NYNewsCoverage

Due to disputes between Optimum and Nexstar, WPIX is no longer available for Optimum subscribers. It seems the basic reason was that Optimum did not want to have to carry NewsNation anymore. https://deadline.com/2025/01/nexstar-optimum-carriage-dispute-tv-stations-wpix-newsnation-1236254076/

Following up on this, today Chris Wragge joined Cindy due to the Trump sentencing. I suppose I understand why WCBS is doing this, but I totally agree it seems bizarre to do this during 'bigger stories' (and not necessarily during wall to wall breaking news where 2 anchors helps).

Craig Allen was back filling in for Lonnie tonight. I also thought it was interesting that there is a job opening for "weekday meteorologist". This makes me think that someone may be leaving? Lonnie may also be reducing his schedule with the added Evening News duties. CBS New York is seeking a dynamic, passionate, and experienced meteorologist to join our First Alert Weather team. This high-profile role requires a skilled storyteller who presents an authoritative, engaging forecast that is clear and relatable. This role demands a meteorologist who thrives on severe weather coverage, both in studio and reporting live in extreme conditions. In addition to forecasting for CBS New York on weekdays, this meteorologist will occasionally be called upon to provide weather coverage for CBS network programs, including the CBS Evening News.

If we believe a recent Newsday article (paywalled, https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/maurice-dubois-wcbs-evening-news-ddsu762j) this is what was written: So he will likely remain a "contributor" at channel 2 but not an anchor anymore. If the rumor about moving towards solo anchors is true, there will be no need for a replacement at 11pm (and possibly 6pm).

On days with more breaking news, WCBS has opted for a 2 anchor format at noon (Jessica Moore anchored with Cindy the day of the CEO murder, and Doug Williams joined her today).

Although Byron Miranda has been handling most weekend mornings and evenings so far, Stacy Ann Gooden filled in this morning, and "Nexstar Weather Center" meteorologist Jim Danner handled the evenings remotely from Texas.

His X bio says "was a reporter for WABC", so it seems he has parted ways with WABC without any mention. Since he was there so long, it must not have been an amicable parting if there was no send off.

This is what I noticed as well. I suppose Craig Allen will not be coming back when he is better. I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up back on PIX since they are now short a meteorologist now...

Interesting lineups tonight. 5pm was Maurice and Mary Calvi, 6pm and 8pm was Dick Brennan and 11pm was Maurice and Kristine.

Based on a quote from a new interview in Newsday, Maurice DuBois may remain a contributor on WCBS broadcasts when he takes over the Evening News "sometime in January", but will not anchor any of the broadcasts anymore, saying remaining on the 11pm would be "physically impossible" (which is totally understandable). So based on this , I expect Allen Devlin , Dick Brennan or a combo of both to replace him entirely as anchor. Here is a quote from the article

John is back as of noon today! So glad he will still be there in some capacity.

Vanessa covered the weather yesterday AM and today was Tony again for both morning and noon. Not a good sign for John Elliott fans unless he magically pops up in the next week.. Such a shame for the way WCBS has tossed him to the side; just as they did for Dana Tyler and Andrea Grymes.

I did see a video on the website that he also covered for Maurice on the 5pm (who did the Evening News tonight for Norah). Despite that issue, he seems like a decent anchor so far.

Today Tony handled the AM and noon, but I didn't hear if he made any reference to John. We shall see if he pops up tomorrow or this week. Edit: Same situation today, I didn't get to hear if Tony said "in for John" but my gut says no. We shall see if John is oficially re-assigned to weekend mornings (or if Craig Allen makes a comeback when he gets better)?

Wow, this is a very interesting development. John is the life of WCBS morning news (and of course Elise was great, but the energy with John was always superior in my opinion). I agree that the whole "team weather" thing was unnecessary, but it was different. Also with Tony, John, Lonnie, Vanessa and Craig Allen, there are more meteorologists hired at WCBS than shifts as defined in the past. So it is possible that he is being let go, as horrible as that would be. I do like the theory of John handling noon and 5pm perhaps when Lonnie expands duties for the CBS Evening News. Hopefully he's not being pushed out completely. That would be so unfair for all that he has done for that station, but it happened to Andrea Grymes and Dana Tyler.