sanewsguy

Jennie Stencel, the stand-up comedian KENS hired last year to do the traffic report is leaving the station already and headed back to North Carolina where her husband and kids still reside. I was never a fan of her so glad to hear this news. Kinda sad their newbie ND took the easy way out and wouldn't even wish her the best in her future endeavors. Did she really leave the station on good terms like she said? Or maybe's he just new and not used to doing media interviews. Kinda soured my taste about him. Anyways, I guess they got tired of going through so many traffic reporters over the last ten years (Megan Alexander, Kellie Patterson, Natalie Tejeda, Danielle Saar and now Jennie Stencel) that they just decided to go with Stacia Willson who has been a mainstay at the station for about as long. http://blog.mysanantonio.com/jakle06/2015/08/kens-tvs-comedic-traffic-reporter-leaves-job-and-s-a/#33778101=0

I think he's counting Time Warner Cable News.

WJZY Adds Two and Moves One http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wjzy-adds-two-and-moves-one/151639 There's more changes in Charlotte, this time at WJZY FOX46. Will moving their main anchor Barbara Lash to mornings and bringing in a young reporter from Houston as her replacement help them? Main anchor Barbara Lash (center) is being moved to the mornings. Kayla Ayres (right) is being hired from KPRC Houston to replace her as main anchor And the one on the far left, Ashlee McGeehan, is being hired as a reporter from WJET Erie Stay tuned as they say...

From TVSpy: Sinclair Teams up with Michael Eisner to Make Syndicated Shows By Kevin Eck on Jun. 30, 2015 - 1:01 PM Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tornante Company have created a joint venture to “acquire, create, develop, produce and distribute first-run syndicated television programming.” Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner owns Tornante, the creative end of the deal. The two companies will split ownership 50-50 and plan to develop syndicated shows with a “unique take” on everyone’s favorite afternoon fare of comedy, talk shows, game shows and court shows. “By owning content, we can create other revenue streams,” Steve Pruett, Sinclair’s co-COO told The Baltimore Sun. LINK: http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/sinclair-teams-up-with-michael-eisner-to-make-syndicated-shows/

KENS-TV morning anchorman Mat Garcia leaves job http://blog.mysanantonio.com/jakle06/2015/06/kens-tv-anchorman-leaves-job/

I'm not familiar with their new weekend morning girl so I can't tell you how she is but I saw a clip of their new chief meteorologist Angelica Campos and god she seems so stuck up, fake and plastic. She clearly isn't ready for a major role like the chief meteorologist position and there are far more qualified candidates out there too (but I know this is Scripps we're talking). I just can't seem to warm up to her and frankly she was kind of hard to watch. I also saw a clip of their old weather lady Pat Brown and she seemed far more likeable and genuine. Hoping she will land somewhere, because KGTV just made their competitors job much easier. I'm guessing the females who work in television go in understanding that yeah you are always going to have critics, and creeps and perverts making sexual comments to you. This isn't a problem limited to just Scripps but virtually all local media companies. From what I've seen, some handle it better than others. Some will joke around with them and show they have a sense of humor, others will just engage in a conversation with these people to an extent regardless, and others just flat out ignore them. It just all depends on the person and how comfortable she feels with who she's dealing with. And of course if they are bothered that much, they can always leave the industry. Social media is part of the reality in 2015 and it's here to stay.

No, this is the public access channel for Boston that is still in operation today: https://www.bnntv.org/

So WJCL moved their site to Hearst Television's CMS provider, Lakana (the former Internet Broadcasting). However, they are not using the layout that the other Hearst stations use. Rather, they are using the same layout that Nexstar is rolling out to their stations. It makes you wonder, if the other Hearst stations will get this layout in the near future, because it's responsive and the existing Hearst sites are not (they load a separate mobile skin when I browse on my iPad, for instance). Check it out at http://www.wjcl.com/

I see where you are coming from and I sort of agree. The recession hit them hard, and they basically laid off a ton of reporters at their stations and started putting photographers in front of the camera. You could tell they were cost cutting. But the recession was a wake up call for all broadcasters and most made cuts around that time, Scripps wasn't the only one. Of course the SNI spinoff happened around the same time. But I don't think they were necessarily a bad company around that time, they were still half decent. I would say their destruction started around 2012 when they decided to dump syndications in favor of crappy in house productions. Yes that was a cost cutting move. I think this digital crap is basically a two edged sword, in that yes it helps them cut costs but they really think they are being innovative and different with this and really they are not. If they truly were just looking to cut costs because they weren't making a profit or whatever, then they would just follow Nexstar's lead and cut to the bone while still trying to be mostly "traditional". Instead the Scripps stations try to maintain traditional staffing levels by pushing experienced staffers out the door and replacing them with cheap, young labor and trying to shake up how things are done. (BTW yes I think Nexstar is better run than Scripps at this point) I think this is Scripps way of trying to get younger viewers engaged and connected with their product (it isn't working obviously if you look at their ratings). Older viewers, the ones actually watching the news, are basically getting thrown under the bus with their newscasts. Scripps is basically telling them "we don't give a rat's ass about you, we are going after the 18-34 demo" (I think using 18-49 is a bit of stretch)... BTW they wouldn't have bought Newsy and the DecodeDC podcast if they weren't looking to expand their "digital" footprint.

It's kinda sad to see the rapid destruction of what was once a respected broadcaster...there's nothing wrong with making digital a priority but you've gotta have a healthy balance of it along with broadcast. It's not just limited to Scripps but they are the worst when it comes to integrating broadcast and digital. It already seems like broadcast is an afterthought to them. Hire the youngest most inexperienced people on-air (and force out loyal long time employees because they are basically too old), put a paywall on your stations website, dump all your syndications for cheap inhouse shows that try to list the trends now but it's executed horribly. And of course KNXV drops their news director for a digital content person. I kind of find it funny that they replaced their news director with a "Digital Content Person". Not a "Digital Content Director", a "Digital Content Person". Now they're dropping the assignment desk? I'm once again reminded I'm glad I don't live in a Scripps market. Scripps was a much better company 5 years ago! Please somebody, buy them out already and put them out of their misery before they embarrass themselves again (and their poor employees who basically have to put up with their shenanigans)...

Erica Hernandez at KSAT moves in front of the camera now as a reporter, used to be a producer. She just filed a report for the 5.

KSAT has hired a new reporter, Concetta Callahan who comes from KOLD-KMSB in Tucson. I just saw her doing the "Morning Headlines" segment a few minutes ago. Also I believe she anchored the morning news this weekend. I'm not sure what her role is just quite yet. You've read this here first before MySA or any industry website.

DMA #33 Latest News WOAI and KABB have found their new morning traffic reporter and they did not have to look far. "San Antonio Living" contributor Claudia Garofalo (the wife of WOAI morning anchor Michael Garofalo) has been named the new traffic reporter. I didn't know this until last night. I saw her on-air last week but just thought they were trying out different people. She's not very good IMO. She seems nervous and doesn't even look at the map. Usually she is looking straight at the camera. I guess she'll get better with time. LINK: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/jakle06/2015/05/s-a-s-new-husband-wife-tv-news-duo/ [*]KENS 5 GM Bob McGann, who has been the GM there since Belo recruited him to take over upon their acquisition in 1998, is retiring at the end of the year. While I have to say congratulations I think fresh blood is needed at KENS. They have not done well under his leadership and they lost their longtime dominant #1 position to KSAT in the mid 2000's so let's hope Tegna will bring in someone competent with fresh ideas to KENS. But I won't hold my breath... LINK: http://www.kens5.com/story/news/local/2015/05/27/kens-5-general-manager-mcgann-announces-retirement-plans/28009777/ Also for our friends in San Diego I read that Kristen Keogh will be joining KGTV News 10 next week. Where she will be a weathercaster and reporter. I would presume she is replacing Ashlee DeMartino who is going to KPHO as noted in this thread earlier. Keogh had been the PIO with the Arizona AG but I guess she hated PR life and is going back to TV after a brief hiatus. Before that she was with KSAZ also as a weathercaster and anchor/reporter.

Could KPNX move back to their old building?

Alright I missed some of these over the past few days so let me get everyone caught up: First off KENS 5 has hired a new reporter, Chelsey Hernandez. What makes this hire different from the others is that she comes from Victoria which I think is DMA 205. We are DMA 33 so that is about a 170+ jump. http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/reporter-chelsey-hernandez-joins-kens/147808 A stones throw from KENS we land at Sinclair (WOAI/KABB) where they have hired another reporter Andrew Lofholm. He comes to us from Casper, WY. They are DMA 196 so this is a jump of 163 markets. Sense the trend here? I guess we will continue to get cheap labor from tiny markets. This hasn't really happened in the past. I don't watch KENS so I can't tell you if Chelsey is any good. From what I've seen of Andrew, he seems decent for the market. Up north I felt I needed to pass this along, I'm sure everyone here is aware of the FHRITP stunts that these lowlifes do. Well one reporter from City News in Toronto isn't having it and is taking matters into her own hands. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HKfZbCqoEIM I commend her for standing up to these morons instead of just letting them have their moment. The guy lost his job for his remarks. Serves him right. Finally I am way late on this one but better late than never right? The Spurs have hired Rachel Santschi as their new sideline reporter. I couldn't find much online about her other than she used to work as the sideline reporter for the Kansas City Chiefs and some article saying that she secretly dated Aaron Murray while he was dating the local news affiliates traffic reporter. Anyways I usually don't watch the pregame crap so I wasn't aware of this hire until I saw clip on the Spurs social media the other day. That's all that's going on in my boring market right now.

:beat:

The Texas Tribune is a non-profit. Why would they buy it?

KSAT has hired Garrett Brnger as a reporter. As you may recall this was the same reporter who got into a fight at Hooters with Vince DeMentri back when they worked at WICS in Springfield, IL. The two were dismissed and so Garrett is trying to get back on his feet here in SA. Also, KDVR has hired Mike Barz as the 7 and 10 PM anchor. I want to say the he and Tera Barz split up because she seems to be sticking in Jacksonville and a commenter on the facebook page of her PR firm called her "Tera Williams". Stay tuned...

I don't know how I or anyone else didn't catch this until now, but on March 31, Nexstar consolidated their three CMS divisions, Inergize, EndPlay and Internet Broadcasting into one: Lakana. I sorta figured this was coming... http://www.lakana.com/news/newly-created-LAKANA-digital-publishing-and-software-services-platforms-to-deliver-opportunities-for-local-digital-media-businesses.html

Yes, WOAI and KABB have merged into the old KABB building at 410 and Babcock. The old WOAI building is currently vacant and on the market. This move occurred back in mid-December. KSAT has been in their "new" building since early last year. I use new in quotations because I just found out today in fact, that their "new" building is really just an addition to the older building. The newsroom, lobby and most of the offices are in the newer part. But the operations actual studio itself are in the original building still. Which explains why their moving weekend was actually very flawless. Unfortunately we're not told that and they basically misled everyone... So yes, they still have a virtual set. And since they have had the same CSD since 1997, that won't change until he leaves. (sigh) Just like were stuck with the same old one tired cut of The One and Only from 2003 and a really awful voice over guy who shouldn't be doing voice overs (no not Scott Chapin, who does the majority of the voiceovers on 12 now).

KABB has officially made Jessica Headley their new morning anchor replacing Monica Taylor. Headley had been filling in for her. Good to see her get the promotion. Not sure if they are going to make Jennifer Barbaro Headley's replacement or if they are going to go external on that hire, but something tells me they may go for the latter. Kristina De Leon or the anchors themselves have also done the traffic report so it remains to be seen what they'll do. http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/jessica-headley-named-morning-anchor-at-kabb/146850

I live in the San Antonio market, KENS does not use that cut, they use the same cut KING 5 uses on all newscasts.

According to Mikemcguff.com KENS is getting a new ND. Jack Acosta joins from their Houston sister KHOU. He was the AND there and has been with KHOU since 2005. Their old ND Triston Sanders moved over to the dark side as a consultant for Magid. http://mikemcguff.blogspot.com/2015/04/jack-acosta-KENS-news-director-san-antonio.html

This is awful. I know not to expect much from Scripps but what happened to quality control? The plastering of their logo on the open looks cheap and out of place. This mismatched VO with the Now logo just feels stupid. And while the Inergy morning cut is probably my favorite out of that entire package, it doesn't fit the show, Now's general format or the open AT ALL. I mean it does seem straight news but I still couldn't watch this. With them standing in their dated looking newsroom with fast moving camera shots and too much clutter on the screen. I just hope they realize The Now is dumb and pull the plug on it. If it was really "7 Action News at 4" then I could watch it. But with this format, no. I'm sure the viewers feel the same way. Sorry that you, the WXYZ employees and their viewers are stuck with Scripps as an owner.

That music cut didn't really surprise me, I sorta thought they were going to go with it. KENS uses this cut for their close, and I can see why. It sounds powerful for a close but doesn't do the open justice. The voiceover guy is also too soft and clashes with the music. But this transition was definitely the smoothest of all the London stations. Good job.