10 p.m. newscasts, beginning Sept. 22. The reports also will be syndicated, but some will be produced specifically for Channel 2, the station said.

"CBS2 is honored to be back in business with Bill Kurtis – both as a program host and as a contributor to our news," Bruno Cohen, WBBM's president and general manager, said in Wednesday's announcement. More...

September 8, 2009

moves to Morning & Noon Meteorologist at WAVE-TV in Louisville from Meteorologist at WXIX in Cincinnati, OH.

Serptember 4, 2009

is promoted to Weekend Sports Anchor / Reporter at ABC O&O WLS-TV in Chicago from sports reporter / fill-in anchor.

September 2, 2009

a weekend anchor for KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls has accepted a position with the Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN-TV. Erdahl will be joining the new 4 o?clock newscast starting in mid-September.

The Journal Gazette

A Fort Wayne morning news anchor was arrested Monday and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Police received a complaint about 9:30 a.m. Monday from a driver who noticed a sport utility vehicle swerving near West Jefferson Boulevard and Getz Road. Mary Collins Frank, a news anchor for Indiana's NewsCenter, was driving.

A Fort Wayne police report said a Breathalyzer revealed she had a blood-alcohol level between 0.13 percent and 0.14 percent, above the 0.08 percent legal limit.

Jerry Giesler, president and general manager for Indiana's NewsCenter, declined to comment on the arrest, citing it as a personnel matter. Giesler did confirm Collins Frank was not at work Tuesday. More...

Chicago Tribune

The Fox Television Stations group announced that Pat Mullen is leaving after more than three years as vice president and general manager of Fox-owned WFLD-Ch. 32 and My Network TV sister station WPWR-Ch. 50.

Fox named Mike Renda, who has been in charge of its Philadelphia station since 2007, as Mullen's replacement.

"Mike has proven over the last twelve years that he is a strong general manager who knows what it takes to build a market-leading station," Jack Abernethy, chief executive of Fox Television Stations, said in the announcement.

Mullen, who is leaving to pursue other entrepreneurial opportunities, took over the News Corp. duopoly in Chicago in April 2006. More...

August 31, 2009

jumps 135 markets (but who's counting?) to Morning Reporter at WDRB in Louisville (from Morning Anchor at WLIO, Lima).

Nielsen

The Top 10 local markets (DMAs) will remain the same this season, with a few rank changes in the Top 20. Moving up are Seattle, from 14 to 13, and Denver from 18 to 16. Tampa, Miami and Cleveland are each down one rank.

There were no new markets to enter the Top 50 or the Top 100, although there were several multi-rank increases and decreases. Notable changes in the Top 100 markets include:

>> Four Florida markets are down (Tampa, Miami, Ft. Myers, Tallahassee), partially due to declines in domestic migration

>> New Orleans has the largest percentage increase among all markets, up 5.2% from last year, and moves up 2 ranks from 53 to 51 as former residents return to the city and Census Bureau estimates are adjusted

>> New York adds the most homes of any market (+59,710) while Waco shows the largest change in ranks, moving from 94 to 89

>> Other multi-rank increases in the Sun Belt region include Tucson (+2), Shreveport (+2), and Charleston, SC (+2)

>> The Midwest sees multi-rank decreases in Columbus, OH (-2), Grand Rapids (-2), Flint (-2) and South Bend (-2)

Full Report...

August 28, 2009

Toledo Free Press

"And they're off!" WFFT anchor Jim Blue exclaimed introducing a story on ostrich racing on the fledgling FOX-55 television news station in Fort Wayne, Ind.

The ostrich segment on Aug. 10 was a kicker, the term newscasters use for an amusing story that ends their newscast.

While the 57-year-old Blue has a sense of humor, he takes journalism seriously and hopes his new station flies better than ostriches. The new gig began less than a year after Blue's contract wasn't renewed after six years at WNWO-TV NBC24 in Toledo.

The nonrenewal was disappointing for Blue, a former Toledo Free Press columnist, who has a home in Toledo and had no desire to leave.

"On the other hand, it opened up this opportunity here and this is the most challenging and exciting thing I've ever done," said Blue, who, in addition to anchoring the station's nightly 10 p.m. newscast, is also the news director. More...

August 26, 2009

The Detroit News

Fox affiliate WJBK-TV (Channel 2) will add an extra hour to its top-rated a.m. show "Fox 2 News Morning," says Jeff Murri, the station's vice president and general manager.

Look for the expanded version of the show, which will air from 4:30-10 a.m. on weekdays, to kick off Sept. 14.

"The expansion of 'Fox 2 News Morning' is a natural evolution for our station, as we continue to grow our already strong presence in the market," says Murri in regard to the show's ratings success.

Locally, "Fox 2 News Morning" ranks higher than NBC's "Today," which airs on WDIV-TV (Channel 4), and ABC's "Good Morning America" on WXYZ-TV (Channel 7).

The expanded hour "will allow us to provide viewers with enhanced coverage of news events and breaking stories throughout the morning," Murri says. More...

Dayton Daily News

Jim Baldridge predicts that when he delivers his farewell message, near the end of the 6 p.m. newscast on WHIO-TV, Friday, Aug. 28, his emotions will be churning.

But it's likely that the final words of his 37-year news anchoring career in Dayton will be short, very sincere, and highly professional.

"I've always checked my personal emotions and held them inside," he said. "Yet, who knows? This is a unique situation."

Television trend experts agree that there are only a handful of anchors around the country with Baldridge's longevity. More...

August 25, 2009

Broadcasting & Cable

A deal to sell Weigel Broadcasting's South Bend, Ind., low-power stations WCWW, WBND and WMYS to Schurz's WSBT has fizzled, according to WSBT President and GM John Mann, after the FCC was unable to act on it within a year.

The groups entered into an asset-purchase agreement in August 2008, with the deal requiring FCC approval. But the deal had a one-year deadline for FCC action. That deadline passed last week and the $22 million deal was nullified.

The low power stations are affiliates of ABC, The CW and MyNetworkTV.

An FCC spokeswoman said that, at press time, the buyer and seller had not yet formally withdrawn the proposal. More...

August 24, 2009

Cincinnati.com

Why would Derek Beasley quit as WLWT-TV chief meteorologist in Cincinnati, market No. 34, for the same job in Mobile, Ala., market No. 60?

Because he wants the challenge of forecasting hurricanes.

"Market size means nothing to me. Happiness does, and this is a great opportunity for me," says Beasley, who started at NBC affiliate WPMI-TV last week after four years here.

The Gulf Coast port is "one of my top five dream weather markets," says Beasley, 32. "Mobile-Pensacola has always been one of my favorite TV markets due to the hurricane threat, the culture of Mobile and the beautiful beaches of the Florida panhandle." More...

Lexington Herald-Leader

CBS affiliate WKYT (Channel 27) will announce today that it has bought a new weather radar system that it boasts is "simply the most important, life-saving advancement in weather technology and forecasting ever in Kentucky."

The First Alert Defender dual-polarity radar, which will begin operating in September, was an investment of more than $1 million, partially financed with a sponsorship by Kentucky'sTouchstone Energy Cooperatives, that is part of a new class of weather radars that provide more information to meteorologists.

It also gives the affiliate a claim to being among select stations in other states that have the most advanced live Doppler radar worldwide for now. More...

Baltimore Sun

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., which had said it might be forced to file for bankruptcy protection because of substantial debt coming due, said it has reached a tentative deal to pay off nearly $438 million in convertible notes.

Under an agreement reached with a committee of note holders, Sinclair subsidiary Sinclair Television Group would issue notes that would mature in 2014 and be secured by a second lien on assets securing the television group's bank credit facility.

The broadcaster would use the proceeds to repurchase outstanding debt from note holders who are entitled to exercise options in May 2010 and January 2011. The company said it has a total $438 million of those convertible notes outstanding. More...

August 21, 2009

Chicago Sun-Times

Hands down, it has to be the funniest, most smartly executed promotional spot for any local TV station so far this year. We're talking about the "Chicago Huddle" TV spottouting an ongoing audition for an announcer/ hostess to work alongside host Ryan Chiaverini on WLS-Channel 7's Sunday morning football show that has its season debut Sept. 13. (video)

Since we first saw the commercial with a priceless cameo drag turn byWLS sports anchor Mark Giangreco, we've been wondering how the station pulled it off. Props, it turns out, go to a fast-moving WLS creative services department, which annually produces about 300 promotional ads for the station.

According to Danny Tag, a producer in WLS's creative unit, the "Huddle" spot was completed in a quick five days. It all began with Tag receiving a one-sentence request for a TV promo for a "Huddle" announcer audition. More...

August 20, 2009

has been officially named the new Chief Meteorologist for Newport Television's operations in the Mobile-Pensacola DMA: WPMI NBC 15 in Mobile, Alabama, WeatherPlus digital weather channel, and the stations' website, nbc15online.com.

Broadcasting & Cable

Fox O&O WJBK Detroit is extended its morning news an hour, airing Fox 2 News Morning from 4:30-10 a.m. starting September 14. In addition to the news, weather and traffic staples, the extended program will offer longer features like live music, interviews and cooking segments.

"The expansion of FOX 2 News Morning is a natural evolution for our station, as we continue to grow our already strong presence in the market," said Vice President/General Manager Jeff Murri. More...

Chicago Sun-Times

Ratings-challenged WBBM-Channel 2 has quietly added another weapon to its arsenal of staff working to turn around the station's fortunes.

Jim Corboy, 53, has filled the newly created position of vice president of marketing at WBBM. He comes to the job with an unusually long and varied resume, including stints in radio ad sales and a role as advertising and promotion director at WMAQ-Channel 5 from 1985 to 1990. During those years, WMAQ was trying hard to dethrone WBBM as the city's No. 1-rated TV news station. Corboy also has worked as an assistant to former Coca-Cola Chief Marketing Officer Sergio Zyman and as a top marketing exec at cable music channel VH1. More recently, Corboy ran his own Chicago-based marketing firm, Quiet Man Marketing.More...

August 18, 2009

NBC 4 (WCMH-TV) will broadcast "NBC 4 Midday," from NBC 4 on The Square, beginning today and each weekday from 12:00-12:30 p.m. Mike Jackson will anchor the newscast and is joined by Storm Team 4 Meteorologist Bob Nunnally.

"NBC 4 Midday" was one of the first NBC 4 programs to broadcast from the downtown studio when it opened in May of 2008. Although it returned to the main studio on Olentangy River Road earlier this year, NBC 4 newscasts continued to include live reports from the downtown studio.

NBC 4 Vice President and General Manager Dan Bradley said, "NBC 4 Midday is the ideal newscast to originate from downtown since it is during the height of the business day." (via nbc4i.com) More...

Cincinnati.com

Stacy Owen, news director at KXTV in Sacramento, has been hired by WLWT-TV (Ch 5) to replace Brennan Donnellan, who left the station a month ago. Owen has been news director for three years in Sacramento. Before that, she spent 13 years at KRON-TV in San Francisco as an assistant news director, executive producer and producer and three years as news director.

Says Richard Dyer, Channel 5 president and general manager: "Stacy's career has been marked by high impact journalism, multi-media innovation and leadership through times of change."

At the Sacramento station, Owen "led the transformation from a traditional TV operation" to a Multimedia Information Center," and launched a digital 24/7 weather and traffic station and calmoms.com, Dyer says. More...

August 17, 2009

Lexington Herald- Leader

Viewers of the morning news on CBS affiliate WKYT (Channel 27) have begun seeing a new face.

Stacy Ellison is now co-anchoring the 5- 7 a.m. newscasts withBill Bryant, as longtime anchor Barbara Bailey shifts schedules.

Bailey will continue to anchor the noon news with Bryant. The two moved to the morning news shift in 2006 and have helped increase its viewership dramatically.

"She wanted a change in her responsibilities and work schedule," WKYT news director Robert Thomassaid. "Because of Barbara's longtime service and dedication to this station, we wanted to accommodate her request." More...

Funeral services were held on Saturday for Jim Rieske, a former investigative reporter from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a fixture at WZZM-TV for 25 years. Mr. Riekse, 63, died Wednesday at Saint Mary's Health Care in Grand Rapids.

Mr. Rieske started as an investigative reporter at WZZM- TV, an ABC affiliate in Muskegon, in 1971. He was the first reporter to interview Gerald R. Ford at the White House following his elevation to the presidency in 1974.

WZZM-TV anchor Lee Van Ameyde, who joined the station in 1977, told the Grand Rapids Pressthat Mr. Riekse "was a true investigative reporter and almost a stereotype. His tie always was askew and his hair messed. He was hard- driving, loud, a chain smoker and quite a character to work with."

Of his 25 years at WZZM, Riekse recalled "some real highs and some real lows, basically a very positive experience that I'll never forget and a wonderful place to work."

Mr. Rieske left broadcast journalism in 1995 to become executive director of the Grand Rapids Service Corps. He was a founder of the Grand Rapids Youth Boxing Foundation and worked with the Nature Conservancy. He also was a political consultant for many candidates and causes, and a proud Democrat. He served as the coordinated campaign manager in West Michigan for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

In addition to his son, Jim Riekse III, Mr. Riekse is survived by his parents, Dr. James and Helena Riekse; a daughter, Jamie McWilliams; four sisters, Nancy Norden, Meredith Riekse, Judith Marcus and Laurel Hoesch; and three grandchildren.

August 13, 2009

has been named WFLD's morning co-anchor. David was previously the anchor of the 10pm newscast at the same station which is being replaced in September. Prior to anchoring the 10pm show, David had been the morning co-anchor.

KRISTEN DREW Joins WLKY-TV in Louisville as a reporter from WSTM-TV in Syracuse.

August 12, 2009

The Grand Rapids Press

Stanton Tang has been named news and information director for Grand Rapids' WZZM-TV (Channel 13).

Tang served on the management team under former vice president/news director Tim Geraghty, who left WZZM in May after being named corporate vice president/information director for KXTV-TV (Channel 10) in Sacramento, Calif. Both television stations are owned and operated by Gannett Co.

"There will be no major changes," said Tang, who has served as interim news director for the past two months. More...

August 11, 2009

Chicago Tribune

David Novarro, whose days at Chicago's WFLD-Ch. 32 seemed numbered just a month ago, has been named its new morning co-anchor, effective immediately, the Fox-owned station confirmed today.

Novarro has a new contract and will co-anchor with Jan Jeffcoat from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., replacing Mike Barz, who left the station last month after an investigation into an off-hours, off-site party with co-workers.

Another contender for Barz's co-anchor slot,spanspanspanspan

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