Florida News Center

(edited from TVNewsCheck.com) - Media General Inc. today reported total broadcast revenues in the second quarter increased approximately 13% from last year.

“Media General’s second-quarter operating results included $7 million in political revenues and our television stations also benefited from increased automotive spending, which was up nearly 42% compared with last year,” said Marshall N. Morton, president and chief executive officer. Total broadcast revenues in the second quarter increased 13%.

Florida segment profit was $1.5 million, compared with $193,000 a year ago. Expenses decreased 4%, offsetting a 1% decline in total revenues. Broadcast revenues increased 17%, due to strong political advertising on WFLA, but were more than offset by lower publishing revenues. Political revenues were $1.6 million compared with essentially none last year, reflecting gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and U.S. House races….Cont….

(from UncleBarky.com) – Dallas’ KTVT CBS11 continued to rebuild its investigative unit Tuesday by hiring Lisa Blegen to head it.

Blegen, who arrives from Fox-owned WTVT-TV in Tampa, FL, will be the station’s executive producer of Special Projects & Investigations, news director Adrienne Roark announced in a memo to staffers Tuesday night.

WTVT’s most recent investigation prompted the Army to reverse its findings that a local soldier died of a snake bite after his family questioned the cause of death.

Blegen previously was a Milwaukee-based reporter and a special projects executive producer in North Carolina. She’s a graduate of Minnesota’s St. Olaf College whose awards include a Silver Baton duPont….Cont….

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) - Being associated with a local sports team has paid off for Christian Bruey, who does play by play for the Daytona Cubs.

WFTV-Ch. 9 has hired Bruey as a sports reporter and anchor. He starts in mid-September at the ABC affiliate.

How did Bruey gain his new job? WFTV news director Bob Jordan caught him on cable.

“Bob saw Christian pop up doing something about the Daytona Cubs and liked what he saw,” said WFTV managing editor Matt Parcell. “He’s from the area. He caught our eye.”

Parcell described Bruey as “a really, really talented kid,” cited his emphasis on local sports and noted his local connections. Bruey has worked for the University of Florida Athletic Department, and he hosts programs on WELE-AM and WDSC-Ch. 15 in Daytona Beach….Cont….