WPTV Anchor Chandra Bill Photo:WPTV.com
Jose Lambiet from Page2Live has the scoop on WPTV anchor Chandra Bill who’s quitting the TV news biz for good when her contract with the station expires in May 2010.
Bill told Lambiet she’s scaling back her anchor duties but will produce special projects at WPTV that she hasn’t been able to pursue before. She says Jay Cashmere will be taking over as her replacement on the 5pm and 5:30pm news.
Chandra Bill’s husband owns a Chick-fil-A franchise at The Mall at Wellington Green and she’s decided to join him and helping run and expand the venture. She says she is impressed by Chick-fil-A’s bible-based corporate governance. The company sponsors National Bible Week, helped put bibles in every school in the state of Georgia, Atheletes in Action which is part of a missionary arm Campus Crusade for Christ.
Chandra Bill came to the Palm Beach market in 1986 and was the main anchor at WPEC until 2002 when she left to join WPTV.
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66 Responses to WPTV Anchor Chandra Bill Quits TV News Biz For Chick-fil-A
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her choice? Or pushed?
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She wasent that big of an asset to WPTV. I doubt she was making that much money.
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I agree. Just an attractive face and a prompter reader. The promo for the new 5pm team is telling “more than just anchors…”
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Scripps wont change anything at WPTV. WPTV is their highest rated station by ratio of potential viewers.
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I still wonder why she went to WPTV when she really didn’t have a shot to take Laurel Sauer’s place like she did at WPEC. I think it’s more that WPTV “talent loads” as you see that they have quite a few exiles from WPEC and now WPBF with the addition of Jon Shainman.
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She had a baby, that’s why. I think she wanted 9-5 times.
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better environment to work? and prestige for working at the #1 station in the market?
Chandra stepped down from main anchor at PEC a while prior to moving to WPTV because she wanted to spend more time with her children if I remember correctly – didn’t want to work late. I doubt replacing Laurel was ever a goal for her. Never much of a CB fan as I find her fake but I know plenty of people liked her.
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She may have been valuable to WPEC in the late 80s, but WPEC got ahold of a lot of WTVXs star anchors and began using them more and more. SO she might have just felt it was time for her to move on. I believe it wasent too long between WPEC and WPTV, maybe a couple months.
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“I believe it wasent too long between WPEC and WPTV, maybe a couple months.”
What are you referring to gb? She sat out a year non-compete…?
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Oh yeah, that’s right, because I read that she only did 5 with Liz Q. and 6 with Curt before she moved on to WPTV.
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You’re right! I did some digging in the Palm Beach Post archives. She left WPEC in May of 2001. WPTV even paid her during her off year. She could not go to WPTV because of non-compete clause in her contract.
Her arrival at WPTV ousted WPTV anchor Jim Wicks. Wicks was quoted stating he would not leave South Florida no matter what and regardless would be on TV somewhere around here. hahahahaha I guess anchoring didnt work out for him, but he is a Creative Services Producer at WPEC now.
I would be biting my nails tho if i were him considering WPECs position now. Im surprised WFOR laid off so many and WPEC has laid of none and their parent company is bankrupt and overspent on WPEC!
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I’d think a lot of people at WPEC will be worried about their job.
Who will replace Sackett?
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I think Sackett leaving could be an ultimate downfall for WPTV to WPBF and WPEC. I’m sure he is due to do so anytime now. He makes more than $1 Million a year and it doesent appear that Scripps has been urging him to retire. Like I said they will let WPTV run its course and not do anything because of their ratings.
Their flagship WEWS in Cleveland on the other hand is a different story. I believe Scripps just pushed that stations main anchor into retirement a couple months ago.
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Don’t know where you get your info GB, but no anchor in the entire state of Florida makes 1 million a year.
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You need to think again.
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You need to have a dose of reality. Trust me…I know. I’m not a 20-something wannabe.
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There would be no justfying paying him that much. He’s not the sole reason WPTV are #1. Plus there was lots of talk a few years ago that Weagle was the highest paid West Palm talent when he signed a contract worth around a couple of hundred thousand $
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No one should make fun of her. She will probably end up offering jobs at a Chick Fill A to most of the you in local news.
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I would rather not be affiliate with such an organization. They wouldn’t hire me anyways.
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I know beyond a shadow of a doubt Jim’s salary. It doesn’t even come close to half a mill, much less the whole hog. And that you can take to the bank. GBM has no inside info whatsoever, muchless this nugget.
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The highest paid talent in the market may make close to 300K, that’s it. This market does not pay a million, not even close.
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I find that very hard to believe that anyone makes even close to a million a year in a non major market. Tony Segretto who was at WTVJ for 40 years was only making about 500,000 (maybe just 450,000) a year in a major market. Maybe Jim is making 200-300 , but not a million…lol
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Jim is a far more valuable asset to WPTV than Tony Segreto ever was to WTVJ. While segreto was there ratings sucked and WTVJ didnt even know where to put him. He was all over the place and on air sporadically. I dont know, I can admit that I once heard Jim made near a million or so. PErhaps I am wrong, but I wouldnt be shocked if he made more than the average person would down here. WPTV is one of the highest rated and grossing NBC stations. I think they would like to keep it that way.
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@GBMiami87:
WPEC laid off LOTS of people since the end of last year. I was one of them. I’m under a non-compete right now. And they haven’t replaced many who left on their own.
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Well than this website sure didnt gather that. They nearly hired me earlier this year, but the person in charge of your video editors who i wont name is NOT somebody I think I would get along with and that was apparent during some of the time i spent there earlier this year.
I think WPEC is going to drain Freedom…who knows what will happen with either of them.
I said Chandra was with here kids, having a baby, whatever, I wasent too far off track.
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WPEC won’t hire you. Chick-Fil-A won’t hire you. When you gonna catch a break, uh?
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I have a break! Chick-Fil A that was a joke because of my sexuality! WPEC, yeah they are a great station on air, but that may not have ended well.
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Don’t ask, don’t tell!
How ’bout PTV? You could do something in HR/payroll and count Sackett’s pennies out
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And Chandra was great to work with at WPEC.
GBMiami, Chandra has two teenage sons. She is 50 years old. She did not just have a baby.
Sheesh…
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Good luck to you, PECer. I always enjoyed looking in on Chandra, even though I should be part of the “Miami” market. As you can see, GB is just one of the crosses we have to bear.
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Yes, certainly he is incorrect on many things.
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LL everyone else told, guessing you werent around last week.
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“WPTV is one of the highest rated and grossing NBC stations. I think they would like to keep it that way.”
Er I think Scripps would like to keep it that way. NBC has nothing to do with Jim’s salary. More evidence you’re clueless.
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Ok let me re-word that. They are one of the highest grossing NBC stations in proportion to its audience. Hence if they make money for NBC, they make money for themselves as well. They ARE one of the largest money makers for SCripps.
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GBMiami………You shouldn’t talk about things you don’t know. First. Sackett makes nowhere near the million a year you said he does. Second Sackett is in a smaller market then WTVJ, WPLG, etc. which means the talent doesn’t make as make. 3rd, Tony Segretto was at WTVJ for forty years,did everything from sports to becoming the lead news anchor. I’m sure you think Belkys is a better anchor then Tony….so much for your judgement……lol…Belkys never won any journalism awards, Tony has a whole collection of them.Tony was so good that he often filled in for that nationally seen late nite sports show that NBC used to air weekly. Go back to watching ch7 news, please.
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I am aware that people in larger markets make more. I just said I wouldn’t be surprised considering WPTVs phenomenal success with him at that station that he would make more than the average person in the market would.
I never said Tony Segreto was bad, I think he was just dandy. However, nobody watched!! The station has rated for the most part in last place since 2001. His being at that station was not really a incentive for others to watch it. Anchor status quo really doesn’t guarantee station success. WNBC for example has had the same two anchoring since the 70s and WNBC has NEVER been #1 with the, yet NBC insists on shoving $ Millions down Sue and Chucks throats to stay.
WPTV even receives good ratings on some NBC programming when a majority get bad ratings for the same airings. For that reason I bet you there are times where WPTV rakes in more than WTVJ and other higher up NBC stations. It has even been reported before! On this website!
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With the statements he’s been making, I’m convinced GBMiami and Diego are blood relatives. There is no other explanation to this.
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Mitch, I left town for a few days, but I came to this realization when I had a vision on the Florida Turnpike. I think you are right. Or maybe I should stop reading Dan Brown novels.
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Chuck. my buddy…..welcome back here…..GB is in another world saying that Sackett deserves more money then Segretto whose in a much larger market…lol
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I just watched some WPB news over the weekend. Liz Quirantes is at 12, and they had John Mathews doing weekend morning weather. Didn’t he used to be a #1 weather guy in West Palm? He’s still better than Morales, sorry to say. It looks to me like the smaller markets do a better job on news because they don’t have as many beancounters to please. Scripps is a big company but I don’t think they have to worry about selling T-Shirts or Coffee Mugs. I suspect the best on-air talent will be wise to settle in at the mid-market level instead of dealing with network idiots. Just look at how vibrant Miami’s news coverage was before NBC came to town and began the mass screwup.
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John Matthews was the news anchor there over 20 years ago & then changed to doing the weather. Anytime your down being on the morning news on the weekend you know you have one foot out the door.
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“Anytime your down being on the morning news on the weekend you know you have one foot out the door.”
Not entirely true. Weagle has covered weekends at PTV and he’ll be at 5 for as long as he wants to be, I suspect.
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Its true most of the time and if you were a long time employee working in the evenings and then find yourself on the early mornings on the weekends….COUNT ON IT
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People take vacations and their hours need to be covered sometimes.
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Tell that to the out of work anchors that were doing the early morning news on the weekend…..lol
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If an really morning anchor on the weekend goes on vacation you will see a field reporter filling in, not the 6pm weekday anchor! You are 100% wrong!
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John Matthews does the weather! Steve Weagle has covered weekends for WPTV. Fact. I am not wrong. I’m not GB. I don’t watch WPEC so I have no idea the John Matthews scenario but it does happen with meteorologists. If somebody who does weekends is off and if the normal fill-in is out of action too… the weekday met works.
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“100% wrong”? Such arrogance. Where did I mention ANCHORS? I didn’t! I referred to the weather guy. I have no idea why Liz Quirantes is on weekends. Isn’t she their main anchor?
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Sorry..I meant “Early” not really…type 0
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But John Matthews is not filling in , he got demoted. I can’t every think of when the number1 weather person was put on in the early morning weekends to fill in…I do remember when long time weatherman Bob Weaver was put on in the early mornings on the weekends. That was his last time slot before he was gone !
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Who is their weekday meteorologist now? I guess I could watch to find out but I’d rather not
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According to wiki he’s not demoted. Just some very strange scheduling
“John Matthews (NWA Seal of Approval) – Chief seen weeknights 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, 7pm, 10pm (WFLX) and 11pm and Sundays 6am-9am”
The whole station is screwed
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Yup and the tooth fairy will be here at 9 pm…keep believing….lol
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Well surely if he were demoted then he wouldn’t be on during the week, would he? Somebody else would. He’s old and sucks anyway.
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NWA….didnt that used to stand for National Wrestling Aliance ? I think he’s the only one still using the dumb logo, the rest quit using it many years ago. I think he even used it before he became a licensed metorlogist. It’s an outdated tv gimmick.
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TV News down here, gets rid of their people before they hit 60. In maybe a small market they let someone stay past 60 now. Don Noe, Tony Segretto, Dwight Lauderdale are just a few victims of that. Very few even in their 50s now.
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Mitch, WPEC has recently fell to 3rd place here. They havent been in 3rd place EVER. Because of this they have made some drastic changes. Those include Liz and Curt doing all evening news except 7pm. Also they felt moving john Matthews to mornings might spike ratings. I dunno. He is still Chief Meteorologist.
Also, whoever said he was top weather man here is moronic. WPTV has always dominated ratings here. Matthews is really the only one that can be easily associated with 12 since he is one of the few talents that has been there a long time….aside from Bob Mayer, he is longest in South Florida, having been at WPEC since 1971. He worked for them before Photo Electronics Corporation moved them to their Mangonia Park complex (which has been so sad since Photo Electronics sold the entire complex to Freedom who didnt know what to do with the rest of it since all they wanted was the TV studio). Before that, they were on Congress Ave in near Lake Worth, and before that in the 1950s they were on the 12th floor of the Harvey Building in downtown West Palm Beach.
Some stations have toyed with using main anchors on Sunday, WPBF has been doing this, not sure if WPEC is testing the waters for that too.
WPEC must be a frantic mess right now anyways with the pole their parent company is walking along. I remember when they were worried CBS would yank their affiliation in favor of WTVX when CBS acquired that AND moved it to downtown West Palm Beach.
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Chuck….The only explanation is that WPEC is secretly being run by WTVJ, thats the only logical explanation !
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Well, their parent company has no money so yeah.
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NBC has no money? They pay Leno 29 million and they have no money? Why am I even answering GBMiami…….someone who never makes sense…lol
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They dont have money for WTVJ, you knew what i meant dont be ignorant.
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I just love the way people professing to be in the communications business so frequently have to offer as their only retort for some silly comment they have posted,”You know what I meant.” I do love irony.
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I am not necessarily in the communications business.
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We can tell……..
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Soooooo NBC has tons of millions for everyone else, but no money for WTVJ? We can always depend on GBMiami for logical answers!
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You all have said that yourselves, I think that is apparent. The dont have money for everyone else, they have had many problems recently.
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