Mike Barz out @ WFLD/Fox 32

[312newswannabe 7]

From the Trib:

 

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/towerticker/2009/07/mike-barz-out-at-wfld.html

 

Mike Barz, co-anchor of Fox-owned WFLD-Ch. 32's "Good Day Chicago," is no longer with the station, a WFLD spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday.

 

Barz, a former WGN-Ch. 9 sportscaster who joined Channel 32 in 2007 from ABC's "Good Morning America," has been off the air since last Wednesday while WFLD investigated allegations of misconduct at an off-site July 10th party for reporter Margaret Shortridge, whose contract was not renewed, according to sources.

 

Those interviewed by Channel 32's human resources department said the investigation centered on Barz's interaction with a fellow employee at the party.

 

The station confirmed an investigation but not its substance or findings, citing privacy issues.

 

Barz declined comment.

 

 

Former Channel 32 morning co-anchor David Novarro, now co-anchor of the station's 10 p.m. newscast, is seen as the front-runner to replace Barz opposite Jan Jeffcoat on "Good Day Chicago." Another candidate is Patrick Elwood, who has been substituting for Barz.

 

 

Pat Mullen, WFLD's vice president and general manager, on July 10th told the Chicago Tribune that he expected Novarro to leave Channel 32 after nine years in September with the station discontinuing the 10 p.m. newscast and Novarro's contract set to expire.

 

Sources said that with Barz's exit, it's likely the station now will ask Novarro to stay.

 

The Chicago Sun-Times in September 2007 reported Barz was taken off the air briefly just two days after WFLD's rebranding of his morning newscast to "Good Day Chicago" from "Fox News in the Morning." According to the Sun-Times, the station was investigating allegations of misconduct involving a fellow employee at an off-site going-away party for a production assistant.

 

Barz was hired by Channel 32 six months earlier after two years as a features correspondent and fill-in weathercaster for ABC News' "Good Morning America" in New York. He previously spent seven years as morning sports anchor at Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.'s Channel 9.

 

A graduate of Indiana University, he also worked as a feature reporter and anchor for WLUK-TV in Green Bay, anchor for WHBF-TV in the Quad Cities and as a producer for Intersport Television.

[Evening Magazine 18]

More stupid changes in the Chicago market. All of it has been going downhill lately.

[Jase 818]

I wouldn't call this change stupid. If Barz did something that could hurt the station's image, they're well within their rights to let him go. This isn't his first offense and regardless of the fact that the incident occurred outside of work, the two people (at least one now) involved are employed with WFLD and the situation could have cause a weird/awkward work environment.

 

That said, I say give the job to Patrick. If they bring David back to the mornings, I will stop watching completely (and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one).

[Evening Magazine 18]

I wouldn't call this change stupid. If Barz did something that could hurt the station's image, they're well within their rights to let him go. This isn't his first offense and regardless of the fact that the incident occurred outside of work, the two people (at least one now) involved are employed with WFLD and the situation could have cause a weird/awkward work environment.

 

That said, I say give the job to Patrick. If they bring David back to the mornings, I will stop watching completely (and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one).

 

Actually, you're right. I wasn't thinking. I forgot about that happening before.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

Barz being let go wasn't a surprise to many.. It was expected and it was easy to tell (by both TV viewers and co-workers) that he knew it was coming too.

 

Now, to take his place.. Personally, I liked the morning David Novarro better than I liked him on "The Ten". It would be nice to bring him back to the morning news and see the eased up version of him again. He actually had thoughtful meaningful news related chit-chat on the morning anchor desk which Mike Barz lacked. Although, I like Patrick Elwood too. I know Fowler wanted to give Patrick a more prominent role in the mornings.. I know Fowler and Ahern wanted to lure him over to CBS 2 a few years back to anchor the mornings but that didn't work out. So who knows what will happen for sure..

 

It would be nice to see Bruce Wolf back home at FOX Chicago but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

David Novarro has been anchoring Good Day Chicago for the past couple days now.. I can see he's going to definitely be a keeper on Good Day Chicago. The chemistry between him and Jan Jeffcoat is better than it was with Barz and Jeffcoat. Novarro also seems to have taken charge in the morning newscast.. He doesn't have that passive anchoring attitute which has been dragging the morning newscast down since he was moved up to "The Ten".

 

It's the right move for bringing Good Day Chicago back to being news focused which is something Fowler wanted to do.

[former newsboy 50]

I never went near Good Day Chicago. Watched it one time, couldn't stand Barz & Jeffcoat for one minute. I hope David Novarro gets the gig, I was sad when I heared he'd be leaving the station when 'The Ten' goes away.

 

And Mike Barz needs to grow the f up. What an overgrown adolescent. He reminds me of one of those guys from the movie "Old School". Except HE ain't funny.