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Michael Hill out at WGNO


PelicanGuy

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His contract not renewed, WGNO-TV's Michael Hill to form media company

 

Dave Walker, The Times-Picayune

 

WGNO-Channel 26 anchor Michael Hill announced Wednesday via Facebook that he is departing the station to form his own media company, Michael Hill Media.

 

"Thank you for watching these last 6 years!" he says in the post. The new company already has a website -- www.MichaelHillMedia.com -- which Hill described as "a work in progress."

 

Hill said Wednesday that his contract at the station was not renewed.

 

"As far as I know, they're going in a different direction," he said. "I wish them well.

 

"A lot of stations are in situations where they're desperate for ratings success, and they make changes.

 

"It's time for me to do my thing now, and look way beyond local TV."

 

Rick Erbach, WGNO's news director, declined to comment on Hill.

 

"We don't discuss personnel issues," he said.

 

On Hill's website, he writes, "I'm a veteran news anchor in New Orleans. For you, I offer my voice, my talent in front of the camera and my skills from behind it.

 

"Through years of 'real world' experience, I'm a multi-media journalist, commonly called a 'one-man band.' I will lend a credible voice, an authoritative presence and an air of intellect to your concepts and ideas. I'm witty and prolific with the pen. Creative with the camera. And, talented with the tongue."

 

Hill drew widespread attention, including a segment on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," for an impromptu bit of anchor-chat after a recent news story about a female sexual-enhancement procedure.

 

One YouTube clip of the exchange has more than 14,900 views.

 

Hill said he didn't believe the incident was a factor in his departure.

 

"If there was anything said, it was not to me," he said. "Certainly, they embraced all of the world-wide acceptance, viewership, whatever you want to call it. We got world-wide hits.

 

"I heard from people on several continents. Most of the reaction was very, very, very positive. 'I don't see anything wrong with what you said.'"

 

Hill said he was proud of his tenure at WGNO, especially the months immediately post-Hurricane Katrina when the station continued to provide newscasts without a newsroom.

 

Locked out of its storm-damaged offices in downtown New Orleans, WGNO produced newscasts on the street, then in an array of trailers on a parking lot near the Louisiana Superdome.

 

"I am very proud of the work we did at this station, especially post-Katrina, when we had nothing," he said. "These are people who were dealing with their own personal lives ... dealing with death and destruction, and they somehow put those things aside and came to work even though we had no place to go.

 

"To me, it's still one of the truly most remarkable things I've been a part of."

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