Sources tell our friends at NewsBlues.com that retired WFLA anchor Bob Hite is returing to the station. He will severe as fill-in anchor for anchors taking a summer vacation. He retired from WFLA in Nov 2007, ending a thirty year tenure at the Tampa station. Welcome back Bob!
Jennifer Lindgren is leaving Jacksonville duopoly WTLV/WJXX and is headed for Cleveland. She is joining WTLV/WJXX Gannett owned sister station WKYC as a “multimedia journalist.” She joined the WTLV/WJXX in 2008.
Lindgren talks about her new “multimedia journalist” job at WKYC…
“I’m one of a growing group of reporters who actually loves to shoot and edit my own stories,” she tells the Director’s Cut Blog exclusively. “It’s been a regular part of my job for five years now. I enjoy the challenge of photography!”
Viewers on the First Coast now have one more source for early local news. WTEV/WAWS have started broadcasting their newscasts at the ridiculous time of 4:30am. The Jacksonville duopoly is following in the foot steps of rival WJXT, who started broadcasting a 4:30am newscast back in April this year.
The new time slot also brings other changes. The morning newscasts have a more fresh and more brightly colored graphics package. Reporter Kristen Cosby will get a little desk time. She is anchoring the new 4:30am show, followed by Mike Barz and Dawn Lopez, who take over from 5-7+.
7/29/10 – UPDATE: Here is a little more information on the name change (and a shout-out to Florida News Center) from the St. Petersburg Times’ Eric Deggins. CLICK HERE
Tampa’s WTSP officially introduced their new logo, name and slogan on Monday’s 5am newscast. The station is dropping the short-lived “10 Connects” and is resurrecting “10 News.” The station is also using the slogan “Tampa Bay’s News Leader.” Watch video below of the new changes c/o FNC on YouTube
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(Originally published 7/24/10) – Sources tell Florida News Center that Tampa’s WTSP will under go a name/logo change coming soon. “10 Connects” is changing to “10 News.” The “PacMan” 10 (the cut-out area for the “C” in Connects, made the old logo look like PacMan) is out, while previous ocean wave logo is back.
WTSP is already teasing the new logo (maybe not intentionally) on their website. We grabbed a copy of the new logo, below. Stay tuned…
(from News-Press.com) - WZVN ABC7 is scheduled to launch an interesting experiment next Monday as well. Station managers are tweaking the way they present their morning news, known as ABC7 Gulfshore News.
The show runs from 5:30 to 7 a.m. and is anchored by the jovial Chad Oliver and meteorologist John Patrick. However, starting next Monday, the duo may play second fiddle to the graphics that appear on the screen.
Taking a cue from cable outlets such as CNBC, ABC7 is going to present a constant stream of information though the use of an “L-bar.” While the regular newscast will continue, it will be squeezed smaller on the screen so information such as breaking news, local headlines, county-by-county weather forecasts, traffic reports and national news can also appear….Cont….
(from NorthEscambia.com) – There’s a new viewing choice in the local television market. WFGX MyTV 35 is now broadcasting from WEAR TV 3’s tower in Baldwin County, providing a strong over-the-air signal in the North Escambia area.
WFGX offers MyNetworkTV programming from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. with such popular programs as “WWE: Smackdown”, “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “The Unit”.
The station also airs movies from ThisTV throughout the day and with the programs “Jerry Springer”, “Maury Povich”, “Inside Edition” and “Extra” on weekdays. During the weekend, WFGX airs “Desperate Housewives”, “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Bones”.
The station is available over-the-air as channel 35.1 (physically on channel 50) in standard definition.
“Sometime in early August we will be changing to a High-Definition signal only,” said Joe Smith, WEAR/WFGX operations manager. In the near future, the station will add “TheCoolTV”, a music station, on a second digital channel….Cont….
(edited from OrlandoSentinel.com) – Departing WKMG-Ch. 6 after five years: reporter Jessica D’Onofrio.
She will leave the CBS affiliate next month for WLS in Chicago.
“It’s a terrific opportunity,” WKMG General Manager Skip Valet said today. “It’s her hometown. It’s a big market. We hate to see her go.”
She joined WKMG in 2005 from Indianapolis’ WXIN Fox 59.
(edited from TBO.com) – John Thomas, an anchor at Tampa’s WFTS-TV, was arrested Friday and charged with driving under the influence.
Thomas, 44, who lives in Apollo Beach, was arrested at 9:30 p.m. near the intersection of Albany Avenue North and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard West. He refused a BAC at the scene.
Thomas, weekend anchor for WFTS, Channel 28, was released at 5:43 a.m. today on a $500 bond.
Sources tell Florida News Center that reporter Josh Rosenthal is leaving Gainesville’s WCJB. He’s headed to Little Rock, AR (a 104 market jump!). Rosenthal is the third reporter in the past few weeks to leave the station. As Florida News Center reported on Monday, reporters Robert Bradfield and Jordan Smith are leaving the station as well.
Our story on Monday inspired (what’s left of) WCJB staff to come out of the woodwork….
Sources tell Florida News Center that with the departure of Rosenthal, Bradfield and Smith, WCJB is left with three reporters. Two of those reporters are new grads hired from the Univ of Florida. The third is weekend meteorologist Aaron Boll. Reporters are made to work six day work weeks and vacation time has been denied, because the station is so short staffed.
As Florida News Center reported on Monday, a producer and photographer have also put in notice to leave the station. Now, we learn that they aren’t the only technical staff to leave. Other producers, as well as most of the photographers and ENG/sat truck staff have also left the station. No new hires have been made. One source says, “the place is a ghost town.”
Out of the MANY e-mails that we have received over the past week, the one comment that you hear most is that morale is completely gone as the station. One e-mailer says, “no one wants to work for News Director Brett Buell. He’s impossible to work work with. It’s all quantity and no quality.” Another writes, “most of those departing the station, do not even have jobs lined up yet. They can’t even hold on to job-less UF grads.”
So, where are all of these staffers going you may ask? The answer – across the street to triopoly WGFL/WNBW/WMYG, who is currently building their news department for an October premiere. Stay tuned for further information.
(from WFOR.com) – WFOR CBS4 anchor Eliott Rodriguez received quite an honor Wednesday. Eliott was nominated for the prestigious Imagen Award for Best Local Informational Program.
The awards honor positive portrayals of Latinos and Latino cultures in entertainment. Eliott’s specific nomination was for his report on a Cuban journalist on a Hunger Strike.
The Imagen Awards were established in 1985 based on a suggestion by television producer Norman Lear. The Imagen Foundation expanded its programs and initiatives to further its mission which is to bridge the gap between the Latino community and the entertainment industry….Cont…
