Jeff Brogan, currently assistant news director at Cincinnati ABC affilite WCPO, will soon take over WPTV’s news director position. Scripps owns both stations and is moving him down here
WPTV’s previous news director Peter Roghaar left the station late last year for a job at ABC affiliate WTSP in Tampa, Florida
Jeff Brogan’s first day at WPTV will be on or around February 23rd
Former WPTV General Manager Bill Brooks has died (1933-2010). He was manager of WPTV from 1981 until 1998. Responsible for the never ending efforts to strive to be #1, he created, what most of us in South Florida can agree, is one of the most successful NBC affiliates in the country (unlike some). He was also responsible for WPTVs move from its Flagler Drive location, to its state of the art facility on Banyan Blvd in downtown West Palm Beach. Bill died while on a cruise with his wife.
Jim Sackett made a nice report about Bill Brooks that you can see on WPTVs website.
After the jump is a video about Bill that WPTV made some years back!
Continue reading ‘Former WPTV General Manager Bill Brooks Dies’
Page2Live reporting WPTV is not going to renew the contracts for sports reporters Ryan Lieber and Jay Gilmore.
As of January 1, 2010 local ESPN radio station WEFL 760 AM host Evan Cohen will anchor sports segments on WPTV for the 5, 6 and 11pm newscasts. Jason Pugh will have the weekend anchor duties.
Page2Live’s Jose Lambiet says an insider told him the move isn’t as much about cost-cutting as it is to attract Evan Cohen, a popular drive-time radio host on WEFL
[Audio] Evan Cohen Announces WPTV partnership with WPTV GM Steve Wasserman in Studio
WPTV launched their new graphics recently as parent company Scripps centralized graphics production. The big giant caramel lower thirds made a big impression on us but as of last night they’re now smaller
Still make me think of caramel candy and ice cream. For some reason now I prefer the bigger version it’s so much more … delishos, yum!
WPTV’s Chopper 5 crew Captain Julie and photographer Johann Hoffend were honored with ‘Samaritan Awards’ by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
In August 2009 the WPTV Chopper 5 crew took off looking for two boaters missing in the Everglades. Two miles off Belle Glade the crew spotted the missing men waving frantically at the news helicopter and radioed their coordinates to Palm Beach Fire Rescue. The men were found a top their capsized boat surrounded by murky water and alligators where they had spent the night.
Very different than what they had until recently
WPTV New Graphics; Noon Open
Hit the jump to see the video
/hat tip GBMiami87/
Continue reading ‘New WPTV Graphics: Noon Open Video’
Strange but, WPTV launched a new graphics and music packages today with the morning news.
The last time the station got a makeover was in 2007 2008! when they became the first station in South Florida to get a package from one of our favorite broadcast design companies, Renderon.
Video soon
NBC Local Media has a job listing posted for a city editor in Boston, MA indicating that the network maybe planning to launch NBCBoston.com and compete against their affiliate, and WSVN sister station, WHDH 7News on the web.
An interesting development considering how much NBC cried contracts and affiliate relationships when WHDH decided to have news on instead of Jay Leno at 10pm.
WHDH general manager Chirs Wayland told Nieman Journalism Lab they are not involved with the development of NBCBoston.com and won’t be providing content for the site. WHDH also have no plans of shutting down WHDH.com
Locally, Palm Beach NBC affiliate WPTV is owned by Scripps, which has a cluster of stations in several locations throughout the United States. They develop and maintain online presence on their own. It would be interesting to watch what happens considering WPTV is very strong NBC affiliate. Things may or may not change when WPTV’s contract with NBC comes up for re-negotiation and which affiliate relationship tier Scripps chooses.
Isn’t it rather curious that NBC may go against an affiliate starting with Boston of all places!?
Continue reading ‘NBC Takes On WHDH Launching NBCBoston.com Soon’
TCPalm has a story on now former WPTV anchor Jamie Holmes and why he left the station so abruptly.
Holmes says he started planning his departure “…six or seven months ago” and that there was no ill will between him and WPTV.
“I realized it was time to get out of the business,” said Holmes, 34. “I felt like all of my opportunities in television had been exhausted and I was looking for other companies that offered me more opportunities.”
According to TCPalm Jamie Holmes joined Venue Marketing Group, a product marketing and image management company in Riviera Beach.
Jamie Holmes quit WPTV two weeks ago, around the same time Jay Cashmere was named the new anchor for the 5:30pm newscast replacing WPTV anchor Chandra Bill who announced she plans to leave the station by May 2010.
Holmes’ departure generated some chatter because he was considered the top choice to take over for long-time WPTV anchor Jim Sackett when he retires.
What are the odds of something like this happening?!
During an investigation into a time share company accused of taking people’s money and running, WPTV’s Shannon Cake and photogs ran into a familiar face to them and many others who’ve watched WPTV for years.
As the crew staked out the offices of Premier Time Share a former colleague was seen frequently coming and going. It was former morning meteorologist Rob Lopicola! Allegedly a manager at the firm WPTV’s investigation targeted.
WPTV reporter Shannon Cake and two photogs confronted Lopicola one morning as he walked toward the office building and asked him why hundreds of people complained the time share company took their refundable deposits and never returned them. He told them they only ask for fees to advertise the customer’s time share
Shannon Cake asked Lopicola if she could go up to the office with him and talk to one happy, satisfied client of theirs. Lopicola told her he would instead go and get his boss and come back in a few minutes. The crew ended up waiting for him for over an hour but he didn’t return.
According to WPTV’s investigation, customers are accusing Premier Time Share of promising to sell their time shares in exchange for a refundable fee. A former employee told WPTV there never is a buyer for the time share. The former employee claims company management told them the units will never be sold and that “…these people are going to give you their money … if they are stupid enough to give it we’re going to take it”.
Video of WPTV’s story after the jump
/hat tip gbmiami87 and tipsters/ Continue reading ‘WPTV Runs Into Former Colleague During Investigation’
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