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That's all the confirmation I need. It should be interesting to see where they fit her in.

I think that's what's noteworthy here. Yes, everyone has branded gear, but optional and required are two different animals.

Remember the last time WFLD reporters were held to a fashion mandate? Well, those wacky characters in the front office are at it again... http://www.robertfeder.com/2016/03/01/robservations-fox-32-staffers-seeing-red/#more-10601 It's not as bad as the no hat policy, but it's almost as stupid. I can't wait until those winter coats become mandated windbreakers and then become required polo shirts.

Haven't heard anything in that regard. I guess it's a possibility.

Remember a few months ago when I mentioned that augmented reality elements were going to be introduced to the weathercasts? Well... While they don't say what's in-store, the fancy graphics were my first guess when the promos were running every 30 minutes last night. NewscastStudio agrees... http://www.newscaststudio.com/2016/02/29/chicago-abc-readying-augmented-reality-wx-source/ So long as the people making the OTS graphics aren't involved, this sounds like it could be some harmless fun.

It would still be better than that little talk show melody they run for the talent rejoin at 11.

If you saw the tweet, I'm like 75% sure there's some additional context that gives that word a different meaning...I think. Otherwise, I'd imagine it would've been deleted, at the very least.

Yes. Did you, by chance, see that one tweet from last week or listen to one of his radio many appearances?

Literally. One. Person. Don't tell me there isn't a competent grad coming out of Columbia or Northwestern that's so desperate to get in the bid that they'll work for peanuts checking graphics. Makes no sense. Ironically, though, they might not have caught flack from this if they'd have used a Burger King logo, instead. Those familiar with the ordeal last fall know what I'm talking about. According to Feder, Magers read a standard apology at 5 last night, and while that might not do anything for future incidents, it's about all they could do to make up for this error.

You do have to wonder. Dare I say, whoever's punching in the graphics and stuff should be dispensable enough that they could be replaced or properly reprimanded. That said, given the various times of day, I doubt these are the mistakes of just one person. Friday's incident came close (really, really, really close), but I still think WGN still has the "Worst OTS Ever" trophy.

Yeah, forget the silly blizzard backdrop or the anchor portals to hell. Solving the spelling errors and mistakes like these should be a priority, and that's what the bloggers should be calling out most often.

Yes.

I like Sam, but his behind the scenes ego is legendary. I don't think doing features is something he'd be into. Heck, I don't know that a pop news-like role like Lara would be a big enough presence. Now, if that long-rumored, never-materializing third hour came to exist, perhaps he'd agree to that, but...

Apple is going to soon have (or has already rolled out) a circular version of its watch. Perhaps, being a Disney employee, he's gotten an early model with the station app.

Smart and WFLD don't go in the same sentence, so no.

Anyway... Harry Porterfield was mentioned on tonight's 6 o'clock news for an award he received today coinciding with Black History Month. While I can't imagine he'd be rejoining the station, it's nice that they're acknowledging the former 24-year employee, now that he is without a station affiliation.

Tom Doerr is no longer news director at WFLD...and it appears that he wasn't fired. He's moving back to his family in Florida. Even though the station's newscasts never got out of the basement under his watch, he at least helped bring some stability (both in ratings and personnel) back to a long-suffering newsroom. Best of luck to him. http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wfld-news-director-steps-down/164699

Side-by-side, one of them has definitely had something done. That said, I think that person looks better now because of it. However, just because it's posted and it may be obvious, that shouldn't open them up for criticism by us armchair news directors. I give Krashesky credit for apparently not being too self-conscious to post it.

Usually Feder is on the mark, but he sometimes needs to learn to pick his battles. Lord knows there are things to pick on at ABC 7, this really doesn't need to be one of them. To be fair, though, he probably knows what his readers will respond to, and most of them long for how things were in the 70's. http://www.robertfeder.com/2016/02/24/blizzard-of-hype-abc-7-falls-short-with-fake-snow/ Not one mention of how NBC 5 spent 5 minutes of the 5pm news taking viewers on a virtual test drive, shamelessly plugging the bells and whistles of 'Storm Chaser 5', or how Steve Baskerville on CBS 2 has become a Lonnie Quinn clone, rolling up his sleeves to make the viewers think he's so much more committed to his job and that the sky is falling. Really, if someone is so stupid to believe that that was a live image, I commend them on their ability to have gotten this far in their life. I know 99.9% of the snow we get doesn't change our atmosphere to a shade of baby blue. Plus, it's not like the station's other backdrops are accurate, either. It's not dusk at 7 and it's not still sunny at 4. There also aren't glassy panes floating through the sky. Are there some numbnuts that have fallen for that, too? And when is someone gonna start bitching that there's no rain in the graphical loop when it's pouring for real? Seriously, people need to get a grip.

Damn, people done got old... https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=564327143717411

And WMAQ in the late 70's.

It's apparently snowing for the first time ever in Chicago, and some new features are being rolled out at the ol' Circle 7 this afternoon. New today is an updated, larger area map bug, now including the time/temp and the station's hashtag. To make room, the school closing text has shifted left out of the safe zone (I guess some cable companies are letterboxing their feed, but my carrier has yet to make such a change). The bar also appears to have dropped a few pixels, not covering the L3's as much as before. Also new is a wintry skyline backdrop on the 7x3, that is remaining through the broadcast. It looks good from a distance, but is a little too vibrant and distracting in a close-up.

Could we not quote people's TV viewing habits 2 months later just to paint them as dishonest? Comes across as a little creepy and vindictive. Thanks.

Renee Chenault-Fattah is out. Finally. http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/renee-chenault-fattah-out-at-wcau/164543

I can't imagine that this affects her long-time employee, especially if she had a clean record coming into this.