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Annnddd.... Per Wren Clair's Insta, now she's gone from KARE and leaving TV all together. In related news, KARE's Sports Director Reggie Wilson will be out of a job at the end of the year, citing layoffs on his LinkedIn announcement.

Third-Rate newscasts, crap-tastic syndication packages (as @Megatron81 noted Allen foregoing Wheel, J!, TMZ, ET, etc. for lower-tier shows), and if your network can't deliver in primetime... You could very well get there at this point.

And would also think that instead of jettisoning local meteorologists, Allen would have taken a cue from the competition and integrated their local experience, as applicable, to weather situations- like Fox Weather has done with their O&O Mets. Alas, Allen does not think logically.

While I agree, let's be honest- The most likely buyers are a) Nexstar/Mission (cue the outrage), or b) Gray, who has competing stations in just about every Allen market and would certainly consolidate them into their existing (and statistically more successful) operations. There may be some single-sell options out there... For instance with KIMT, Forum has been building out their TV operation into South Dakota, and might see value having a station in Southern MN (since they own the Rochester Post-Bulletin, they could position news sharing like they do in Fargo), or Hubbard (who owns KAAL) could see a duopoly as advantageous... Not trying to speculate, but rather suggest there are some alternate options on the eventual fire-sale game board. The "C" in TWC is dead... The app and website are the only assets of value. People don't watch for Local On The 8's when you can get Local Whenever You Want on your smartphone. TWC has also slept through quite a few breaking weather events in the last couple of years. I know what you're thinking- "But what about Jim Cantore?" He will be fine- either go to a network, cable news outlet, or pull a James Spann of some sort.

Update on this- The Saint Paul Pioneer Press is reporting on a sexual harassment lawsuit that Clair has filed against KSTP... But it also sheds light on her departure from that station with management claiming that she was terminated from KSTP for poor performance which was also the reason for moving her from evenings to middays (which KSTP claims that it was not a demotion as her compensation was unchanged). The lawsuit is only against the station, although the article does also mention former ND Kirk Varner and former Chief Met Dave Dahl specifically, as well as the "KSTP male meteorologists' refusal to work constructively...". Editorial note- Posted the Yahoo News version of the story as the Pioneer Press keeps stories behind a paywall.

I saw it Monday as well... Didn't say anything since I was on the road the previous week and not watching TV- Didn't want to be lambasted for noticing something late that was new to me! NN is also getting more... casual(?) with the camera angles combing back from break later in the show.

In other news, Diddy wants $100 Million from Nexstar... https://www.thewrap.com/diddy-defamation-damages-lawsuit-doubles-nexstar/

Here's the photos of the new set the station shared online. https://fox11online.com/news/local/gallery/fox-11-news-new-set-renovated-studio-high-definition-television-northeast-wisconsin-weather-sports-video-walls-monitors-led-state-of-the-art-high-tech?photo=2

10:00 show still at the telefarm, This time they were able to show full weather graphics on air by logging into a computer at WXIA. They noted what @ScottSchell posted that they have a team en route to Atlanta- but why there when there’s lots of TEGNA stations that are closer? Does WXIA have that much extra capacity? I’ve got video from the 6:00 and 10:00 shows, but too large to upload here. Will figure out how to share tomorrow (any tips are appreciated!)

My last update on this hopefully for a while… KARE did get a 6:00 show to air from the Telefarm. The newscast opened with Julie Nelson standing under a tent explaining the situation and acknowledged that the newscast would be historic and different, and also said they will be out of the studio for the foreseeable future. Reporters appeared one after the other with the one handheld mic, and all b-roll and interviews/stories ran with whatever editing they were able to do. The commercial breaks were all PSAs, and the only graphics they had on the screen were a couple weather stills that Met Jamie Kagol said were prepared via text by WXIA as he explained the weather (possible severe) while looking at a radar on his phone. All in all, an impressive feat pulled off by everyone at KARE tonight.

The station is trying to do the newscasts from their transmitter site in Shoreview. Reporter Kent Erdahl went on Facebook to show how they're trying to pull things off in a pinch. https://www.facebook.com/KentErdahlNews/videos/1725930634762126 At the conclusion of Jeopardy, the episode started replaying for a minute before the station cut to a feed of "Minnesota Bound" that's still airing as of this posting.

KARE's Golden Valley, MN Studios were evacuated Tuesday afternoon after a transformer fire around 1:30pm. Station website says as of 2:30, staff still not allowed back inside. As of 4:30 central, the station is still off the air and showing a Technical Difficulties screen. EDIT: The station returned to air at 4:52, showing Jeopardy in progress.

I just hope, since the franchise is ending entirely, that Colbert has Letterman back one last time to help close out the brand he built. Also got to wonder what happens to the Ed Sullivan Theater... Surely CBS sees a nice payday on the sale of the building (at least, I assume they own it outright?)

Plus, other variables at play here. I doubt Martha was "assigned" to fill in... Witt and Linsey both wanted the weekend off, and Martha may have very well stepped up so ABC could give both the weekend they asked for off. I've done that a time or two myself when there's nothing going on- helps out coworkers, puts extra cash in my pocket, and usually also buys some goodwill for when I want to take time off. Point is, I wouldn't read too much into this unless they drag Sawyer or Gibson back to the news desk.

"Live" doesn't need to be live... KARE airs it on tape delay at 11 central in Minneapolis, and that's Market 15.

Former sports reporter is suing Gray/KVLY-TV for unpaid wages, Gray is countersuing for a breach of contract. https://www.inforum.com/opinion/columns/mcfeely-former-sports-reporter-sues-valley-news-live-saying-it-broke-his-contract Full disclosure- The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead is owned by Forum Communications, who also owns WDAY-TV in the market.

Not here to debate the President’s use of the F-bomb, but don’t we have audio delays on live coverage for this very reason? Linked CSPAN, but scrolling TikTok, other news outlets aired the word uncensored as well. how does the FCC handle a violation by the guy who appoints them? v15044gf0000d1d8pcvog65muqnu3v3g.mp4 v24044gl0000d1d8dkfog65vdh5rj7mg.mp4

And spinning the wheel for today’s Special Report, It’s John Dickerson! I’m fully convinced that CBS doesn’t really care who does the cut ins- but rather who’s available at the moment to go on air. You could chalk that up as a weakness since they don’t have that trademark name and voice (read: like Muir for ABC); but I think that says something about CBS’s bench and culture that they’re comfortable running with whoever is ready to go on air at that moment (this time of day, could have also still been someone form mornings so Evenings could prepare for their show)

Maurice was anchoring the Special Report coverage for the Hegseth Pentagon Presser this morning... So there is that.

Justin Betti has announced on his Linkedin that Gray/KVLY (Fargo) is not picking up the option on the final year of his contract. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/justin-betti-819093157_career-update-this-week-i-was-told-by-management-activity-7338792592874057731-Nt_Q?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAArjD0MBokjy_To31gB_pwvFdJdcCbU8Ano

Morning Anchor/reporter Pauleen Le is leaving WCCO after tomorrow's show. No word yet on her next destination. Do love her nod to the late Darcy Pohland in her announcement! https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/pauleen-le-announces-friday-will-be-her-last-day-at-wcco

I think, unlike George, Lester actually wants to reduce his workload. As for contributing, NBC has a precedent with that- Brokaw sat in on election night for many years after Nightly. Often times, we see an anchor emerita so a special interview- Diane Sawyer still does a limited number for ABC on occasion. No matter what, expect Lester's role to be reduced, and get smaller over time as he get s closer to full retirement.

Better than the current Scripps package! Would be nice if local markets can customize color though... I've always associated WFTS with reds and whites, not blue.

So... Getting that we will have no major visual changes other than Lester being swapped out for Tom, which makes sense since graphics package is still new enough. Nice touch to add Brian Williams in the mix... NBC has a history of conveniently omitting host tenures of some shows the network sees as a blemish to the franchise...

I’ve watched Wheeler for years and the special one-hour farewell is more than fitting. Included a proclamation and key to the city of Fargo from Mayor Mahoney, a city snow plow plow being renamed the “Wheeler Weather Peeler”, and the entire current weather team on hand in the studio.