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And now, Andrew Kinsey is leaving to replace Jerry Revish at WBNS. https://www.10tv.com/mobile/article/news/local/andrew-kinsey-joins-wbns-10tv-as-evening-news-co-anchor/530-5a9e8a19-7475-4ea5-a898-c55fd4f2a623 Lots of volatility at the WTOL anchor desk this year. To be expected since WTOL is firmly in second place and Toledo is shrinking from a DMA perspective. Maybe they’ll pick up Jeff Smith from WTVG? Doubtful...since he would likely cost $$.

Melissa Andrews has finally been named evening anchor at WTOL, reuniting with Andrew Kinsey. She replaces Kristi Leigh, now at KMPH. https://www.wtol.com/article/about-us/melissa-andrews-wtol-11-new-evening-anchor-toledo/512-b98c0b45-3585-43b0-955a-fc5808f91790

Yep! I always thought Ray was underrated when he was paired with Martha Weaver. They then tried that "Todd and Tricia" thing...and since then, RTV hasn't really had a notable team...

Bob Herzog’s take on the new music is https://m.facebook.com/jendaltonlocal12/videos/350046103069887/?refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F185846334894559%2Fposts%2F2253467991465706%2F

Yep. I don’t see Hogan leaving WRAL for TEGNA. They should’ve never botched the Revish transition by moving Hogan to weekends and bringing in Scalia. Hogan and Harris would have been a great pairing. I am speculating here, but I have a feeling we could see Mark Taylor pop up on 10TV. He gained a following at WCMH, and if he was planning a move to WBNS, it puts his weekend demotion and non-renewal into context. WBNS always poaches talent from the others. Even if Dispatch is no longer in control, this still seems like a possibility. https://mobile.twitter.com/MarkTaylor/status/1278013879067586561

WKRC announces its "B" team: https://local12.com/news/local/local-12-names-afternoon-co-anchors Adam Clements had been pushing hard for a promotion, serving this role in an interim capacity after Brad Johansen left and when Kyle Inskeep took a 6-week leave of absence last year (after Rob Braun left the station). He settled for a "breaking news anchor" role on Good Morning Cincinnati - so it's good to see him get a legit promotion.

Off topic, but I wish Pizza Hut pizza still looked (and tasted) like it did in those commercials...

I know! I'd sent him a tip on the 11 Alive logo when it was updated, but he didn't use it.

UnderConsideration Brand New - a site that review logos from a true "identity/graphic design" standpoint -reviewed the WTSP logo. https://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_and_identity_for_10_tampa_bay_by_matchstic.php Apparently, the design crowd loves it...

WKRC’s John Lomax going part-time after 30 years anchoring the morning newscast: https://www.wvxu.org/post/wkrc-tvs-john-lomax-finally-gets-sleep I imagine management is breathing a sigh of relief after losing their primary anchor (each there for at least 30 years before leaving) team last year.

If you go to her page and click “Page Transparency” - you can see that one FB account is running her page, and there are several ads running. Looks like she may be doing it? Fox 8 ran some sponsored ads last year, featuring a contest to have lunch with Kenny Crumpton. The comments were interesting...

From Robin Swoboda:

She is still there - it must have been her TEGNA furlough week. https://mobile.twitter.com/LauraReports?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

WTOL’s Robert Shiels is doing the same: Facebook post

Be careful what you ask for....here's my essay on why this is "bewildering" Here's some context: these two are replacing longtime anchor team Cammy Dierking and Rob Braun. Both are considered "Cincinnati royalty" as they're the children of well-known Cincinnati figures. Things were going well for them until they were forced to read Sinclair-mandated copy and they both opted to leave when their contracts were up. For me, the Toti/Inskeep pairing one of those "huh?" kind of moves - similar to the original trio of Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill for CBS This Morning back in 2012.... So maybe it will work out for them in the long run. Maybe I'm too harsh or judgemental, but to put it simply, these two just don't have the "look" of a primary anchor team in a top 40 market. But...times are a'changin', apparently. This was an opportunity to set the course for the next 10-15 years, and in my opinion, this wasn't a decision that was made with the long-term in mind. It would've been a chance to revamp their newscasts in a more impactful way. Here are my thoughts on why (IMO) this wasn't the right decision: Timing. Braun left in June. Dierking notified management she was leaving in April. The station had time to find options beyond their "B" team to test on air. Age. He's in his 20s, she's in her 50s or 60s. They have on-air chemistry, but in a weird aunt-nephew kind of way. She has worked her way up at WKRC over the last 20+ years...he's been there since 2018 and before that was a morning reporter in Indianapolis. He has a personality that is a better fit for mornings. She is very strident and not exactly pleasant to watch. Lack of Foresight. It feels like these two just "fell into" their positions, due to departures of other talent (and their shrinking bench of anchor talent). Toti replaced Cincinnati native Sydney Benter in 2017. Inskeep replaced LONGTIME anchor Brad Johansen in 2018. It is even noted here that the primary anchor slot was "out of reach" at that time, which is why he left for WRAL (more on that below). Availability of Other Talent. There is plenty of well-seasoned talent to pair up and experiment with, both inside and outside the station: Brad Johansen: Inskeep replaced Brad Johansen, who fizzled at WRAL (due to an anchor who refuses to retire). Johansen's family never actually moved to Raleigh, so when he left WRAL, he came back to the Cincinnati area. Assuming Johansen wanted a job - WKRC could've (and should've) invited him back. Adam Clements: Clements publicly tried out for Johansen's open position and lost it to Inskeep. As a 'make good' - they moved Clements from morning reporter to "breaking news anchor" - which basically means he reports wire stories from a tiny room, operates his own camera and has multiple "hits" during the morning news. Literally a month after Rob Braun left, Inskeep disappeared (due to personal reasons) for a month. During that 5-week period, they pulled Clements off the morning news and had him anchoring the evening broadcasts. He has been subtly noting that he prefers that slot. Plus, he's from the area. Sheila Gray: In 2013/2014, Sheila Gray made a highly publicized move from WXIX to WKRC to anchor their morning news. Surely, she was a costly hire, and she has the gravitas to handle the evening slots. I'm sure they wanted to keep that broadcast stable, and she probably prefers the morning slot - but she should have been considered. Tiffany Wilson: Former WKRC anchor (who filled the morning seat before Sheila Gray arrived) had recently returned to the area after a stint at KGO in San Francisco. This is just a missed opportunity, in my opinion. BUT - if the ratings are saying something else, then I guess I'm wrong and this was a smart decision.

We'll have to grab some popcorn for the "Talkback 16" that happens as a result of this....

WKRC names Paula Toti and Kyle Inskeep main anchors. https://local12.com/news/local/local-12-announces-new-station-anchor-team Bewildering. Apparently all the data pointed in this direction...but still....bewildering.

I don't see that happening. Harris is 100% claiming this is a decision that enables her to be a better mom to her school-aged child...which makes a ton of sense. Unless they throw $$ at him (which is not happening in 2020) it isn't a logical move for Mark Johnson. I do believe Harris alone will help elevate the profile of GMC again...which is needed since WKYC is a trainwreck and WOIO blew up their somewhat successful morning team (Duffy/Bosley/McLeod) for a revolving door of unknowns in the "Cleveland 19" debacle. In Cleveland, mornings are a fight for second. I always delve into Speculatron territory here - but I do wonder who they'll get to replace Danita. They lost their bench of female anchors over the past few years (Dhominque Ricks, Corinna Pysa) and never technically replaced Lee Jordan. Though there always is Tracy Carloss, who has been on weekends forever. Or Homa Bash, who left and came back to Cleveland.

Good move. Looks like WEWS is trying to leverage the declines at WKYC by putting a recognizable face in the AM. And, I'm pretty sure she has a young son, so these hours are likely to be more conducive to parenting. Admittedly, they should've done this about 8 years ago and put Kimberly Gill in the evenings. (Still a bit salty that WEWS let Gill go, but it's been good for her at WDIV.)

Kristi Leigh is leaving WTOL after three years - leaving her hometown for the first time in her career for KMPH in Fresno, CA. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/tv-radio/2020/02/10/wtol-anchor-kristi-leigh-headed-to-new-job-in-fresno/stories/20200210092 Now would be the time to hire someone with gravitas for their newscasts, but I fear they'll just go young and cheap (new hire Carla Bayron?). At least with Leigh, there were local connections - and she certainly improved in the role. Big loss for WTOL.

That would be nice! Though I’m not sure they’re giving up on the “new 3” - just yet, keeping those silly names and inane “newscasts” in tact, for now. Perhaps this ratings period will be the wake-up call WKYC needs to rewind back to an actual, relevant station again?!

Another slap in the face to the more experienced anchors they already have in-house. Also feels like an obvious demotion for Shookman, since they could’ve simply paired a new coanchor with Jim Donavan at 7. (Or enlisted Danielle Serino, but I’ll stop repeating myself.) And that press release? How many times do we have to say the 7pm broadcast is a “front row seat” to what’s happening...what’s new or what’s next?!

WFLD - but not clear if he's a direct replacement for Weigel: https://www.robertfeder.com/2020/01/30/robservations-anchor-terrence-lee-reporter-brittany-garzillo-headed-fox-32/

Anyone wondering what is going on with WKRC in Cincinnati? I was expecting some sort of main anchor team announcement by now. I mean, with Rob Braun leaving last June and Cammy Dierking having decided to leave in April 2019, surely they could’ve come into February sweeps with some sort of plan!? Meanwhile, WXIX is making moves with new/familiar faces & newscasts and WLWT continues to be very solid with their married duo. I guess we will just see how things go with the randomness that is Paula Toti and Kyle Inskeep... Come on, Sinclair!

Russ is nearing 8 years at WKYC - about 3 years longer than I expected. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Jay rise to main anchor, given his presumably hefty salary and network-level chops. (That, and WEWS also has a main anchor with a sports background in Rob Powers.) Though I’d hate to see Russ go. (And as far fetched as it may seem, I could actually see Russ at WBNS in Columbus, with his background at CBS...) Anyway... Not to enter speculatron territory more than I already have (oops!), but I don’t see them replacing Sara Shookman anytime soon, especially since she is pregnant. I do think it’s too much to have Betsy as primary fill-in on nights when Sara is off. Last night, Betsy anchored at 11 and tossed to reports from Lynna Lai and Danielle Serino - both talented anchors in their own right back in their days at “19 Action News.” As much as I really like Betsy, I think Lynna Lai got the shaft here and should get that fill in slot at the very least.