WABC - 7 Eyewitness News

[MorningNews 1448]

I get that it’s summer vacation season but bringing in help with 5 full time meteorologist is something.

[24994J 5577]

34 minutes ago, MorningNews said:

I get that it’s summer vacation season but bringing in help with 5 full time meteorologist is something.

 

KABC & KTRK have 6 assigned across all shows, WPVI has 5 assigned plus a 6th on staff, and WLS has 5 + 2 part-timers. WABC doing this once in awhile isn't that crazy.

[NowBergen 681]

7 hours ago, MorningNews said:

I get that it’s summer vacation season but bringing in help with 5 full time meteorologist is something.

Isn't one of those 5 Sam Champion, who is only available mornings Mon-Thurs?  It seems only 4 on staff are flexible for other shifts, which makes sense having to borrow from a sister O&O.

[IceManNYR 240]

3 hours ago, NowBergen said:

Isn't one of those 5 Sam Champion, who is only available mornings Mon-Thurs?  It seems only 4 on staff are flexible for other shifts, which makes sense having to borrow from a sister O&O.

If I'm correct, Sam is only there Tuesday-Thursday. Fridays he has been on GMA. They also have Raegan Medgie as Meteorologist/Reporter, who returns from vacation on July 1st.

[MisterBill 99]

Lee Goldberg did the weather on World News Tonight on Friday from somewhere near the water (after not being on the early local news, not sure if he showed up at 11). Dani Beckstrom handled it tonight (Sunday).

[RealNews18 204]

Mike Marza has been doing the 4,5,11 all week (and possibly end of last week??) While Pedro Rivera has been doing the mornings week. And YES I know it’s vacation time so we will see people on at different times, but I’m just saying this seems like the possible near(ish) future line ups 

[NYNewsCoverage 300]

David Novarro and Sandra Bookman anchored the 11pm tonight. Bill Ritter was brought in for the 11pm last night, and Shirleen joined Pedro this morning.

[MisterBill 99]

Tanya Rivero was just introduced as their new weekend evening anchor by Bill Ritter before she reported a story. She had most recently been at CBS and previously anchored ABC WNN (World News Now), which Liz Cho once anchored many years ago, (obviously). I still remember being pleasantly surprised when she showed up on air on the local news.

Edited August 3, 2024 by MisterBill

[rtmclaug 67]

1 hour ago, MisterBill said:

Tanya Rivero was just introduced as their new weekend evening anchor by Bill Ritter before she reported a story. She had most recently been at CBS and previously anchored ABC WNN (World News Now), which Liz Cho once anchored many years ago).

Nice. I remember her work at channel 2 many moons ago. Great hire.

[GraphicsMan 115]

10 hours ago, rtmclaug said:

Nice. I remember her work at channel 2 many moons ago. Great hire.

Surprised she choose to leave network CBS in her case I’ll never understand journalists who leave the highest level ever in broadcast journalism to downgrade to local. That like Leaving Yale for Ohio State. Very few make it to the national level to unless you’re leaving to retire, going down is always a bad move because you’ll never get an invitation back. Very few journalists have been able to leave the network for local news then return to network for another stint Don Dahler is a good example with his brief stint at WCBS before returning to CBS News. Yea I get NY is market #1 but I think that’s a downgrade to go down.

Edited July 19, 2024 by GraphicsMan

[mountainave 606]

5 hours ago, GraphicsMan said:

Surprised she choose to leave network CBS in her case I’ll never understand journalists who leave the highest level ever in broadcast journalism to downgrade to local. That like Leaving Yale for Ohio State. Very few make it to the national level to unless you’re leaving to retire, going down is always a bad move because you’ll never get an invitation back. Very few journalists have been able to leave the network for local news then return to network for another stint Don Dahler is a good example with his brief stint at WCBS before returning to CBS News. Yea I get NY is market #1 but I think that’s a downgrade to go down.

 

Several network correspondents have left their jobs for anchor roles at local stations in major markets.  The pay is comparable or in most cases better, hours are predictable, and there’s no travel required.  For plenty of people, especially those with families, all of those things can be more important that just having a national profile.

 

Bill Ritter, Liz Cho, and Rob Nelson all did this, leaving ABC News to join WABC as anchors.  Before returning to ABC News, Whit Johnson had left CBS News for an anchor/reporter role at KNBC. There are countless other examples.

[NowBergen 681]

3 hours ago, mountainave said:

 

Several network correspondents have left their jobs for anchor roles at local stations in major markets.  The pay is comparable or in most cases better, hours are predictable, and there’s no travel required.  For plenty of people, especially those with families, all of those things can be more important that just having a national profile.

 

Bill Ritter, Liz Cho, and Rob Nelson all did this, leaving ABC News to join WABC as anchors.  Before returning to ABC News, Whit Johnson had left CBS News for an anchor/reporter role at KNBC. There are countless other examples.

 

I would also think all the uncertainty at CBS and parent Paramount also is a consideration.  

[MediaZone4K 2176]

16 hours ago, GraphicsMan said:

Surprised she choose to leave network CBS in her case I’ll never understand journalists who leave the highest level ever in broadcast journalism to downgrade to local. That like Leaving Yale for Ohio State. Very few make it to the national level to unless you’re leaving to retire, going down is always a bad move because you’ll never get an invitation back. Very few journalists have been able to leave the network for local news then return to network for another stint Don Dahler is a good example with his brief stint at WCBS before returning to CBS News. Yea I get NY is market #1 but I think that’s a downgrade to go down.

Among the reasons others have listed...Bigger fish in a small pond. You can go from being a network correspondent to a local anchor (bigger role, smaller environment). 

 

They could be doing it to stay closer to family. Plus national correspondents or anchors tend to be under more public scrutiny. Tabloids in their business for personal narrative. Local can equal less attention and sometimes less drama.

Edited July 20, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[RealNews18 204]

With all the breaking news Mike Marza was brought in to anchor with Joe Torres tonight.
 

And before anyone says anything about commenting anchor coverage. Tanya Rivero (who is the new weekend anchor with Joe) was also in studio covering the breaking developments and seemed to be the “3rd” anchor for the Biden coverage. 

[MisterBill 99]

5 hours ago, RealNews18 said:

With all the breaking news Mike Marza was brought in to anchor with Joe Torres tonight.
 

And before anyone says anything about commenting anchor coverage. Tanya Rivero (who is the new weekend anchor with Joe) was also in studio covering the breaking developments and seemed to be the “3rd” anchor for the Biden coverage. 

 

Bill and Sade are there at 11. No Mike Marza. Joe and Tanya were also there.

[Vlad 325]

On 7/19/2024 at 5:38 AM, GraphicsMan said:

Surprised she choose to leave network CBS in her case I’ll never understand journalists who leave the highest level ever in broadcast journalism to downgrade to local. That like Leaving Yale for Ohio State. Very few make it to the national level to unless you’re leaving to retire, going down is always a bad move because you’ll never get an invitation back. Very few journalists have been able to leave the network for local news then return to network for another stint Don Dahler is a good example with his brief stint at WCBS before returning to CBS News. Yea I get NY is market #1 but I think that’s a downgrade to go down.

 

Phil Lipof former WABC morning anchor left to go to Boston and then went on to return back to ABC to work for ABC news. He went from Local to National so I don't think that is always the case..

 

Also non-meteorlogist / weathercaster who learned on the job, Sam Champion a very unique case, went from Local to National back to Local and back to National again. So while it is far and few, it does happen.. And also with all due respect, New York by no means is a downgrade. Landing a job in the in the nation's top market is pretty much an honor and a pretty high honor for people in this industry. This market is the cream of the crop. So good on Tanya Rivera for landing a job in arguably the most coveted local news station in the country.

[NYAZSporty 128]

Noticing recently, WABC has started to emphasize more, like most of the other ABC O&Os the "Your Voice Your Vote" ABC News moniker for elections seeing it used in graphics more & more on their newscasts. In the past, they've been resistant to use that branding opting Vote "Insert year here' although it did have the slogan underneath whenever they opened up a segment talking about political news.

Edited July 22, 2024 by NYCsporty

[NowBergen 681]

Read earlier that they announced on the View this am (today's episode was the last of the season) that when they return in September it will be from their new home in lower Manhattan.  They showed some Instagram pics that didn't show much but they have seemed to be from there.  Anyone have any word when the rest of ABC News/WABC will be moving?  I didn't think the building was ready at this point.

[GraphicsMan 115]

28 minutes ago, NowBergen said:

Read earlier that they announced on the View this am (today's episode was the last of the season) that when they return in September it will be from their new home in lower Manhattan.  They showed some Instagram pics that didn't show much but they have seemed to be from there.  Anyone have any word when the rest of ABC News/WABC will be moving?  I didn't think the building was ready at this point.

Probably in the spring time.

[mountainave 606]

On 8/2/2024 at 5:44 PM, NowBergen said:

Read earlier that they announced on the View this am (today's episode was the last of the season) that when they return in September it will be from their new home in lower Manhattan.  They showed some Instagram pics that didn't show much but they have seemed to be from there.  Anyone have any word when the rest of ABC News/WABC will be moving?  I didn't think the building was ready at this point.

The talk shows (Live, Tamron, The View) are all moving in time for the start of the fall season, but as was previously mentioned, I agree that spring is likely for the the rest of the news division.  Election programming makes extensive, atypical use of studio space requiring months of planning, and it's unlikely they'd want to try that all out in a brand new location this close to a presidential election.  Not yet clear when WABC will move.

Edited August 5, 2024 by mountainave

[wabceyewitness 818]

On 8/4/2024 at 8:15 PM, mountainave said:

The talk shows (Live, Tamron, The View) are all moving in time for the start of the fall season, but as was previously mentioned, I agree that spring is likely for the the rest of the news division.  Election programming makes extensive, atypical use of studio space requiring months of planning, and it's unlikely they'd want to try that all out in a brand new location this close to a presidential election.  Not yet clear when WABC will move.

Correct - WABC and ABC News are moving in 2025, after the election and inauguration are done. Right now, it is looking like a spring/summer move. 

[Vlad 325]

I wonder if they'll retain their current on-air look i'd imagine they'd do so. Graphics are less than a year old. Anywho, I'm going to greatly miss their street-side studio that was such a nice way to connect with them. Their current set so far has been their nicest studio.  I remember when they first opened the set in 2012 and I was living on Long Island, I would drive to the station just to get a glimpse of the broadcast lol. I noticed they kinda stopped showing the outside shots in the newscast or at least they don't really emphasize it anymore so maybe it could be their way of shying away from that.. 

[RealNews18 204]

Ryan Field posted pics of the new building, some of the (empty) studios and what looks like might be the newsroom. Looks pretty cool so far 

[BillRitter 0]

Does anyone know why Sade never replaces Liz at 6pm? And during Bill's vacation, Mike didn't do it with Liz at 6pm.

[norcalTVfan 15]

2 hours ago, BillRitter said:

Does anyone know why Sade never replaces Liz at 6pm? And during Bill's vacation, Mike didn't do it with Liz at 6pm.

Probably because the 6 is a half hour and doesn’t need two anchors. I read somewhere that Sade prefers a co-anchor; this is likely why there are subs for Bill at 11.