Out & About

[TheRob 937]

CBS Evening News had some problems tonight.

 

https://twitter.com/CBSEveningNews/status/1262876580231229441

[Roadrunner 216]

Some updates from the last week:

• Jackie Ward, formerly of KPIX, joined KNTV. Her departure marks the fourth exit in less than a year from KPIX after the departure of three prominent faces all in September 2019. Speaking of KPIX, if it's to be believed that a further exodus could potentially happen this fall (per Rich Lieberman), it's likely there will continue to be a detachment (read: further sinking ratings) between the viewer and the revolving door of faces of the station. There was a new chief meteorologist hire in Paul Heggen from WNCN in February and a morning/noon anchor hire in Len Kiese from WFTV in March, but we'll see if KPIX will promote from within to fill in any holes and/or what new hires will come about from their slowly shrinking staff. Any thoughts on KPIX's future?
• Reena Roy, reporter at WCBS, is moving up from local news. Maybeeee another potential News Nation hire?
• I also caught wind of a KXAS producer (Emily Allen) leaving for Florida, so talk of Rudabeh being an anchor for a possible Miami bureau for NN had me thinking.....but no, that's too much lol
• Mazie Rae Vincent, sports at WJFW, has left the station.
• Annie Schroeder, reporter at WVIR, is headed for WSLS in June.

But this happened pretty much after Friday: Chris McKinnon, anchor at WBZ, is out. Station bio is gone, social media handles were all changed, and there was no send off. He's been the weekday morning anchor since 2015 and I thought he and co-anchor Kate Merrill had good rapport, so this is sad  

[ThatSowislander 52]

Scott Steele has settled his lawsuit from WTMJ.  Good for him, never was a fan of his shtick, but it sucks that a longtime face gets treated this way. Coincidentally, I saw (from one my FB friends) that a fill in host of WISN AM's morning show talked about a Facebook post he saw of Spunky , Scott's former sidekick at WITI.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2020/05/22/scott-steeles-federal-lawsuit-charging-anti-semitism-wtmj-tv-has-been-settled/5241190002/

https://newstalk1130.iheart.com/featured/gregory-jon/content/2020-05-21-a-picture-of-spunky-sparks-a-great-conversation-about-social-media/

[Roadrunner 216]

Mentioned here in AJC via FTVLive, WGCL sees another mass of departures. 

[Anchor Mike Dunston / Investigative Reporter Jonathan Carlson / Reporter Daniel Wilkerson / Sr. Exec. Producer Phil Landeros]

https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/cbs46-cuts-mike-dunston-jonathan-carlson-daniel-wilkerson/hF11f8sZgdCr5vzrCNkD1M/

 

Particularly unfortunate for Jonathan Carlson, who just came back 11 days ago after recovering from COVID-19.

What's next for ailing WGCL?

[Bsean 149]

Crystal Egger popped up doing weather on KNSD when I tuned in at 4. I know they are down a weekend weather anchor and looking into it, she's been on air at least since March. Not sure if she's permanent for the weekend or freelance as she has no bio on their site.

[JoseRM303 171]

2 hours ago, Bsean said:

Crystal Egger popped up doing weather on KNSD when I tuned in at 4. I know they are down a weekend weather anchor and looking into it, she's been on air at least since March. Not sure if she's permanent for the weekend or freelance as she has no bio on their site.

Freelance. She posted a video on Instagram and someone asked if she part of the team and said she’s just freelancing for the time being.

[newsbot 271]

Former WBZ and WCVB producer Donna Morrissey is dead of coronavirus at 51
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/05/23/donna-morrissey-american-red-cross-dies-coronavirus-wbz-tv-pr-spokesperson-boston-archdiocese/
 

The Boston Globe obit focuses on her much higher-profile positions in PR for the Boston Archdiocese and the American Red Cross
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/23/metro/donna-m-morrissey-whose-headed-pr-boston-archdiocese-american-red-cross-dies-51-covid-19/

Edited May 24, 2020 by newsbot

[tyrannical bastard 3942]

Some news in the Mobile/Pensacola market...

 

Lance Crawford has left WPMI to become the Director of Media Relations for the University of South Alabama.  He worked two stints at WPMI as Sports Director, with a hiatus in the middle when he was released by Sinclair only to be re-hired back two years later (when his replacement didn't work out).  He also worked at WALA in the 90s along with stints in Palm Springs, Medford, and Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia.

 

And WALA reporter/fill in anchor Steve Alexander has been busted for DUI.  New Orleanians may remember him as Steve Ozenovich when he worked at WVUE.

https://bustedinmobile.com/2020/05/24/steven-alexander-ozenovich/

 

Here's the story from AL.com

https://www.al.com/crime/2020/05/alabama-tv-reporter-arrested-on-dui-charge-in-mobile.html

Edited May 24, 2020 by tyrannical bastard
AL.com story

[tw-804 190]

Meanwhile in Atlanta, WGCL cuts four. Weekend anchor/reporter Mike Dunston out. Investigative reporter Jonathan Carlson ("The CBS46 Bulldog") out. Reporter Daniel Wilkerson out. And executive producer Phil Landeros out.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/cbs46-cuts-mike-dunston-jonathan-carlson-daniel-wilkerson/hF11f8sZgdCr5vzrCNkD1M/

Edited May 24, 2020 by tw-804

[Gavin 118]

3 hours ago, tw-804 said:

Meanwhile in Atlanta, WGCL cuts four. Weekend anchor/reporter Mike Dunston out. Investigative reporter Jonathan Carlson ("The CBS46 Bulldog") out. Reporter Daniel Wilkerson out. And executive producer Phil Landeros out.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/cbs46-cuts-mike-dunston-jonathan-carlson-daniel-wilkerson/hF11f8sZgdCr5vzrCNkD1M/

 

And they wonder why there hurting in the ratings, my station CBS Station in my hometown of Raleigh WNCN has had this problem when the anchors left it was on there own volition or new job offer in a market. This team at WGCL can't even keep a news team full on-air for 3 years Mike Dundon ( Whose used to work in my market Raleigh was great until he left, I miss him because I was too young to remember him) He's a great anchor. Jonathan Carlson (ironically, also worked in my hometown of Raleigh WNCN when it was NBC so this is before 2016, he left in 2013 for WXYZ the ABC affilate in Detroit) he's a very tough anchor and investigative reporter. I don't get it why WGCL has constant cuts it like they can't get there act together in talent. That had a nationally accalamed news anchor Thomas Roberts they let him go, they had a star Sharon Reed (who stood up to a racist on-air on s newscast for calling her the "N" word) they let her go I don't get it. I'd be surprised if Rick Falbuam and Shon Gables last 14 months. The only reporter is remember leaving on the only volition was Jaclyn Roselyn for left for Iraq with her husband and was expecting her first child. I don't get WGCL. No wonder why there CBS Weakest affilate ratings why.

[newsbot 271]

6 hours ago, tw-804 said:

Meanwhile in Atlanta, WGCL cuts four. Weekend anchor/reporter Mike Dunston out. Investigative reporter Jonathan Carlson ("The CBS46 Bulldog") out. Reporter Daniel Wilkerson out. And executive producer Phil Landeros out.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/cbs46-cuts-mike-dunston-jonathan-carlson-daniel-wilkerson/hF11f8sZgdCr5vzrCNkD1M/

If you go to work for WGCL, rent, don't buy.

[TheRolyPoly 2393]

2 hours ago, Gavin said:

 

And they wonder why there hurting in the ratings, my station CBS Station in my hometown of Raleigh WNCN has had this problem when the anchors left it was on there own volition or new job offer in a market. This team at WGCL can't even keep a news team full on-air for 3 years Mike Dundon ( Whose used to work in my market Raleigh was great until he left, I miss him because I was too young to remember him) He's a great anchor. Jonathan Carlson (ironically, also worked in my hometown of Raleigh WNCN when it was NBC so this is before 2016, he left in 2013 for WXYZ the ABC affilate in Detroit) he's a very tough anchor and investigative reporter. I don't get it why WGCL has constant cuts it like they can't get there act together in talent. That had a nationally accalamed news anchor Thomas Roberts they let him go, they had a star Sharon Reed (who stood up to a racist on-air on s newscast for calling her the "N" word) they let her go I don't get it. I'd be surprised if Rick Falbuam and Shon Gables last 14 months. The only reporter is remember leaving on the only volition was Jaclyn Roselyn for left for Iraq with her husband and was expecting her first child. I don't get WGCL. No wonder why there CBS Weakest affilate ratings why.

 

I think WSB's Justin Farmer and Jovita Moore have been anchoring together for nearly a decade now.

[tyrannical bastard 3942]

Yet another reason Meredith needs to be bought out of its misery.   This station has been cursed ever since Tribune traded them off and WGNX became WGCL.

Edited May 25, 2020 by tyrannical bastard

[TheRolyPoly 2393]

4 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Yet another reason Meredith needs to be bought out of its misery.   This station has been cursed ever since Tribune traded them off and WGNX became WGCL.

 

Imagine Tribune keeping WGNX and developed CBS with it, we could've seen a WGNX/WATL duopoly instead.

[Gavin 118]

2 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

I think WSB's Justin Farmer and Jovita Moore have been anchoring together for nearly a decade now.

 

Yeah I know I think I I'll be 10 next year.

[J1975am 208]

6 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

Imagine Tribune keeping WGNX and developed CBS with it, we could've seen a WGNX/WATL duopoly instead.

Not to mention a POSSIBLE entry for Nexstar in the Atlanta market, had Tribune kept WGNX (WGCL).....

[tyrannical bastard 3942]

5 hours ago, J1975am said:

Not to mention a POSSIBLE entry for Nexstar in the Atlanta market, had Tribune kept WGNX (WGCL).....

Oh the Speculatron entry HAD Tribune kept WGNX and still taken WPCH off of Time Warner's hands....can someone say "SuperStation"?

 

What's taking Gray so long to put the Meredith group out of it's misery?  It's one of the only almost perfect mergers left!!!!

Edited May 25, 2020 by tyrannical bastard

[ATLNEWS46 6]

More Changes in Atlanta
 

Also another reporter has left FOX 5, This time it is Alexa Liacko. she is now in denver working for Scripps National Team

 

Across the rest of Georgia

 

Kevin Faigle, Sports Director of 14 Years at WRDW-TV Augusta is Exiting the TV Business this Week

 

Also George Myers, Long Time Chief Meteorologist at WJBF-TV for over 35 Years is Retiring, Tim Miller from WIS-TV will take over 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheRob 937]

Star-Tribune article on changes KSTP-TV made to its late news:

 

https://www.startribune.com/with-new-nightcast-kstp-tv-takes-a-deeper-approach-to-10-p-m-news/570702872/

[dman748 1256]

5 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

What's taking Gray so long to put the Meredith group out of it's misery?  It's one of the only almost perfect mergers left!!!!

I think to be honest a lot of it is probably to do with COVID, I think that Meredith are just trying to get through the pandemic first and then as soon as the pandemic is over they'll put their stations up for sale.

 

Howeven, given the situation happening right now with bankers predicting that AT&T will spin DirecTV off I think that will come to Meredith and bankers as well as creditors among others aren't going to wait until the pandemic is over to put pressure on a company to do something with the company's assets

[GoldenShine9 1513]

7 minutes ago, oknewsguy said:

I think to be honest a lot of it is probably to do with COVID, I think that Meredith are just trying to get through the pandemic first and then as soon as the pandemic is over they'll put their stations up for sale.

 

Howeven, given the situation happening right now with bankers predicting that AT&T will spin DirecTV off I think that will come to Meredith and bankers as well as creditors among others aren't going to wait until the pandemic is over to put pressure on a company to do something with the company's assets

 

There's no indication they are for sale and that would be all rumors. They do have financial problems right now, but if the pandemic ends soon, it wouldn't be fatal. (That said, companies like Gray, Scripps, Hearst and Nexstar, and the networks themselves, are in pretty good shape and holding up without any job or salary losses).

[newsbot 271]

3 hours ago, GoldenShine9 said:

 

There's no indication they are for sale and that would be all rumors. They do have financial problems right now, but if the pandemic ends soon, it wouldn't be fatal. (That said, companies like Gray, Scripps, Hearst and Nexstar, and the networks themselves, are in pretty good shape and holding up without any job or salary losses).

Meredith's financial problems are not on the broadcast side primarily but the print side, particularly the ex-Time properties. That said, all media that rely on advertising revenues are going to face near-term issues. Based on their decision to develop an in-house syndicated show based on their People Magazine property, it seems they're trying to monetize the print side to the maximum extent possible.

Edited May 26, 2020 by newsbot

[tyrannical bastard 3942]

I think this COVID mess is far from over, and the way it's been handled by the government at ALL levels, (and the general population) a second wave is a certainty. 

That would mean more cases, deaths, and all of the economic calamity from the government trying to control it.

 

Financially, if the lockdowns happen again, many companies are going to be in deep trouble, and we could see more cuts, layoffs, furloughs, and maybe a bankruptcy or two in the media sector.

 

Companies like Meredith are going to have to decide if they have to sell off their PROFITABLE assets for a short-term surge, or if they need to dump the money-losing ones and go pure-play.

[newsbot 271]

3 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

I think this COVID mess is far from over, and the way it's been handled by the government at ALL levels, (and the general population) a second wave is a certainty. 

That would mean more cases, deaths, and all of the economic calamity from the government trying to control it.

 

Financially, if the lockdowns happen again, many companies are going to be in deep trouble, and we could see more cuts, layoffs, furloughs, and maybe a bankruptcy or two in the media sector.

 

Companies like Meredith are going to have to decide if they have to sell off their PROFITABLE assets for a short-term surge, or if they need to dump the money-losing ones and go pure-play.

Ad-supported media is getting hammered across the board. Merging into a larger entity with the same vulnerabilities isn't going to fix that problem.

Edited May 26, 2020 by newsbot

[dman748 1256]

39 minutes ago, newsbot said:

Ad-supported media is getting hammered across the board. Merging into a larger entity with the same vulnerabilities isn't going to fix that problem.

While I do agree that merging the publishing entities with another would create further problems however given the situation were in right now there's likely going to be no other choice but to say we're going to become pure-play and dump the Publishing unit.

 

Ironically enough the TV side for Meredith is doing fine in spite of losing half of the revenue on the TV side that particular unit isn't in as deep of trouble as the publishing units are.

 

I'll save the rest of my thoughts for speculatron. I have a lot more to say regarding Meredith (as well as the situation with Apollo and their interest in buying DirecTV and Dish Network than what needs to be said in this thread