WABC - 7 Eyewitness News

[NYNews 54]

Former WABC anchor Robb Hanrahan passed away. Never understood why WABC decided to let him go. 

 

Former CBS 21 News anchor Robb Hanrahan passes away | WHP (local21news.com)

 

[Roadgeek Adam 170]

Robb was playing 2nd string for lack of a better term and was passed over for Bill Ritter. So I get it. WFOR offered him a job and he took it. He also stated he felt that the anchors had no input on the broadcasts and he wanted to be more involved. 

 

That being said, this hurts. Robb Hanrahan always seemed like the most genuine male anchor WABC had during the 1990s and early 2000s. Bill Ritter's fine and professional and stuff, but I really loved Robb and the outpouring of support, you can tell how much he was loved. It sucked to see him retire after his literally to death experience and after all that to see him alive and healthy again, just to die < 24 months later, sucks. I'm going to miss him and I'm pretty sure all over New York, Miami and Harrisburg he will be eternally missed. 

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

24 minutes ago, Roadgeek Adam said:

Robb was playing 2nd string for lack of a better term and was passed over for Bill Ritter. So I get it. WFOR offered him a job and he took it. He also stated he felt that the anchors had no input on the broadcasts and he wanted to be more involved. 

 

That being said, this hurts. Robb Hanrahan always seemed like the most genuine male anchor WABC had during the 1990s and early 2000s. Bill Ritter's fine and professional and stuff, but I really loved Robb and the outpouring of support, you can tell how much he was loved. It sucked to see him retire after his literally to death experience and after all that to see him alive and healthy again, just to die < 24 months later, sucks. I'm going to miss him and I'm pretty sure all over New York, Miami and Harrisburg he will be eternally missed. 

And it’s a shame that neither WABC nor WSVN seemed to give any tribute to him whatsoever. Even KODE in Joplin noted his passing. Even if he didn’t leave WABC on the best of terms, the fact that they didn’t even acknowledge it online is neglectful at best and low at worst.

[Roadgeek Adam 170]

I will say the EWN team has been tributing him on Twitter and Facebook, but yes, the lack of an on-air tribute is disappointing. WCBS (and Dana Tyler) gave Michele Marsh one. 

[NYTV 121]

31 minutes ago, Roadgeek Adam said:

I will say the EWN team has been tributing him on Twitter and Facebook, but yes, the lack of an on-air tribute is disappointing. WCBS (and Dana Tyler) gave Michele Marsh one. 

Another WABC alum, Lori Stokes also had a tribute to Robb on her Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfpODVRPrv7/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[IceManNYR 240]

New Eyewitness News AccuWeather Promo featuring the song "Weatherman" By Eddie Benjamin.

 

[MediaZone4K 2172]

On 7/4/2022 at 10:37 PM, NYNews said:

Former WABC anchor Robb Hanrahan passed away. Never understood why WABC decided to let him go. 

 

Former CBS 21 News anchor Robb Hanrahan passes away | WHP (local21news.com)

 

Wow! I always associate him with WSVN. RIP!

 

On 7/5/2022 at 10:34 PM, Roadgeek Adam said:

Robb was playing 2nd string for lack of a better term and was passed over for Bill Ritter. So I get it. WFOR offered him a job and he took it. He also stated he felt that the anchors had no input on the broadcasts and he wanted to be more involved. 

Speaking of anchor teams... why did Roz Abrams leave WABC? i'm always surprised that she was never officially paired on a newscast with Bill Beutel, as they would've made a great team. The two were arguably station's strongest anchors at the time.

 

WABC really had a plethora of leading male anchors. Greg Hurst, Bill Beutel, Robb Hanrahan. (Speculation but) I wonder what would've happened if Grimsby and Beutel were allowed to stay together into the 90s.

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by iron_lion

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

1 hour ago, iron_lion said:

Speaking of anchor teams... why did Roz Abrams leave WABC? i'm always surprised that she was never officially paid on the news cast with Bill B tell us they would've made a great team, arguably two of the stations strongest anchors at the time.

 

IIRC, WCBS gave her an offer to do 5p and 11p with Ernie Anastos, her former Ch. 7 colleague. Considering that she had been passed over for Liz Cho when Diana Williams reduced her workload, perhaps she figured Ch. 2 was her best shot at a main anchor seat. Unfortunately for her, Ch. 2 dropped a #2 on its anchors by constantly shuffling them around, and she didn’t last there very long.

Edited July 8, 2022 by nycnewsjunkie
Clarity

[MediaZone4K 2172]

10 hours ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

IIRC, WCBS gave her an offer to do 5p and 11p with Ernie Anastos, her former Ch. 7 colleague. Considering that she had been passed over for Liz Cho when Diana Williams reduced her workload, perhaps she figured Ch. 2 was her best shot at a main anchor seat. Unfortunately for her, Ch. 2 dropped a #2 on its anchors by constantly shuffling them around, and she didn’t last there very long.

In retrospect, the move to WCBS (which is

where I remember her from growing up) might have been an attractive offer, but didn't have the best outcome. 

 

If Roz still had as much popularity at the time, it would seem like they'd put her on the critical 6 and 11 PM newscasts, but That's the nature of broadcasting. Stations are often ready to put the next new face in the chair. One can say the Liz Cho move paid off as she's still with the station almost 20 years later.

 

 

[Kenneth Kissel 281]

Breaking News : WABC-TV News Director, Rehan Aslam, passed away in Ohio this morning. For nearly a year, Rehan had been battling an aggressive brain tumor. He fought with bravery and optimism until the very end.

 

https://www.facebook.com/100044295403305/posts/pfbid02h8nkCLcMZFxJxvNTLV6pEoSC4nmzQe3pCnUvdMy7cCmjnS3CSLo15ZYNeNQEXqyAl/?sfnsn=mo

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by Kenneth Kissel

[MediaZone4K 2172]

36 minutes ago, Kenneth Kissel said:

Breaking News : WABC-TV News Director, Rehan Aslam, passed away in Ohio this morning. For nearly a year, Rehan had been battling an aggressive brain tumor. He fought with bravery and optimism until the very end.

 

https://www.facebook.com/100044295403305/posts/pfbid02h8nkCLcMZFxJxvNTLV6pEoSC4nmzQe3pCnUvdMy7cCmjnS3CSLo15ZYNeNQEXqyAl/?sfnsn=mo

 

Learning the most devastating news of his life after perhaps achieveing one of his life's dreams. Damn! RIP!

[IceManNYR 240]

Noticed for the noon newscast, Lauren is in studio and David looks like he's using the same alternate space that Bill Ritter used.

Odd they did not try to match the framing for both camera shots.

Edited July 13, 2022 by IceManNYR

[wabceyewitness 818]

9 hours ago, IceManNYR said:

Noticed for the noon newscast, Lauren is in studio and David looks like he's using the same alternate space that Bill Ritter used.

Odd they did not try to match the framing for both camera shots.

 

It’s basically the isolation cam… used when an anchor has a close exposure that requires masking at all times when around others, or when is returning to work symptom free after 5 days but before 10 days and still requires a mask. 

[IceManNYR 240]

20 hours ago, wabceyewitness said:

 

It’s basically the isolation cam… used when an anchor has a close exposure that requires masking at all times when around others, or when is returning to work symptom free after 5 days but before 10 days and still requires a mask. 

 

Thanks, that was my guess for why they were using the flash cam studio. Shirleen Allicot was using it this morning. Mike was in studio.

[MisterBill 99]

On 6/30/2022 at 10:29 PM, wabceyewitness said:

It was posted back in February, which is interesting since that is well after Brittany Bell joined the station. I don’t think Lee Goldberg is going anywhere. Perhaps Jeff Smith is departing, or Sam Champion signed a 3 year deal back in 2019 and is heading toward retiring or lighter workloads. 

 

 

And Lee Goldberg just posted a welcome to Dani Beckstorm, whose FB page says that she's joining WABC from Las Vegas. As when Brittany joined and Amy subsequently left, odds are that someone will be leaving in the next few months.

Edited July 19, 2022 by MisterBill

[nynewslover 277]

13 minutes ago, MisterBill said:

 

 

And Lee Goldberg just posted a welcome to Dani Beckstorm, whose FB page says that she's joining WABC from Las Vegas. As when Brittany joined and Amy subsequently left, odds are that someone will be leaving in the next few months.

I saw that.. my money is on Sam Champion 

[24994J 5575]

Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, they're finally adding a 5th meteorologist, even if she doesn't carrying a regular show assignment. Besides, as much as we love speculating, there's no reason to not take the chief at his word, for now.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2022 by 24994J

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

37 minutes ago, 24994J said:

Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, they're finally adding a 5th meteorologist, even if she doesn't carrying a regular show assignment. Besides, as much as we love speculating, there's no reason to not take the chief at his word, for now.

 

 

Thank you. Sister station WPVI has 5 meteorologists on staff as well. Hell, PIX11 has 5 forecasters. It’s not unheard of.

[24994J 5575]

5 minutes ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

Thank you. Sister station WPVI has 5 meteorologists on staff as well. Hell, PIX11 has 5 forecasters. It’s not unheard of.

 

The rest of the O&O group, save for Raleigh and Fresno, have AT LEAST 5, if not 6.

[MisterBill 99]

3 hours ago, 24994J said:

Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, they're finally adding a 5th meteorologist, even if she doesn't carrying a regular show assignment. Besides, as much as we love speculating, there's no reason to not take the chief at his word, for now.

 

Care to go back and see what he said when Brittany joined the station? He's not going to be able to say if someone is leaving, so that's really the only answer that he can give. But we'll see.

 

 

3 hours ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

Thank you. Sister station WPVI has 5 meteorologists on staff as well. Hell, PIX11 has 5 forecasters. It’s not unheard of.

 

PIX11 does morning news until 11am and Chris Cimino is the co-host of the 10-11am show. In fact, he wasn't even on the early news today, but was on the 10am show. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by MisterBill

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

36 minutes ago, MisterBill said:

Care to go back and see what he said when Brittany joined the station? He's not going to be able to say if someone is leaving, so that's really the only answer that he can give. But we'll see.

Nope, there is one other answer he could’ve given: no answer at all. Yet, Lee Goldberg clearly replied “addition only,” so I’m not sure how else to spell it out.

 

There is no sacred rule in the TV News Ten Commandments that limits stations to four (and no more than four) meteorologists. Instead of making wagers on who’s leaving based on evidence-free speculation, let’s wait until there are signs of an impending departure *before* starting the guessing game. It’ll at least save you a few bucks on your next bet.

[mountainave 606]

Sam's already working only 4 days a week, and it would not surprise me if he intended to renegotiate for either more vacation time, fewer workdays, or more favorable hours (i.e., coming on later in the morning or leaving before the noon show).  More generally, he's a flight risk given that he really doesn't need the job. 

 

Similarly, though Lee will be around for a while, one can reason he'll at some point negotiate for fewer shows or more vacation time.

 

So, even if there is no impending talent departure, whether it's for bench-building or just vacation coverage, an extra hire is a good thing to do given the status of the rest of the team.

[IceManNYR 240]

Heather has been doing traffic reports at home due a possible covid exposure.

 

[wabceyewitness 818]

If WABC follows its own pattern, hiring Dani Beckstorm is a bench building strategy because they anticipate an upcoming departure or additional airtime to fill. They are not suddenly in need of a 5th meteorologist to do what they’ve always been doing. 

[24994J 5575]

The #1 station in the #1 market (their preferred moniker) has largely lagged behind its sister stations in rolling out new streaming options. KTRK, as an example, is now going live, in some form, until 10am. Others added up to 2 hours of daily streaming. Last I checked, WABC offers the fewest hours of weekday news of the O&O's, with the only known additions being at 6:30pm, and what, maybe 30 minutes after 7am? (Someone correct me on that.) Point being, there's totally room for growth, and only 4 meteorologists has already felt low for both the market and the fellow large-market O&O's. It's time.