Florida News Center

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – WOFL has become the new home to a string of TV journalists who worked at other stations in Central Florida.

The station has added reporters Tiffany Tift (formerly of WKMG-Channel 6) and Derrol Nail (formerly of WFTV-Channel 9).  Meteorologist Rob Eicher worked at WKMG and Central Florida News 13.

WOFL’s most high-profile hires were anchor Bob Frier (formerly of WKMG) and chief meteorologist Glenn Richards (of WFTV). Other familiar faces hired by WOFL include morning anchor Jacqui Sosa (of WKMG), reporter Shannon Butler (of Central Florida News 13) and Patrick Pegues (also of Central Florida News 13)….Cont….

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) - Bob Frier says he knows how fortunate he is: The former anchor at WKMG-Channel 6 landed a job at WOFL-Channel 35 and was able to stay in Central Florida.  “Finding a job in the same market is not unprecedented, but it’s difficult,” Frier says.  “To have it happen and at a station that’s very vocal in its support of me, I’m thankful for how it worked out.” Frier, who is 44, also had to look for a job during a recession and an uncertain time for broadcasting. And he had to tell prospective employers why he lost his job at WKMG. “The way it was explained to me, they had to cut money wherever they could,” Frier says. “I was one of the top salaries there. That’s a lot of money they can move off the books. I’m not the only person that happened to. I discovered that when I went out looking for a job.” He last day on WKMG was Feb. 13, and the CBS affiliate continued to pay him through June. He started a job search by sending out various resumes, hoping for work in television, voiceover or  public relations. “It’s hard to find a TV job when you’re not on TV,” Frier says. …Cont…

(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – Where will Bob Frier fit in at WOLF-Channel 35? Frier, the former anchor at WKMG-Channel 6, will start at the station Dec. 14. He will anchor the 5 and 10 p.m. newscast with Amy Kaufeldt. Both telecasts are an hour. Cale Ramaker will anchor at 6 p.m. with Sonni Abatta and solo at 11 p.m. Those newscasts are each a half-hour.

Our friends at NewsBlues.com report that former WKMG main anchor Bob Frier, who was let go from the station back in February, will be taking main anchor position from Cale Ramaker over at WOFL. The official announcement is due as early as today. So far, there’s no word on what position Ramaker will take at the station. However, sources say that he’s slowly on his way out. Stay tuned for further developements.

…as NewsBlues.com first reported Monday….(from OrlandoSentinel.com) – It’s never a good sign when an anchor or a meteorologist loses a time slot, especially in rough economic times. Stations are trying to shed high-priced talent to cut costs. We learned that lesson with Bob Frier (right #1), the former WKMG anchor. He lost the 6 p.m. time slot when Mike Garofalo arrived late last year, and that was the tipoff that WKMG was easing out Frier. Frier left the station in February. Recent moves by WKMG suggest that chief meteorologist Tom Sorrells (right #2) and anchor Jacqueline London (right #3) may not be on the air much longer. London and Sorrells are on the new, hour-long 6 p.m. news, but they are no longer on at 11 p.m. — thus the speculation. Here’s the tricky part: We don’t know how their contracts are structured. Appearances could be deceiving. There’s widespread speculation that the well-liked Frier will land at WOFL. Has a contract been signed? When could he reach the air? No definitive news on that front. But there’s more speculation that Frier’s arrival could mean that WOFL’s Cale Ramaker (left) is on the way out. Not true, several knowledgeable sources tell me. The anchor gossip is interesting, but until a station or the anchor tells us what’s up, it’s just talk.