Back to the Future in Medford

/
Dialing for Dollars_PrintLOGO.JPG

It looks like we have officially run out of sweeps stunt ideas and we are now starting over again.​

At least that is the case at KOBI in Medford, Oregon. ​

The station has gone back to the late 60's early 70's and is bringing back "Dialing for Dollars.".

For you people under the age of 50, Dialing for Dollars is ​where the station calls viewers up. If the viewer knows the "secret" word they win cash (in this case $60). If they don't know, the station adds another $60 bucks to the pot, and they next person has a chance to win $120 dollars when they call. 

The reason for this stunt in the 60's and 70's? It would force people to be at home (no cellphones back then) and watching the newscast to see what the secret word is. The stunt basically forced you to watching the newscast from your house in case the station called your home phone.​

DMC-12.jpg

You can see how in 2013, this might not work like it did in the past.​ 

​Then again, I've never been to Medford...maybe they don't have cellphones and the Internet there just yet. 

Or they might just drive Deloreans ​with a flux compacitor.
 

Getting it Right More Important than Getting it First

/
Getting it Right More Important than Getting it First

​MediaSource's Lisa Arledge Powell writes that as a communication professional, I know the importance of gaining integrity and trust from the audiences I try to reach. I also know that as an industry we are sometimes quick to point the finger at other communicators who report for a living. Due to the 24/7 news cycle of today, the spotlight on media inaccuracies is brighter than ever. In times like these, it is important to remember those key principles of journalism that most of us learned when we first began our core coursework in college.

When breaking news is in the hands of reporters these days, it always seems the emphasis is placed on being the first to distribute a story, blog, tweet, Facebook post, and every other kind of possible communication. Being first on the scene can catapult your story out of the cluttered media world and into the public eye. At times, however, the first person to report a story might also be the first person to miss key information. Luckily, even after recent inaccuracies in the media, some journalists are still doing well at being the first to report quality, factual stories.

So which Cleveland Reporter is getting it "right"? Find out after the hop.  ​

Read More

Moving from Sports To News

/
Moving from Sports To News

KHNL (Hawaii) has found their new news anchor and they found him hanging out in the station's sports department.​

The station announced that main sports anchor Chris Tanaka, will move from the sports desk to become the new early evening anchor alongside Stephanie Lum.

Tanaka's move comes after long-time local news anchor, Shawn Ching, announced he will leave the newsroom to concentrate on his law practice.

The obligatory News Director quote after the jump.   ​

Read More

CBS Boss Takes Swipe at the Today Show

/
CBSUpfront1-300x167.jpg

CBS boss Les Moonves used the Advertiser Scamming event known as the Upfronts to take a swipe at NBC and the struggling Today Show.​

In taking about the CBS prime time lineup, Moonves said “We believe that great drama belongs in primetime between 8-11 PM, not at 7 in the morning.” He said that while a picture of a crying Ann curry was flashed on the screen behind him.

OUCH!​

Never mind the fact that CBS has changed out more morning show anchors in the past 5 years than NBC and ABC combined, you never let the facts stand in the way of a good joke. 

 from Curry’s departure from “Today” appeared on stage behind him (see the photo to the left).

​We can only say to Mr. Moonves, pick on the Today Show all you want, but don't be mean to Hoda and Kathie Lee. We love them. 

​

CBS's John Miller with Big Boston Scoop

/
CBS's John Miller with Big Boston Scoop

CBS Correspondent John Miller has been one of the stand out reporters that covered the Boston bombings.​

And while the bombings happened over a month ago, Miller is still breaking news in the case.​

Miller reports that Boston bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev left a note claiming responsibility for the attack.

Sources tell Miller that Tsarnaev wrote the note in the boat he was hiding in as police pursued him, and as he bled from gunshot wounds sustained in an earlier shootout between police and his older brother.

More after the bounce.   ​

Read More

Hoda and Kathie Lee Talking about FTVLive

/

Earlier we told you that we heard that Hoda and Kathie Lee were talking about FTVLive during this mornings Today Show.​

They were talking about how we got the pics of Kathie Lee and Al Roker getting FREAKY on the Today Show set. Here's a link to that story.​

And here's the video:​

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Hoda and Kathie Lee instantly move to the top of the list of our favorite morning show hosts!!!​

Hoda and Kathie Lee Talk About FTVLive

/
Hoda_Kathie-Lee.jpg

We did not see it, but we're getting emails and now we're asking for your help.​

According to the emails, supposedly Hoda and Kathie Lee were talking about FTVLive during the 4th hour of the Today Show.​

Word is that talked about it in the first 5 minutes of the 4th hour.​

They were talking about our posting of this story. ​

If anyone has the video or a link to it, PLEASE email it to us. ​

Thanks!!!​

The Scam that is the UpFronts... But for How Long?

/
The Scam that is the UpFronts... But for How Long?

The TV networks have been taking their turns pitching their new shows to advertisers at what is called the "UpFronts".​

Why is it called the "upfronts" because if they called it "scamming the ad buyers' it is likely they would get fewer buyers to show up.​

At the "upfronts" the networks parade out their big stars, put on crazy shows and try to build as much buzz as possible.

​Once again Networks are expecting to see TV ad spending rise. Some nets are expecting an increase of almost 10%. 

The biggest demo the ad buyers are looking to get is the 18-49 year olds. Goldman Sachs estimates that 17% of that 18-to-49-year-old demographic simply stopped watching broadcast TV.

So you have to wonder why advertisers pay more to get less?

Well tell you plus why the nets need to worry after the jump.   ​

Read More

Poll: Should F-Bomb Anchor should get Another Shot at TV News?

/
Poll: Should F-Bomb Anchor should get Another Shot at TV News?

AJ Clemente who holds the record for the shortest anchor career in history should get another shot to be on TV.​

At least that is according to the listeners at New Jersey 101.5 radio station.​

The station talked about how the former anchor is now tending bar for juts over $2 bucks and hour.​

In case you live in a cave, Clemente was sacked after his first words on air were "fuckin shit".​

The radio station posted a poll on their website asking listeners "Do you think AJ Clemente should be back on TV or stay in the bar?"

​The results.... Plus what the hell is this guy going to do for a resume? After the jump.  

Read More

Pelley Continues to Pick Up Viewers

/
scott-pelley.jpg

The CBS Evening News is still sitting in third place, but they are (and have been) heading in the right direction.​

The brodcast anchored by Scott Pelley added 680,000 viewers (6.41m from 5.73m, +12%), the largest year-to-year viewer gain among the network evening news broadcasts.

The newscast also posted double-digit year-to-year percentage increases among households (4.4/09 from 4.0/08, +10%) for the week ending May 10.

Season-to-date, the CBS Evening News continues to be the only network evening news broadcast to post increases among adults 25-54 (1.6/06 from 1.5/06, +7%) – the demographic most important to those who advertise in News – compared to last year.

Season-to-date, the CBS broadcast posted the largest gains among the network evening news broadcasts in viewers (6.75m from 6.25m, +8%) and households (4.6/09 from 4.2/08, +10%) compared to last year.

​

Not Sure We'll see Scott Pelley Do that

/
Not Sure We'll see Scott Pelley Do that

Before Scott Pelley at CBS News, there was Katie Couric and before that Dan Rather.​

At one time, CBS was so desperate ​for ratings they were willing to try anything. CBS hired Connie Chung to co-anchor with Dan Rather. The experiment flopped and Chung was soon booted from the show.

So what is Connie Chung doing these days?​

She's popping out of giant cakes.​

The video and more on this after the jump.  ​

Read More

Buffalo Host/Reporter is Dead

/
Buffalo Host/Reporter is Dead

Many years ago, FTVLive worked with Brian Kahle.​

In fact with WKBW GM Bill Ransom laid off Brian, we took him to lunch on his last day at work. Brian was a good guy.​

Monday night he was found dead in his home. ​

Authorities say there was no signs of foul play and Kahle had been ill in recent days. The family’s physician signed off on the decision not to have an autopsy.​

Kahle worked at WKBW from 1978 to 2001 (when he was laid off from the station by Ransom). He was best know as the co-host of AM Buffalo.

Back in Kahle's day, AM Buffalo was a local morning show that was very well done and did a good job on mixing news with features.​ Now the show is nothing more than paid sponsors coming on the air to pimp their product.

More on Brian's most famous interview after the skip.  ​

Read More

Bumped up in the Big Apple

/
743626_G.jpg

Antwan Lewis has been named coanchor of the Fox 5 Weekend News at 6 and 10 p.m., WNYW Fox 5 Vice President and News Director Dianne Doctor announced Tuesday.

Lewis will coanchor with Christina Park, beginning May 18.

Lewis joined Fox 5 in 2010 from WGN-TV in Chicago. He worked as a general assignment reporter and recently has been the fill-in anchor on "Good Day Wakeup," the station's 4:30-7 a.m. weekday newscast.

NY Daily News