Archive for the 'Local Media' Category

WTVJ Layoffs Is it the Economy or a Buyer?

1. A buyer for WTVJ has emerged, interested in the station:

a)  Buyer looking to run things on the lean. Assuming NBC isn’t flexible on the asking price this potential buyer is probably willing to give NBC the asking price but only in exchange for less burden i.e. high-paid on-air talent, too much staff.

b) the buyer is a  media company who sees the need to invest in WTVJ in order to make them a viable competitor but to do this, and give NBC the asking price, WTVJ has to ’shed some weight’ if you will.
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Fisher Communications and KOMO Suffer Huge Outage

btw I’m near Seattle, in case you’re wondering why I’m blathering about this …

update3: KOMO is back via cable and it’s a very barebones newscast.

They have laptops for Paul Deanno and the traffic girl placed on top of covered up recycling bins. There are no graphics or ad breaks. Paul is delivering his forecast without any visuals at all. And the traffic girl used her laptop and a website to show traffic conditions. The anchors have no prompters, obviously, so they are all ad libing their way trough this.

And it appears that KOMO was knocked out around 11:15pm PST last night! So they have been out for nearly 7 hours.
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A Former Anchor With a Passion: My Interview With Amber Lyon

Amber Lyon Photo: AmberLyonLive.com

Amber Lyon Photo: AmberLyonLive.com

When WSFL’s morning show ‘SouthFlorida.com/LIVE’ finally launched in March of this year, one thing we all noticed is that most had no idea who the anchors were. Some may have recognized Dave Azer if they had watched Nickelodeon, but WSFL’s edge was having  young, fresh, and unknown anchors.

Recently, I heard that Amber Lyon had left WSFL and the morning show, and decided to drop her a note and see if she’d tell us where she is headed to next. Thankfully for us, seeing the words SFLTV in her email didn’t scare her off. In talking with her, she shared a bit about one of her biggest passions, and what made her come to South Florida.

Read on.
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DTV: NBC Asking FCC to Move WTVJ Repeater to Channel 51

NBC has filed a displacement application with the FCC, asking them for permission to move WTVJ’s low-power repeater which is still operating from analog channel 58 to analog 51.

According to the application analog 58 was sold and can’t be used, NBC still has analog 51 which has been freed up since WSCV-Telemundo (NBC-owned)moved to digital.

I guess analog lives for a few more

Sun-Sentinel.com Gets Makeover

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Sun-Sentinel.com Website Update

The Sun Sentinel’s website got a nice looking face lift late Wednesday evening.  Take a look at it here. It has an overall cleaner and more organized look. Share your thoughts in the comments.

Poll: Future for WTVJ?

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What exactly should be done with WTVJ?
View Results

Your thoughts?

First on SFLTV – Confirmed: Major Layoffs at WTVJ!

UPDATE: More talent layoff news after the jump below.

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Breaking news now confirmed by SFLTV.com: Major talent layoffs at WTVJ NBC6 today. Shocked tipsters are telling SFLTV.com that longtime anchor and South Florida icon/news legend Kelly Craig was laid off from the station early Monday afternoon. You heard right. The anchor that has been there since April of 1990 was laid off. Joining in this major round of lay-offs are weekday morning reporter Joe Carter, and Andrea Brody, the only female sports anchor at WTVJ. SFLTV is told that these layoffs were all most likely due to the economy.

Talent wasn’t the only cost-cutting item to go.  SFLTV.com has confirmed that  WTVJ has canceled the NBC6 weekend morning newscast.

We observed this “Tweet” by WTVJ executive producer Tammy Delgado, which seemed to originally confirm the suspicion of the layoffs:

“I hate today.. hate it.. hate it.. hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Tammy would be the producer in charge of both Kelly Craig and Joe Carter. As of 3:30 PM on 6/29, their bios have been removed.

We contacted Ms. Craig and received this response:

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WSVN Updates Hurricane Graphics

News Never Stops at WSVN, and their graphics staff never sleep either.

Barely six months after the launch of HD (in January 2009) and a whole makeover to go with it, on Friday during the afternoon news WSVN debuted new hurricane graphics and updated weather graphics.
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The virtual weather set has been redesigned, no more walking on a big giant circle seven by Ferro and the rest of the weather talent. Most of the blue is gone, in its place a lot of black and red.

Overall good eye candy as expected I suppose. Not having the big giant silver 7 on the “floor” is a lot less distraction and shiny. Much more watchable in 16:9 than 4:3

SFLTV.com’s Newsie of the Week

SFLTV.com is launching our new weekly feature, Newsie of the Week. Do you watch a news anchor or reporter that stands out in the crowd? Have a co-worker that you think should be recognized for their work? Here’s your chance to let them know. You can now nominate anyone from the South Florida TV news industry. From your main anchor, AM reporter, or satellite truck operator – and everyone in between. All nominations are anonymous and anyone can vote. Every week we’ll have a new winner, and every month you’ll be able to vote for your favorite of the four. NOMINATE NOW: HERE.

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Our first weeks winner was chosen by the SFLTV.com staff. This weeks winner is…

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WJW Fox Cleveland Ridiculous Bear Story

WJW FOX 8 Cleveland, OH does a story on a local bear in the woods. Must watch!

That really aired on TV, all 2 minutes of it. And TV newsers say Miami is the most ridiculous market in the country.