wabceyewitness

If his social media is any indication, former WABC anchor Ken Rosato is gearing up for a return to TV. We’ll know soon where he’s headed.

Good.

Cool to see Rhiannon on WABC at 10am. Guessing they are short staffed today for fill in anchors from local. Also to note — the 10am set was lit in breaking news red/blue for the A block before reverting to yellow/blue later in the show. Nice to see, 12 years later, how versatile they realized their studio is.

too bad that he is leaving… I am assuming he approached station management and asked for different hours but they did not offer it or could not reach an agreement.

WABC launched weather graphics on a Friday evening.

Have to agree. Kudos to the producers and station management for going out on a limb and trying something truly new and refreshing for EWN. It feels like a local version of GMA combined with “Live”. Honestly didn’t expect much when they initially announced it. Thought it would be just another standard newscast with some extra fluff like “First @ 4” but the same old EWN format, music, graphics and staging. Love the content, staging, music, graphics etc. It’s great local, live, morning television.

I understand what @MorningNews is saying. In the NYC market, these types of newscasts really do not successfully exist outside of GDNY and, like what they said, WABC could put a repeat of the 6am show on at 10am and the ratings would be fine. So, you have to wonder, if that’s the case, how long will station management continue pouring resources into a show that would do well and be profitable regardless of the format? That said, I think the consensus here is that this is a nice and fresh attempt at something different for WABC. Based off the first show, it’s being executed well. Hopefully it’s so successful that the format sticks and becomes an outlier compared to the traditional newscasts.

Yep. The new broadcast doesn’t need to be top rated or a hit (though I’m sure WABC would love that). It just needs to fill time, cost less to produce than licensing another syndicated show and turn a profit.

Sounds like it will be a lighter and different broadcast based on the promo for it (“Same team. New vibe.”) and how they opted to say “hosted by…” rather than “anchored by” in the press release.

They’ve actually been making an effort to make them when official changes happen, like Mike Marza joining weekends. Usually the only broadcasts that don’t have a talent open are 5pm and 11pm. Talent opens exist for them but aren’t aired for viewer retention.

Yes, Brittany Bell is now doing the 4:30am, 5am and 5:30am weather going forward. Sam Champion is doing the 6am, 10am and Noon.

Behind the scenes of the new morning show promos being made. Posted on Instagram by one of the stylists that works with WABC. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwSaHVqLUIx/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

It says the 10am show debuts Sept. 11 but I wonder what that means for WABC’s 9/11 memorial coverage. That usually does not conclude until noonish.

I wonder if there is room to declutter the opens a bit. I’ve been watching WLS since the new package debuted. As a whole, it’s great and I’m excited to see it implemented at other stations, but there is A LOT happening in those opens that distracts the eye from the actual newscast name and brand.

They’ve been using that for a few weeks now. It’s, apparently, not part of the new package. Just a random graphic they generated with the new abc7 logo.

As I’ve said previously, “budget constraints” was not the real reason here. Just days later, WABC posted a new position for a general assignment reporter. https://jobs.disneycareers.com/job/new-york/wabc-general-assignment-reporter/391/50243402752

that would make sense since they were second to start using the wx graphics after WLS. Following that pattern, WPVI may come sometime after WTVD. Wonder how long it will be for KABC, WABC and KTRK.

Disney has definitely been making cuts but they are planned out. He had a new ABC ID card in hand and was in the payroll system. The budget line for his job didn’t just suddenly disappear overnight.

I’d be surprised if they pick up Jim Rosenfield. Maybe it was just a courtesy like when they tested Don Dahler with Lori Stokes before promoting Ken. They have enough talent to fill the weekday spots and will need someone for weekend mornings. That doesn’t seem like a spot for Jim. … and Mike Marza as Bill’s successor? That should be David Novarro.

Pretty sure “budget constraints” was not the real reason.

The job is Mike Marza’s to lose, unless someone they rotate it has undeniable chemistry. That’s how Ken Rosato got the job (over Jeff Rossen who became the primary sub, and an auditioning Don Dahler), and how Steve Bartelstein moved in from sports to replace Robb Hanrahan as morning news anchor.

The “wake up with..” is not too new, but updated to have Ken edited out. A more recent promo (“a new day is a new start! Start new with…”) has also been edited to remove Ken. crazy idea: I think WABC shouldn’t replace Ken and should instead elevate Heather and Sam to co-anchors. Go the route of GMA with three anchors and just have Heather and Sam trade off some of the stories with Shirleen being the main “news” person.

One of the plus sides of an anchor suddenly leaving a station is you get to see different faces in new places. At WABC, it’s been nice to see Sandra Bookman and David Novarro in the morning on some days.

Bill Ritter. Liz Cho. Lori Stokes.

THIS. I find it incredibly alarming that, after all these years, character assassinations of a woman have launched only because a man in a more senior position was fired for using a vulgar term to describe her.