wabceyewitness

For the first time since the 1992 summer games, NBC Nightly News LOST to ABC in both weeks of the ratings race. What’s more, is that NBC’s numbers are down compared to last year, even with the lift it’s supposed to get from the Olympics. That all said, NBC continues to win in the all important 25-54 demo. http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/evening-news-ratings-week-of-feb-12-2/358255

Nope. He left right around the time she arrived. And returned just a few months before she took an “extended vacation”.

Yup... “retiring” but “retiring from WABC” and doing it quickly, as he said in his memo to staff.... aka Disney/ABC is hitting the reset button on management of the station, likely due to lawsuits against the MIA news director and losing a star anchor after mismanaged contract negotiations saw the anchor walk out suddenly with the contract fully paid, a six minute on air send off, and end up on a competing station in the same position just six weeks later. http://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2018/2/23/the-internal-memo

I saw the promos they touted of the exclusive interview and tuned in to watch only to be floored that they had the make-believe journalist Michael Strahan conduct the interview. What a wasted opportunity.

Per FTV Live, she has not returned yet and the station will announce after the February book that she won’t be returning.

Not quite 20 years just yet.. music debuted at the end of August 1999 so Fall 2019 will mark 20 years. No need to change it in my opinion!

Actually, Sam Champion is the weekend fill-in. http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/sam-champion-filling-in-on-gma-while-ginger-zee-is-on-maternity-leave/356477

Despite the late start just after 11:45pm, it more than likely had higher ratings than most 11pm broadcasts on WNBC thanks to the "This Is Us" Super Bowl episode lead-in.

Actually was renewed for seasons 2 AND 3 during its first season.

Kenny was just named one of FTV Live's Top 5 Worst People in TV News. A surprise since it is in contrast to everything I have heard about him and does not match the few interactions I have had with him.

Wow! Good for them! And they’re also now the senior morning anchors among all the networks.

Maybe an exit strategy is being drawn up.

I never understood the idea behind having Michael Strahan appear at the desk at 7am and present serious news stories, as if her were an actual journalist. It's annoying and, quite frankly, an insult to viewers who are putting their trust in ABC News that someone dependable will be giving them information about terror attacks, politics, extreme weather, etc. Not to mention it being an insult to Robin, George, Amy and all the other actual journalists at ABC News. It's a shame because I really enjoy watching GMA when George does political interviews so now I just try to catch those when they're posted online. It's nothing against Strahan - I liked him a lot on "Live!" - but his skills there do not translate to being part of the 7am crowd at GMA. I wish they would have restricted him to just leading the 8am hour with the studio audience and participating in some 7am segments. I have found myself lately watching CBS This Morning a lot, Good Day New York, and have been sampling Today since Savannah and Hoda took over.

Good Morning America lost its direction after bringing in Michael Strahan full time and positioning him at the same level as Robin and George. Amy is replacing Elizabeth Vargas on 20/20 later this year so we’ll see how long after that she remains on Good Morning America.

I’m glad she’s feeling better and has made it through this injury. That said, to be quite honest, I’m not a Sade fan. She seems like a wonderful person — and well liked by her colleagues — but I don’t find her to be at the same level as the other anchors at WABC, past and present.

They’ve refreshed the opening. Same image concept/theme but different variation and more use of white. I’m sure someone will post it soon.

She does. All the the anchors do. Bill takes yellow cabs. High profile network talent are given cars to and from home, not local anchors.

Shirleen grumbled a bit this morning about having to work Christmas (this was during Ken’s 4:40am Facebook live). Ken mentioned he only had off Christmas twice in his whole career. Shirleen asked what happened all the years Ritter did the Christmas morning show. He motioned as if he had an explanation but couldn’t say at the moment — they were going back on air. He never mentioned it during the Facebook live, but I’m guessing maybe Ken still had to report later in the morning and be the on call breaking news anchor?

I meant to comment on the coverage yesterday but forgot to. I completely agree. I know that anchoring breaking news without a lot of new information being provided could be tough but WABC’s coverage was certainly not up to par especially for an event of that magnitude. Shirleen should be able to handing solo coverage of breaking news at this point. She did not come across as being able to do that, given yesterday’s coverage. Lots of stumbling through words, long pauses, “ummmmsss”, and in one remark to former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, “totally!” It just felt that she was out of place and it’s unfortunate because she is a good anchor. I turned off WABC and watched FOX5 and WNBC for the rest of the morning.

The ending montage never aired on the 6:30 eastern live feed.

Camille Edwards is on an extended vacation thru January 2, 2018, per FTV Live. This comes after a rare visit to the station by ABC president Ben Sherwood.

Even if more talent leaves WABC — they won’t suffer. In the last 14 years, they’ve had three different 11pm coanchors, two different 6pm coanchors, 2 different 5pm coanchors, 3 different noon teams and 4 different morning teams. On top of that, a good number of long time reporters left while new, younger ones have joined the team and the weekend teams change every few years. They’ll survive a few more changes. That said, I do hope some behind the scenes changes occur as things don’t seem as great as they usually are at WABC.

Nice promo. I think I’ve seen it before.

Right now, Rebecca Campbell is above Dave Davis. She’s the former WABC GM who is now the head of the Disney/ABC O&O Station Group... but she is leaving her post next month to become the head of Disney’s Europe, Middle East and Africa operations.

Here is the official complaint filed by Laura Behnke. It is worth the full read and names several other on air talent in it, including Lori Stokes and alleged reasons for her departure and the insinuation that Dave Davis should’ve been fired over it. http://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2017/11/24/and-here-is-the-lawsuit-against-wabc-and-their-news-director