Does anyone else think Fox 29 is a terrible station?

[nynewsguru 1]

I think Fox 29 had one of the best 10pm newscasts back in the day when Jill Chernekoff and Rich Noonan helmed the anchor desk. I think the station was pretty good up until recently. Thomas Drayton is not main anchor material and I was glad when they removed him off the 5pm newscast but honestly his replacement is not any better. I think he would be good as a reporter or maybe in the mornings but I just never really liked his delivery. Joyce Evans fumbles and mumbles every line and it is hard to understand anything she says. She gets tongue tied saying her own name and she is very awkward with the others on air and comes off as very nasty. I don't know how she ever got an anchor job anywhere let alone in the fourth market and don't even get me started with that unprofessional and ditzy blonde woman they have paired with Thomas Drayton on weekdays.

I think Good Day is the only good part of the station and they really need to change the anchors around because they are losing credibility as a news station.

[Jess 1110]

Do I think Fox 29 is a terrible station? Well, here's my answer:

 

No. Not anymore.

 

Do I think the station needs more improvement on the 5, 6, and 10? Absolutely.

 

But look at the station a year, two years ago. You had Mike Renda fire all the great talent, then you had Patrick Paolini and Kingsley Smith instituting an insulting, cable news inspired format, and then Schwaid doing whatever it is that Schwaid does. The Paolini/Smith format was some of the worst shit I've ever seen on local TV, and it took me awhile to even consider watching the station occasionally.

 

Now, there is clear improvement. Dennis Bianchi and Jim Driscoll have cut down on the gimmicks and instituted a relatively straight news format. The strains of budget and understaffing still show, but it's refreshing to see them go back to basics.

 

The talent needs improving, I totally agree. Thomas Drayton and Kerry Barrett seem like extremely nice persons, but they need to be replaced. Iain Page is a worthy addition - his delivery is ten million times better than Drayton or Barrett - and he should be doing the 10pm. And, uh, they hired Dawn Timmeney, who they're using on Good Day - but seriously? YOU HAVE DAWN TIMMENEY NOW, PUT HER ON THE EVENING NEWSCASTS.

 

But the real triumph of the station right now is Good Day.

 

They've dropped the gimmicks and now let the talent carry the show. It's resulted in the best morning news program and possibly one of the best single newscasts outside of Action News with Jim Gardner. Everything is firing on all cylinders, and Mike and Sheinelle have an INCREDIBLE chemistry. I used to say that Mike and Donya Archer were the gold standard for anchor chemistry here - Mike and Sheinelle have surpassed that, and that is high praise.