WABC - 7 Eyewitness News

[wabceyewitness 818]

14 hours ago, bob mercier said:

is it true that bill ritter no longer does the friday newscasts, that he has reduced his schedule to 4 days a week?

He’s off Fridays at 11pm. He still does the 5pm and 6pm on Fridays. 

[WeatherandTraffic 54]

I noticed Sade has been missing for several weeks and Sandra has been filling for her at 5pm and 11pm(not Fridays). She was out during the same time last year as well. Do you think she's having new health issues or issue's related to her concussion years ago?  Whatever it is, I hope she's well and will be back soon,

[TVNewsLover 774]

I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but maybe it is time for both Sade and Liz to step aside.

 

I feel like Sade has been out more than she has been in the past few years. Although she is a great anchor, perhaps it is time for her to step aside and focus on her health.

As for Liz, she’s the #2 behind Sade, yet she apparently is too good to be a team player and fill in at Noon or 11pm. Not someone I would want on my team, even if they are great at what they do.

 

Kudos to Sandra for sticking it out on the weekends all those years and stepping up when management needed her to.

 

[MorningNews 1437]

8 hours ago, TVNewsLover said:

I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but maybe it is time for both Sade and Liz to step aside.

 

I feel like Sade has been out more than she has been in the past few years. Although she is a great anchor, perhaps it is time for her to step aside and focus on her health.

As for Liz, she’s the #2 behind Sade, yet she apparently is too good to be a team player and fill in at Noon or 11pm. Not someone I would want on my team, even if they are great at what they do.

 

Kudos to Sandra for sticking it out on the weekends all those years and stepping up when management needed her to.

 

Disagree. Sade had an undisclosed illness for a period in 2023 and a knee replacement surgery in 2024, the latter which is widely known to be a grueling recovery process. It would be harsh to push her aside for health issues over the last year of her 20 years at WABC.

 

It isn't that Liz is too good go for filling in - she has a contract that they agreed to for her services. FWIW, I’ve seen Liz at noon a number of times and she filled in for Bill and Sade at 11pm earlier this year. When she left 11pm years ago she expressed that it was to spend her evenings with her family. 

[TVNewsLover 774]

11 minutes ago, MorningNews said:

Disagree. Sade had an undisclosed illness for a period in 2023 and a knee replacement surgery in 2024, the latter which is widely known to be a grueling recovery process. It would be harsh to push her aside for health issues over the last year of her 20 years at WABC.

 

It isn't that Liz is too good go for filling in - she has a contract that they agreed to for her services. FWIW, I’ve seen Liz at noon a number of times and she filled in for Bill and Sade at 11pm earlier this year. When she left 11pm years ago she expressed that it was to spend her evenings with her family. 

Just to clarify with regards to Sade, I wasn’t saying they should her push her aside. I was saying she herself should make the choice to step aside and focus on her health.

 

As for Liz, I understand that her contract might say that, but who needs an overpaid anchor who is not flexible? Not really an attractive situation when her contract is up for renewal.

[ns8401 940]

2 hours ago, TVNewsLover said:

Just to clarify with regards to Sade, I wasn’t saying they should her push her aside. I was saying she herself should make the choice to step aside and focus on her health.

 

As for Liz, I understand that her contract might say that, but who needs an overpaid anchor who is not flexible? Not really an attractive situation when her contract is up for renewal.

There is a reason a lot of TV folks hang around past their expiration dates. Many of them will go until they literally can’t anymore. 

[MediaZone4K 2158]

8 hours ago, ns8401 said:

There is a reason a lot of TV folks hang around past their expiration dates. Many of them will go until they literally can’t anymore. 

Given a consistent decent paycheck for non-taxing labor and (presumably) no pension -- I would do the same.

11 hours ago, TVNewsLover said:

As for Liz, I understand that her contract might say that, but who needs an overpaid anchor who is not flexible? Not really an attractive situation when her contract is up for renewal.

I don't think it's time for Liz to step aside. 

 

On one hand if you're paying someone decently, some flexibility would be appreciated.

 

Conversely, I understand the argument that talent has to put their foot down with news companies, because they would literally abuse your schedule and pay you nothing given the opportunity. Just ask small market MMJs. 

Edited December 18, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[24994J 5551]

Bill confirmed on socials that Sade is recovering from a surgery.

[TheNewsTV 251]

Today we had Liz Cho at noon. 

[TVNewsLover 774]

12 hours ago, TheNewsTV said:

Today we had Liz Cho at noon. 

Seems it was because they were short staffed today. Mike, who normally has off on Friday AM, anchored in both the morning and 10am, in addition to 11pm. Lauren, who usually subs at noon only, was also on at 10am. Sandra, in addition to filling in at 5pm and 11pm for Sade, was also on at 4pm for David. 

[NowBergen 679]

4 hours ago, TVNewsLover said:

Seems it was because they were short staffed today. Mike, who normally has off on Friday AM, anchored in both the morning and 10am, in addition to 11pm. Lauren, who usually subs at noon only, was also on at 10am. Sandra, in addition to filling in at 5pm and 11pm for Sade, was also on at 4pm for David. 

 

Every year at this time, there are many not usual substitutions as many staff, especially those with long service are off before, during and after Christmas.  Typically this time of year can be slow news cycles (this year may be an exception).  On air and behind the scenes staff  take needed vacation days.  Many have to use it or loose it, just like those who work elsewhere.

[NYAZSporty 123]

Speaking of being short-staffed, looks like, based off of this YT video, David Novarro worked the Noon newscast today solo. 

 

[TVNewsLover 774]

2 hours ago, NYAZSporty said:

Speaking of being short-staffed, looks like, based off of this YT video, David Novarro worked the Noon newscast today solo. 

 

He did anchor solo today at noon. Liz was on at 4pm and Sandra at 5pm, so Liz must’ve hit her quota of fill-ins at noon for the month.

Edited December 23, 2024 by TVNewsLover

[nathannah 2401]

This week every news organization is going to have an abnormal schedule. It's the holidays. It's expected. 

 

We go through this every year and seem to begrudge people for taking time off during the holidays and...no. Just enjoy different people getting on the air. Some of them REALLY need it after the abuse some of them have had to deal with this year from the public, politicians and c-suiters pushing them to their last nerve. Live with your ABC station not having news on Wednesday because of the NBA being on all day and get over that your local station doesn't have your precious morning news and advertorial show on that morning and instead runs a mass, some bargain-bin Christmas film from Trifecta, or a taped parade.

 

I feel like I have to say this every year and it's tiring. People deserve time off.

[NowBergen 679]

23 minutes ago, mrschimpf said:

This week every news organization is going to have an abnormal schedule. It's the holidays. It's expected. 

 

We go through this every year and seem to begrudge people for taking time off during the holidays and...no. Just enjoy different people getting on the air. Some of them REALLY need it after the abuse some of them have had to deal with this year from the public, politicians and c-suiters pushing them to their last nerve. Live with your ABC station not having news on Wednesday because of the NBA being on all day and get over that your local station doesn't have your precious morning news and advertorial show on that morning and instead runs a mass, some bargain-bin Christmas film from Trifecta, or a taped parade.

 

I feel like I have to say this every year and it's tiring. People deserve time off.

 

It also doesn't warrant every anchor sub being reported.  It won't get back to normal until after the new year.  Enjoy the season.  Even anchors & reporters deserve time off with heir families.

[TVNewsLover 774]

1 hour ago, mrschimpf said:

This week every news organization is going to have an abnormal schedule. It's the holidays. It's expected. 

 

We go through this every year and seem to begrudge people for taking time off during the holidays and...no. Just enjoy different people getting on the air. Some of them REALLY need it after the abuse some of them have had to deal with this year from the public, politicians and c-suiters pushing them to their last nerve. Live with your ABC station not having news on Wednesday because of the NBA being on all day and get over that your local station doesn't have your precious morning news and advertorial show on that morning and instead runs a mass, some bargain-bin Christmas film from Trifecta, or a taped parade.

 

I feel like I have to say this every year and it's tiring. People deserve time off.

 

57 minutes ago, NowBergen said:

 

It also doesn't warrant every anchor sub being reported.  It won't get back to normal until after the new year.  Enjoy the season.  Even anchors & reporters deserve time off with heir families.

I get what you are both saying. The complaint here isn’t that someone is off though, it’s that someone who is working couldn’t bother to anchor an additional hour.

[FiveNews 371]

40 minutes ago, TVNewsLover said:

 

I get what you are both saying. The complaint here isn’t that someone is off though, it’s that someone who is working couldn’t bother to anchor an additional hour.

I think we are conflating the two. It's not that an anchor can't bother to anchor an additional hour, it's how the talent's contract is wrtitten. If Liz has a contract that says she anchors X show and fills in X amount of times, the station has to adhere to that legal agreement. All parties signed off on that.

 

Additionally, each year we revisit the topic of anchors being off on the holidays. Just let the tenured anchor live and enjoy time with their loved ones. On the flip side, let's be OK with the green talent getting a few at bats so they can hone their craft. The topic doesn't need to be revisited annually.

[HanSolo 143]

59 minutes ago, TVNewsLover said:

 

I get what you are both saying. The complaint here isn’t that someone is off though, it’s that someone who is working couldn’t bother to anchor an additional hour.

And why are we even speculating that is the case?  Some things just are.

[Big Rollo Smokes 260]

8 minutes ago, HanSolo said:

And why are we even speculating that is the case?  Some things just are.

I was going to add that channel 7 might do as they've done for years and have their prominent Jewish staffers (aka the "Eyewitness Jews"–Bill Ritter, Lauren Glassberg, Lee Goldberg among them) front the Xmas day shows. But with Hanukkah starting on Wednesday as well, probably not.

[24994J 5551]

Putting it bluntly, the New York contingent on this forum has the tendency to be a mind-numbingly aloof echo chamber.

[HanSolo 143]

2 hours ago, Big Rollo Smokes said:

I was going to add that channel 7 might do as they've done for years and have their prominent Jewish staffers (aka the "Eyewitness Jews"–Bill Ritter, Lauren Glassberg, Lee Goldberg among them) front the Xmas day shows. But with Hanukkah starting on Wednesday as well, probably not.

AKA by whom?

 

Aside from that, and aside from morning, what news? It’s all NBA all day and all night.

[MediaZone4K 2158]

The only subs that really needs to be documented here is if we get a reporter who never anchors getting to sub or a significantly unusual pairing

Edited December 24, 2024 by MediaZone4K

[ns8401 940]

4 hours ago, FiveNews said:

I think we are conflating the two. It's not that an anchor can't bother to anchor an additional hour, it's how the talent's contract is wrtitten. If Liz has a contract that says she anchors X show and fills in X amount of times, the station has to adhere to that legal agreement. All parties signed off on that.

 

Additionally, each year we revisit the topic of anchors being off on the holidays. Just let the tenured anchor live and enjoy time with their loved ones. On the flip side, let's be OK with the green talent getting a few at bats so they can hone their craft. The topic doesn't need to be revisited annually.

Yeah one of the more enjoyable things about this week and next is seeing weird things like the lead sports anchor doing the 6pm newscast as an anchor or some young street reporter giving it a try when few are watching anyways. It’s a break from the mundane. 

Edited December 24, 2024 by ns8401

[Big Rollo Smokes 260]

8 hours ago, HanSolo said:

AKA by whom?

 

Aside from that, and aside from morning, what news? It’s all NBA all day and all night.

They've called themselves that on the air.

 

And it's not all basketball all day long. There is a morning show at least.

[HanSolo 143]

Thus, “aside from morning.” And apart from that and the Disney parks commercial, it’s 13 something hours of NBA, so yeah, it’s all day.