WNBC - News 4 New York

[Jman7885 64]

17 minutes ago, NowBergen said:

I just tuned into today’s 11 am news. Dave Price was at a weather video screen, shot from a slight angle, all looked fine on my TV.  So far. 

The longer weather segment looks to be in front of green screen. This makes sense and allows viewers to see the graphics in a larger/clearer way. I’ve seen other stations that mix up how they use large video walls vs green screens. IMHO I dislike when stations use the large video walls for weather - especially when they are not the seemless video walls (WFSB, WTIC) as the edges of the LED panels mess with the graphics 

[IceManNYR 238]

 

The overhead camera shot is still used.

 

The other area to the left of the desk is still used for New York Live.

Edited March 6, 2024 by IceManNYR

[NowBergen 679]

Caught a promo earlier today celebrating Chuck Scarborough anchoring the news on WNBC for 50 years. Seems NBC4 has a lot planned next week.  More info is on the station’s website: 

 nbcnewyork.com/chuck 

 

Edited March 21, 2024 by NowBergen

[Geoffrey 856]

50 years is quite an accomplishment!

 

Newsday also had something on Chuck today, but it's paywalled unfortunately: https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/chuck-scarborough-wnbc-k6wsvksw 

[IceManNYR 238]

This is the 50 Years With WNBC promo.

 

 

[MD TV 253]

Story from today about Chuck commemorating today's anniversary at the Empire State Building. With a Sue Simmons cameo:

 

 

[NYNewsCoverage 300]

It's too bad Sue is not there with him to celebrate, but that is the nature of the business. We'll see if Chuck makes the record for 57 years! 

Also here is a recent interview with Sue from Newsday: https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/sue-simmons-chuck-scarborough-wnbc-ppsgedjt 

Quote

Chuck Scarborough's record-breaking 50th anniversary as anchor of WNBC/4 arrives Monday, but what of his co-anchor Sue Simmons who spent 32 (and 1/2) years by his side? She's 81 now, living quietly in Manhattan, and for the past 12 (and 1/2) years, has largely dropped out of sight.

She's a private citizen who has “no public profile [and] I don't have any desire for one,” she said in an interview with Newsday in 2019.

In a brief phone interview Friday, Simmons spoke about that long-ago, and long-running partnership, which was for decades rendered in shorthand (“Chuck 'n Sue”) by viewers and Ch. 4.

“I'm not very articulate about this but we were such opposites, and somehow we meshed. He was a lot more on the serious side when I first met him, but I chipped away over the years and he became such a fun guy. He had a wicked sense of humor, but humor most of the time he couldn't do on the air, so viewers always saw him as a straight-up guy.”

Asked if he could have lasted these 50 years without her, she laughs (“Oh, that's like 'When did you stop beating your mama!' ”), then says, “Oh, yes. He would have had a slightly different image, but the man is a top professional.”

 

In an interview a couple of weeks ago, Scarborough (who turned 80 last fall) was asked whether he could have made the half-century mark without Simmons: “Probably not,” he said.

Born in Greenwich Village, Simmons, daughter of prominent jazz bassist John Simmons, had anchor jobs in New Haven, Connecticut; Baltimore; and Washington, D.C., before joining WNBC/4 in 1980 where she became a trailblazer, as the first African American woman to co-anchor a nightly New York news broadcast, and New York's most prominent female anchor as well.

Her contract wasn't renewed in 2012 — most observers say the decision was mutual — but in that 2019 interview, Simmons called it “a messy ending and one that I didn't want.” Nevertheless, she said there was no bitterness: “I had worked until I was 70 and for an anchorwoman, that was ancient … I think about all the joy I had through those years. I'm so chill. Not bitter about anything. NBC has given me a fabulous life.”

How's “Chuck 'n Sue” these days? She said Friday that “we're still friends but don't see as much of each other as we did when I first left, but we do see each other every couple of months.”

Meanwhile, “I'm doing fine. One day blends into another … life is good.”

 

[newscopter7 232]

13 minutes ago, NYNewsCoverage said:

It's too bad Sue is not there with him to celebrate, but that is the nature of the business. We'll see if Chuck makes the record for 57 years! 

Also here is a recent interview with Sue from Newsday: https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/sue-simmons-chuck-scarborough-wnbc-ppsgedjt 

 

If I remember correctly, Chuck didn’t do much to move the needle at WNBC. It was the addition of Sue and their pairing that made 4 a ratings contender. 

[MediaZone4K 2158]

6 minutes ago, newscopter7 said:

If I remember correctly, Chuck didn’t do much to move the needle at WNBC. It was the addition of Sue and their pairing that made 4 a ratings contender. 

Congrats to Chuck! Has be beaten Dave Ward's record yet?

 

Liz Bishop is a close second behind him, she's been at WRGB in Albany (the first television station in the world) for 49 years.

[cg41386 132]

24 minutes ago, MediaZone4K said:

Congrats to Chuck! Has be beaten Dave Ward's record yet?

 

Liz Bishop is a close second behind him, she's been at WRGB in Albany (the first television station in the world) for 49 years.

 

Don Alhart has the record (57 years).

[MediaZone4K 2158]

Love that WNBC is dipping into the archives for Chuck!

Take your daughter to work day (Mid 90s)

Chuck and Sue dancing (1980s)

 

[NowBergen 679]

Last night during the 5 pm hour, they showed one of Chuck's long form reports (I miss those, it is what made News4 special in the 80s) where he reported on the B17 bombers, and found a person who flew with his dad, then allowed them to have a reunion.  A touching story of the life of WW2 bombers and their post war lives.  I assume we will see more of that tonight as well.  They also seem to be making a concerted effort of including Sue Simmons, either mentioning her, stories with her and pieces of Chuck's interview with her.  No matter how messy her departure was, you can never take away the great Chuck & Sue pairing and was a big part of Chuck's success & longevity.

 

[MediaZone4K 2158]

3 hours ago, NowBergen said:

Last night during the 5 pm hour, they showed one of Chuck's long form reports (I miss those, it is what made News4 special in the 80s) where he reported on the B17 bombers, and found a person who flew with his dad, then allowed them to have a reunion.  A touching story of the life of WW2 bombers and their post war lives.  I assume we will see more of that tonight as well.  They also seem to be making a concerted effort of including Sue Simmons, either mentioning her, stories with her and pieces of Chuck's interview with her.  No matter how messy her departure was, you can never take away the great Chuck & Sue pairing and was a big part of Chuck's success & longevity.

 

We can revisit this road forever but why the NBC brass broke up an iconic pairing? To this day I still don't know. I dont think it was ratings so it "must be the money" to quote Nelly lol. Its pretty telling that none of his anchor pairings after Sue (as great as Shiba and Sibila were) lasted long. Hopefully Natalie lasts long. 

 

As much as I love Chuck's straight non emotional/non editorial  news persona, Sue's peronality made the pairing complete and livened him at times. She (and Roz Abrahms & Brenda Blackmon) should still be working today, if at least on the weekends.

 

Back to Chuck, wishing him good health and I hope he takes the job to the end. 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[Drew 149]

Sue leaving I believe was budget cuts with NBC 2.0. These cuts hit at every level of NBC Universal. They kept Chuck since he was more willing to be promotions, projects and other things. Sue mostly just anchored at that point. 

[MediaZone4K 2158]

On 3/26/2024 at 1:39 PM, Drew said:

Sue leaving I believe was budget cuts with NBC 2.0. These cuts hit at every level of NBC Universal. They kept Chuck since he was more willing to be promotions, projects and other things. Sue mostly just anchored at that point. 

Interesting. Beacuse it seems 2012, the year of Sue's departure, is when the station (and other NBC o&o's) rebounded after apparently investing more---rebuilding their news department, new studio, graphics and all. 

Edited April 17, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[TellyGenic 33]

A Chuck and Sue reunion conversation is being promoted as part of the half hour 50th Anniversary tribute to Chuck, airing Thursday at 7 pm.

[NowBergen 679]

5 hours ago, TellyGenic said:

A Chuck and Sue reunion conversation is being promoted as part of the half hour 50th Anniversary tribute to Chuck, airing Thursday at 7 pm.

They have shown a couple of clips during the week, as well as some comments she made at the luncheon held on Monday at the Rainbow Room.  Can't wait to see more...

[MediaZone4K 2158]

Some national recognition for Chuck

 

 

 

 

[MD TV 253]

Here’s the whole special on Chuck from last night:

 

 

[MediaZone4K 2158]

4 hours ago, MD TV said:

Here’s the whole special on Chuck from last night:

 

 

Thank You! Compared to what Dana is getting over on Ch 2, and compared to what happened to Sue, I'm really proud of how News 4 is celebrating and honoring Chuck. Im also glad that they acknowledged how the Chuck/Sue pairing contributed to Chuck's success, and that they let her talk on camera.

Edited March 30, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[MediaZone4K 2158]

Sibila Vargas has reappeared in NYC and on NBC ---on Law & Order SVU

 

Edited May 17, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[IceManNYR 238]

As other NBC O&O stations are doing, the time and temp have been moved to under the bug.

[MediaZone4K 2158]

On 5/30/2024 at 5:13 AM, IceManNYR said:

As other NBC O&O stations are doing, the time and temp have been moved to under the bug.

This looks better than when it extended leftward. The time/temp bug would look better in black like the screen crawl.

Edited June 4, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[IceManNYR 238]

Subbing for Emily West, who is in while Adelle Caballero is on maternity leave.

[NowBergen 679]

2 hours ago, IceManNYR said:

Subbing for Emily West, who is in while Adelle Caballero is on maternity leave.

 

Yesterday as well.