WPLG weekend meteorologist Michael Smith will be leaving the station. TVSpy metions the internal memo to staffers that went out this morning from WPLG news director Bill Pohovey announcing Smith’s departure and also confirmed the rumors that Julie Durda will be joining the TV station. Oddly, according to the announcement Durda’s job description at WPLG hasn’t been settled yet! Sounds like they saw an opportunity to poach her away from WSVN and took advantage of it.
I doubt they’re going to stick Julie Durda doing the weekend weather. That would be a demotion for her considering she was on the market’s number one morning newscast for the last 5 years. Plus, there are the rumors she allegedly wanted a certain pay increase from WSVN, and didn’t get it, which would then mean WPLG paid that or more to get her on their side. I did hear around the time she left WSVN that we could be seeing her out and about reporing at her next job or that she wants to move away from weather altogether. So around March or April will know for sure, until then it’s all speculation.
from what you hear, 7 does not pay too well, so a “normal salary” at 10 may have been enough to lure her away. 10 also does less news, so even if she sticks with weather, she’d certainly be responsible for less on-air time.
Any news on where Smith is going?
Hmm, Julie to weekday AMs, Scott to weekend PMs? But that’s a demotion for Scott, hmmmm…
Or does any evening assignment > weekday AM?
Julie posted this on her Facebook:
“Hi everyone, well I’m glad I can finally tell you the big news. I will be back to report your local weather forecast on WPLG Local 10 in April! It was hard to keep it a secret, thanks for hanging in there over the past few months! Promised I’d return…Hope you’ll tune in then! Big Hugs ~Julie”
Looks like she is sticking to weather.
Her FB announcement got something like 500 likes and 200 comments. South Florida has missed Julie Durda!
Not sure what will likely become of Michael Smith. Before Smith came to WPLG, he was chief meteorologist for Meredith owned WHNS (FOX in Greenville, SC/Asheville, NC). As for his next TV weather forecasting job… that would remain to be seen.
With Julie moving to WPLG… don’t know if Paul will continue morning and noon weather, or if he’ll be reassigned to weekend evening weather.