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WXYZ is running a billboard promo touting that it is the highest rated ABC affiliate in primetime, 8-11pm in the May sweeps.

Chris Wright who has been freelancing this year at WXIA in Atlanta and WTHR Indy where he had been Chief Meteorologist from 1999-2013 will join WXYZ as a temporary meteorologist while Chief Meteorologist Dave Rexroth heals from his fireworks accident.

What are they trying to do? Copy P-N's silly branding?

After 18 years as lead morning anchor Alan Lee is leaving WJBK's Fox 2 News Morning to be an Author. His last day is July 31st, he joined WJBK in 1996. This will weaken WJBK's morning show significantly, there may actually be a morning race now with 2nd place WXYZ.

Jane Park has joined WXYZ in Detroit as a reporter, she came from WEYI Flint/Saginaw. Alexis Means has also joined WXYZ as a weekend reporter while remaining at WTOL Toledo during the week. WXYZ Chief Meteorologist Dave Rexroth will be off the air until September while he recovers from a fireworks accident in Iowa on Friday that caused him to lose his left eye and need several surgeries to receive a prosthetic.

Alexis Means from WTVG Toldeo filed a report for WXYZ in Detroit yesterday. She still appears to work at WTVG so I'm not sure what was up with this. She may be freelancing or moonlighting, I've never seen a reporter from an out of group station appear on a newscast. I had always thought talent contracts prohibit that kind of work. I guess not.

I don't really know about Hearst so I expect to learn some things from the thread but I have to say, having the severe stuff at the top is really awkward cutting the top half of Fallons head off like that. Wouldn't a colored picture of the counties and what type of warning plus county name be simpler? That and the ticker stuff at the very bottom.

Reporter Smita Kalokhe has left WXYZ Detroit. She will focus on her family instead. She had been at WXYZ since November 2010 and came from WXMI Grand Rapids.

Catherine Bodak is joining WXIX, the Raycom FOX affiliate in Cincinnati as morning meteorologist. She had been at WNEM the Merideth owned CBS affiliate in Saginaw, MI.

Maybe for the sake of differentiating we should call it WCL News Update or something?

Not bad, I thought it was interesting that Terrell was helming WCL and the To Go webcast (checked in on the app and saw the clips after it had ended so he was there too). Has he done the midday stuff only before like that? I still only see him sporadically, is there a good time to catch him since I really haven't had the chance to see him enough to form an opinion. Ryan does not helm WCL's news updates (I assume thats what the helming was that was mentioned). Terrell would have been filling in for either Alan or Linda. Tonya Babich, Judy Tsu and Hosea Sanders have done WCL and or the noon as well.

Ok, then nobody cares, I suppose a portion of the audience is thinking the same thing, I will say his is hilariously subdued and sarcastic compared to Kimmels dry attempt at sounding upbeat.

That's pretty funny, I wonder if anyone's gonna catch on and tell him to knock it off?

One thing that is interesting about the custom versions is that they also say "Thanks, (Anchors names)". When the episode is a repeat however, even if the anchor team is the same as when the episode first aired with the proper customization, the line becomes simply "Thanks". It gives an unintentional clue whether the episode is new or not, the teases are also so stupid you can recognize them when they get reused.

That's what I thought, I'm kind of surprised Kimmel isn't since it's an O&O. Didn't know if they had changed it yet or not. I wonder how easy Ron could make fun of him if it was customized and he said "Thanks Ron and Kathy". I'll have to watch and see him react now.

Something I was curious about: I know ABC7 gets weekend world news previews with David Muir that mention the anchors name or Chicago or something to make them not generic. Do the weekday newscasts get a customized Diane Sawyer preview or a customized Jimmy Kimmel one? I saw Ron Magers reaction to them mentioned in the chat box and it got me wondering. Here in Detroit we get the weekday anchor interactions for WN and Jimmy Kimmel saying the anchors names before his preview clip. I'm supposing something like that is an option for affiliates?

Of course they won't, if they did there would be a void.

Mike Woolfolk has joined WXYZ as a reporter after being a consultant from 2010-2014. Prior to consulting he was an Anchor and Managing Editor at WACH FOX 57 in Columbia, SC from 1995-2010. He is a Detroit native.

It does, but it's a little unorthodox to have no music, usually the music will start before the anchor says anything or graphics appear. That's what I am trying to say. They start the music here while still on a two shot of the anchors, then start a tease and graphics. So in that way, yes the music starting is my first clue because it starts FIRST. Not saying what WABC is doing is bad, just quiet.

I think it's good to have it so you can tell when it's time for a break and do something else for three minutes. Does it make or break it? No. Is it kinda weird to not have it? Very.

Jonathan Carlson is leaving WNCN Raleigh Durham for WXYZ Detroit. He will be an investigative reporter and starts in June. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/jonathan-carlson-joins-wxyz-from-wncn_b121296

What happened to Bill Carey that he managed to screw up PIX? When he was here in Detroit as ND at WXYZ in the early to mid 2000's he built a powerhouse of a station...

Reporter Amanda Malkwoski is leaving Lansing, MI NBC affiliate WILX for Richmond, VA ABC affiliate WRIC to be a weekend anchor / reporter. She starts on Tuesday, May 27th. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/amanda-malkowski-jumps-58-markets-from-lansing-to-richmond_b121053

That's mind blowing.

Derek Francis is leaving WZZM in Grand Rapids after 11 years as morning anchor. His last day is May 21st. He is taking a local PR job. http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2014/05/wzzm_tv_morning_anchor_derek_f.html