Bucc 4 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 According to Al Rokers latest Tweet: "One of the best local sports broadcasters, Len Berman is leaving WNBC TV after more than 20 years at NBC4. It is the end of an era. Sucks" Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
first on fox 18 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 No surprise: http://www.nypost.com/seven/03312009/tv/ch__4_cuts_len_berman_162234.htm Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48577 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im4NY4ever 0 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I hope someone at NBC knows what they are doing. WNBC News has always been the class act of the NY stations. With all these departures, one can only wonder what the f is going on. Ratings is driven by viewer loyalty and trust, and although I no longer live in DMA 1 (and boy, does DMA 21 suck - not a fracking weather forecaster who knows what they are doing, and sports guys - they have absolutely no objectivity). Len is a class act, and sorely will be missed. so you do have to wonder if the Chuck rumors are true - I hope not, there goes what is left of their franchise. I guess the new management may dip into Kids News and hire real low cost, low talent, faces. Good bye journalism. this is awful.:rant: Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48578 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey 861 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I bet WNBC really wishes they hadn't let WCBS take Judge Judy back. What a shame. This will only push away more viewers but WNBC is hoping that Len Berman's contract accounts for more money than the ad revenue they will lose. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48579 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewsJunkie247 1 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 God that is such a shame. Len is a true sports legend and he will be missed. All of these cuts at Ch. 4 are just sickening. Management cutting top-notch reporters like Kendra Farn, Jay DeDapper, and Carol Anne Riddell and replacing them with younger, cheaper faces like Lynn Berry, DeMarco Morgan, and Tom Llamas. It seems as though journalistic experiece is all but gone from News 4 New York. Now the ax has fallen on Len Berman who is one of the most respected sportscasters in NYC and it is rumored that Chuck Scarborough is next on the chopping block. "The Massacre of 1996" at WCBS was big news in the world of broadcasting back then, but now all of these cuts at WNBC are just as bad. When will "The Massacre of 2008/09" at WNBC end? There was a time when WNBC was the only station I watched, but now I find myself watching WCBS more often. I just hope and pray that some of the professional faces that inject the newscast with credibality and experience remain at WNBC without getting cut. The next person that I want to see get cut at WNBC is Vicki Burns, who it seems has done nothing but butcher and bring down a station that was once at the top of their game. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48580 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYNews 54 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 What terrible news. Chuck, Sue, Janice and Len are such a perfect team which no station in NY can ever replicate. (Just pick any night to watch and you can see that they just "gel" together) Len IS the best sportscaster in NYC, it's such a shame for him to be cut. Bruce Beck isn't half as good. Rumors of Chuck's buy out is also disheartening. Legends like him should not be cut, rather they should give him the dignity and respect to retire own his own terms. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48582 Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyc 0 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/03/31/2009-03-31_sports_anchor_len_berman_leaving_wnbc_af.html soon they'll be taping their sports (like Ch. 5 Goodday NY used to do) and trying to pass it off as live. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48585 Share on other sites More sharing options...
moshewx 19 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Truly sad! Been watching WNBC since 1989, but stopped watching once the new "Content Center" nonsense started. Vickie Burns is not dismantling the longest running news team in the city. Does she think this will attract more viewers? Please. Has anyone seen what a circut this newscast on Ch. 4 has become? Truly unwatchable. I wish Len Berman lots of success with future endeavors. Having met the man once, I can say he was genuinely nice. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48588 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2idiots 24 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 WNBC is such a disgrace. I remember when WNBC was the most stable NYC station, now they are becoming the new WCBS. Chuck and Sue better watch out. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48595 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Houdini 0 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 After losing Sal Marciano and now Len, sports in NY/NJ have taken some hits. The person that took Sal's place(can't really say replaced) sounds like Jennifer Lopez's sister. I guess the news around town is going for cheaper and poor talent. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48600 Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevieboy247 42 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Are you sure this is not an April Fools joke? No more "Spanning the World"? C'mon now! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48612 Share on other sites More sharing options...
njlady 1 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 I was shocked - after they cut Otis in the morning I figured sports were safe now. why cut 2 of your 3 sportscasters??? And I hope Spanning the World ends up somewhere - it is one of my favorites on the tube! Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48614 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad 325 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 My god, that is completely shocking. I'm at a loss of words, right now and I really don't know what to say. He was a legend of WNBC no question about it, and to see this happen is just downright wrong, and awful, and bad on WNBC's behalf. I mean what more can I say that you guys haven't already said? Did they not offer him a paycut? Because those articles do not mention it. They should've done so before making such a move, my guess is that Bruce Beck will now take over the reigns that Len has left behind, but still wow, news like this is kinda like a punch to the stomach... A legendary sports anchor is cut, that is truly terrible, WNBC is going to tank after this no question about it. Its gonna take them a long time to get the #2 spot again (if they even get there again which I highly doubt because of NBC's and WNBC's horrible and lame programming), because they let a sports icon who many people enjoyed watching go and many astute viewers and fans of Channel 4 will not take this lightly. I don't think they can recover from this one... Berman is the longest-tenured on-air person to leave in the purge' date=' and his exit comes as station officials have been dogged by speculation - repeatedly denied by management - [b']that they want to change the main anchors[/b], too. And it seems according to the Daily News that they've even tried to get rid of Chuck and Sue, but were denied to do this, so don't be surprised if Chuck or Sue are next. They are not safe at all. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48616 Share on other sites More sharing options...
abric 178 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 I remember when Vicki Burns used to be at WRC. She got rid of many great reporters and anchors there too. But luckily for us, it's was not a bad as it is for WNBC. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48619 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PelicanGuy 117 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 God that is such a shame. Len is a true sports legend and he will be missed. All of these cuts at Ch. 4 are just sickening. Management cutting top-notch reporters like Kendra Farn, Jay DeDapper, and Carol Anne Riddell and replacing them with younger, cheaper faces like Lynn Berry, DeMarco Morgan, and Tom Llamas. It seems as though journalistic experiece is all but gone from News 4 New York. Now the ax has fallen on Len Berman who is one of the most respected sportscasters in NYC and it is rumored that Chuck Scarborough is next on the chopping block. "The Massacre of 1996" at WCBS was big news in the world of broadcasting back then, but now all of these cuts at WNBC are just as bad. When will "The Massacre of 2008/09" at WNBC end? There was a time when WNBC was the only station I watched, but now I find myself watching WCBS more often. I just hope and pray that some of the professional faces that inject the newscast with credibality and experience remain at WNBC without getting cut. The next person that I want to see get cut at WNBC is Vicki Burns, who it seems has done nothing but butcher and bring down a station that was once at the top of their game. DeMarco Morgan? That guy wouldn't happen to be black, eh? I went to college with a guy who had that name. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48622 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYNews 54 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 The NY Daily News article says that "Soon, only Chuck and Sue will be left at WNBC." Does that mean Janice is on the chopping blocks too? Len Berman said he still wants to be on TV, not sure if he meant by being a commentator (like on MSG, YES, etc) or sports anchor at a station. The most obvious move would be to WCBS, but does WCBS have the $$$? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48623 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad 325 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 The NY Daily News article says that "Soon, only Chuck and Sue will be left at WNBC." Does that mean Janice is on the chopping blocks too? Len Berman said he still wants to be on TV, not sure if he meant by being a commentator (like on MSG, YES, etc) or sports anchor at a station. The most obvious move would be to WCBS, but does WCBS have the $$$? Well it mentions that he doesn't want to "wear a suit" anymore so his next job probably won't be white collar in nature after this, so perhaps he may be a sports commentator or maybe produce a sports show, perhaps he should move on to the actual NBC Network and do something for NBC like Matt Lauer did. WCBS could certainly use him since they do have that many sports reporters and anchors, but I doubt its gonna happen... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48641 Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewsJunkie247 1 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 DeMarco Morgan? That guy wouldn't happen to be black, eh? I went to college with a guy who had that name. He is, infact, black. According to his bio, he went to Jackson State University and then to Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48643 Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevieboy247 42 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 I kinda wonder if WNBC will go with Warner Wolf as a potential replacement? It would be nice to see him back on TV again. I'm not sure if I see that happening though. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48658 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Houdini 0 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 I would say no to Wolf to be hired by NBC. They are trying to cut salaries. My feelings is that firing Sal Marciano and now Len Berman, the stations are shooting over the heads of their other personnel. The stations are in trouble and they want everyone to know they are expendable. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48665 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrfRptr 3 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Everybody who works in the TV News business knows they are expendable. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48668 Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskanews 113 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Everybody who works in the TV News business knows they are expendable. Yup, contracts aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48672 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Houdini 0 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Everybody who works in the TV News business knows they are expendable. Let me make it clearer. They are now even more expendable. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48677 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amra 171 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Burns is just following orders from above. Once she gets rid of Chuck and Sue, then she'd graduate from GE's School of Management, and be cut... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48756 Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAVY 10 Fan 233 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 According to Al Rokers latest Tweet: "One of the best local sports broadcasters, Len Berman is leaving WNBC TV after more than 20 years at NBC4. It is the end of an era. Sucks" My thoughts exactly. I just found out about it from a comment left on the first 1988 NFL Live! pregame video I uploaded. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/5195-len-leaving/#findComment-48820 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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