WWL's Betz off to WFAA

[PelicanGuy 117]

http://blog.nola.com/davewalker/2008/02/reporter_betz_departs_wwltv.html

 

Reporter Betz departs WWL-TV

 

Posted by Dave Walker

Categories: Living: Columnists

 

Today - Wednesday, Feb. 27, the last day of the February "sweeps" TV ratings period - is the last day at WWL-Channel 4 for reporter Jonathan Betz, who's taken a job with WFAA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Dallas.

 

Both stations are owned by Dallas-based Belo Corp.

 

"It was really a hard decision for me," said Betz, who came to WWL from Fayetteville, Ark., in summer 2004. "There comes a point when you look at yourself, look at what you're doing, and realize you're getting stagnant."

 

As they've been for nearly every news worker in town, Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent levee-failure flooding have been journalistic pre-occupations for Betz, who said he's ready to move on to different challenges.

 

"I had the opportunity to leave New Orleans after the storm, but I didn't want to," he said. "Katrina is something (people) will always talk about here, but it's time to try to get away from that for a little bit and try my hand at something else."

 

Betz said he'll remember two New Orleans stories most vividly.

 

One is reporting from the scene of the Fat Tuesday costume contest on Bourbon Street. The other is reporting live from the flooded Lower 9th Ward during the immediate aftermath of Katrina flooding.

 

"I loved covering (Mardi Gras)," he said. "It's something I'll always remember, the fun time out there.

 

"Being in the Lower 9th Ward on the Monday of the storm, the live shots from the St. Claude Ave. bridge, showing people live being rescued ... that's certainly something I will never be able to forget."

[mightynine 287]

Of all the stations, WWL seems to have the most reporter churn post-Katrina. Guess it looks good on the resume tape.

[Guest agmfox8]

I know that Jonathan Betz will be missed at WWL TV Channel 4.