PelicanGuy

WGNO morning anchor Jocelyn Lockwood is leaving the New Orleans ABC station after a couple of years to travel the world with her husband. Replacing her on "Good Morning New Orleans" and the 11 am show is reporter Anne Cutler.

The changes take effect February 1.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/wgno-names-anne-cutler-morning-co-anchor_b77801

From 1981, A KNXT promo about the stations Emmy success.

Also from that year, a KNXT promo about Joe Carcione (Green Grocer) on the 5 pm newscast and the Late Show movie.

Here's a WAFB open from 1985:

Jackson, Mississippi's WLBT (NBC) and WDBD (FOX) began a joint news operation as of Nov. 12.

What happened was former WDBD owner Roundtable Media sold the station to American Spirit Media of Charlotte back in July. In turn, AMS entered a joint news operation agreement with Raycom Media, owner of WLBT. WLBT kept the following WDBD employees for the WDBD newscasts:

• Anchor Joy Redmond
  
• Anchor Jon Weiner
  
• Anchor Travis Recek
  
• Anchor Katina Rankin
  

Also, wlbt.com and fox40tv.com redirects you to http://www.msnewsnow.com. The newscasts of both stations were also renamed "Mississippi News Now", with each station having different graphics and duratrans.

The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reports that WGNO chief meteorologist Bruce Katz is leaving the ABC affiliate for rival Fox affiliate WVUE after 17 years. Katz said the station's recent switch to an unconventional format (News With A Twist) is the reason why. Katz now does weather on the 10 pm regular newscast only while meteorologist Hank Allen does the forecast for "Good Morning New Orleans" and the 11 am newscast.

Katz leaves WGNO after the November sweeps, but won't be on air until spring next year because of the non-compete clause.

http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/10/wvue_hires_longtime_wgno_meteo.html

WWL-TV's newest meteorologist - Alexandria Cranford - will make her debut on the station's 5 and 6 pm newscasts today.

Eventually, she will do all weekend newscasts while Derek Kevra has been promoted to do the noon and 5 pm newscasts (Laura Buchtel is on vacation).

Cranford comes to WWL after meteorology gigs in Monroe and Shreveport.

http://www.wwltv.com/news/Meteorologist-Alexandra-Craford-joins-WWL-TV--174742591.html

NOLA.com reports that WWL meteorologist Jonathan Myers and his wife, WVUE meteorologist Dawn Brown are leaving their respective stations. Myers is headed to Baltimore, where he will work for WBFF. Brown will stick to motherhood for the time being; she gave birth to their first son July 17. Their last day working in New Orleans is likely mid-September.

WWL has hired two soon-to-be former Times-Picayune reporters:

* Brendan McCarthy - who was the paper's crime reporter - and David Hammer - one of the paper's former investigative reporters, will join the station's investigative team and contribute to weekday newscasts. Both start work later this summer.

EDIT: McCarthy and Hammer are one of a ton of reporters, columnists and editors given the pink slip by new TP publisher Ricky Matthews and head editor Jim Amoss. If you haven't heard, the TP is cutting its everyday publishing to three-day-a-week publishing this fall to focus more on nola.com.

************

Also, WVUE freelance reporter Jessica Holly will become the station's weekend anchor, beginning July 14.

In management news:

WWL-TV general manager Bud Brown has announced his retirement after seven years of leading the station. Taking his place is native New Orleanian Tod Smith, who comes to station after serving three years as general manager of sister station WVEC. Ironically, Smith got his start in the business at WWL in 1980 in production.

Smith begins his new role next month.

http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/orleans/New-Orleans-native-Tod-Smith-named-WWL-TV-general-manager-158893185.html

WWL Northshore Bureau chief Doug Mouton is now the station's new sports director. He will anchor all weekday evening and nighttime newscasts as well as "Fourth Down on 4".

In addition, former New Orleans Saint Darren Sharper joins the station as the Saints' football analyst.

http://www.wwltv.com/sports/black-and-gold/Darren-Sharper-added-to-WWL-TV-sports-team-Doug-Mouton-named-Sports-Director-151733655.html

OMGeeeeeeee. I haven't heard WDSU's Breadfast Edition theme since I was in elementary school.

WFAA's open from 1983...another cut of Newsbeat?

WWL-TV is pushing back the start of it's 5 am newscast to 4:30 am starting Monday. Mike Hoss will remain anchor. It's expected Melanie Hebert will join him once the non-compete clause expires this summer.

Former WIS-TV morning anchor/reporter Kara Gormley has entered the race for South Carolina's state senate District 23. She's going up against incumbent Sent. Jake Knotts and several others.

http://www.wistv.com/story/16898760/former-midlands-anchor-running-for-state-senate

WWL Sports Director Jim Henderson will give his final 5, 6 and 10 pm sportscasts today. The Times-Picayune did two features in today's paper.

http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/01/jim_henderson_reflects_on_the.html

http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/01/jim_henderson_concludes_three-.html#incart_mce

Former WGNO anchor Jessica Holly has joined WVUE as a reporter

Clips from Charlie Gaddy's final newscast on WRAL, 7/1/94:

Complete 6 pm newscast from WTVD March 5, 1979...one day after a fire destroyed much of the building. I like the package used...don't know the name of it though.

Jim's a real classy guy. He's gonna be missed big time.

Here's WWL's article:

http://www.wwltv.com/sports/Jim-Henderson-to-retire-as-WWL-TV-sports-director-136664833.html

After 30 years, WWL features reporter Chef Frank Davis announced his retirement from his popular weekly segments (Naturally N'Awlins, The Fishin' Game and In The Kitchen) this morning. He said it was time to travel more with his wife, do more cookbooks and take up those offers on exotic fishing trips.

Davis will continue to do the holiday cooking segments (Franksgiving and Naturally Noel) and do various specials for Channel 4.

http://www.wwltv.com/news/Frank-Davis-to-retire-from-weekly-appearances-on-Channel-4-135910608.html

Tribune station WGNO has laid off several people this week who are in front of and behind the cameras.

Most notable include anchor Jessica Holly, anchor/reporter Glynn Boyd (husband of WVUE anchor Nancy Parker), sports reporter/weekend anchor Kristina Pink and reporter Christian Jennings. Four photographers were also let go.

In addition, the New Orleans ABC affiliate has expanded it's 6 pm show "News With A Twist" - anchored by Susan Rosegen and KMEZ-FM morning DJ LeBron Joseph. It will also air at 5 pm. In addition, rebroadcasts of the show will replace all Saturday newscasts. In addition, the 6:30 pm newscast no longer exists. It has been replaced by "The Big Bang Theory".

News Director Rick Erbach said ratings and a tough ad market were key reasons the contraction and layoffs.

Read more here:

http://www.nola.com/...ny_news_wi.html

Also, here are the November sweeps results as well as info on several stations winning regional Emmys.

http://www.nola.com/...ratings_re.html

Former WLBT (Jackson, Miss.) sports director Michael Rubenstein died last night of a heart attack. At the time of his death, he was the executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. He was 60.

http://www.clarionle...pnews|text|Home

WXFL/WFLA's "Spirit of Tampa Bay" theme with lyrics:

Radio spot:

WVUE's noon anchor/reporter Liz Reyes will now co-anchor the New Orleans Fox affiliate's 6-9 am weekday show with morning anchor Rob Masson in addition to doing the noon show. Reyes replaces Jennifer Hale, who is now doing sports for the station.

Remember a while back when I posted WDSU was running promos touting that they are "Louisiana's NEW News Leader" even though the numbers didn't back it up?

The T-P's Dave Walker has written a story about it...and broke down the July numbers.

http://www.nola.com/tv/index.ssf/2011/09/wdsu_promo_sparks_debate_over.html